Phillips, who has particular experience acting in relation to football disputes, is suing the
He accuses the company of not meeting an agreement to supply access to the Halsbury’s Laws following work his father, High Court judge Mr Justice Phillips, did on the book in the past. According to the claim, the judge edited the Income Tax volume in the 1970s, and his two sons were offered a free copy of the legal tome and any new volumes in return for their father’s work.
Reed Elsevier supplied Phillips with free copies until 1998. The claim form alleges that at this point the publisher made an oral agreement with Phillips that if he gave up his entitlement to copies of the written edition, he could gain free lifetime access to online editions.
However, access to the service was terminated in 2006. LexisNexis said it would defend the claim and does not believe Phillips has a case. Phillips is being represented by Fenwick Elliott.