DLA Piper advises as UBS tries to evict protestors from 'Bank of Ideas'

Protestors from the Occupy London Stock Exchange (LSX) camp, who have been demonstrating outside St Paul’s Cathedral for over a month, moved into the empty UBS building on Sun Street last week.

Occupy LSX has dubbed the building the ‘Bank of Ideas’ and is running it as a community centre. However, UBS is seeking to evict the group from the building and is understood to have instructed DLA Piper, one of its panel firms, on the action.

In a statement on the protestors’ website, Occupy LSX claimed that papers had been left at the building on Saturday, detailing a possession order “which were unsigned, unstamped and had no claim number”.

“Occupy London lawyers have placed doubt on the enforceability of the documents delivered by UBS, suggesting that they constitute a flagrant breach of civil procedure rules,” the statement said.

The protestors are being represented by Kaim Todner partner Karen Todner and 25 Bedford Row silk John Cooper QC, both acting pro bono (17 November 2011).

Meanwhile, High Court judge Mr Justice Wilkie has been appointed to oversee the City of London Corporation’s efforts to evict protestors from the St Paul’s camp.

Wilkie is used to high-profile cases, having presided over hacker Gary McKinnon’s appeal against extradition to the US and also over Levi Bellfield’s trial for the murder of Milly Dowler. Todner represented McKinnon in the 2009 case.

Wilkie J also has a strong track record in judging cases involving terrorism as well as judicial reviews. 

The first case management conference in the case of Mayor, Commonalty & Citizens of the City of London v Persons Unknown (being persons taking part in a protest camp at St Paul’s Churchyard, London EC4) will be heard at 10.30am today (23 November).