Bell Lax’s client was a packager of “partworks” publications. “Partworks” are lavishly illustrated series of books on subjects as diverse as wildlife and military equipment.
Bell Lax’s client entered into a joint venture agreement with a publisher to produce a series of books for Reader’s Digest.
Bell Lax’s client considered that the agreement between them and the publisher contained a misrepresentation as to the payments the publisher was to receive from Reader’s Digest. Our client entered into the contract based on that representation. Our client therefore asked for the contract to be rectified when it discovered that the publisher was to receive greater payments from Reader’s Digest than our client had known. As the publisher had also been negotiating with Reader’s Digest on behalf of both itself and our client, our client also considered that the publisher owed it a fiduciary duty.
Following a four day trial in the Chancery Division of the High Court of Justice, this matter has recently been heard in the Court of Appeal.
