Teacher Stern Selby elbows out Kendall Freeman to win Iraqi Airways work

London firm Teacher Stern Selby has become the third firm in as many years to win work for the Iraqi Airways Company (IAC) in its long-running dispute with the Kuwait Airways Corporation (KAC).

Landau & Scanlan was originally instructed in the case when KAC first brought its claim against IAC in 1991, following the loss of KAC’s fleet of aircraft after the 1990 Iraq invasion.

When the coalition forces took control of Iraq in 2003, Kendall Freeman became IAC’s solicitors, defending the airline in two separate actions last year.

However, now that power in Iraq has been returned to the Iraqis, Teachers has replaced Kendall Freeman. Litigation partner Jack Rabinowicz is acting for the airline in February’s ‘Perjury 2’ trial, where it will be decided whether or not a 1995 House of Lords judgment was obtained through perjury.

Rabinowicz said Teachers had previously acted for other Iraqi government entities, although not for IAC, and added that the case will be “a challenge”.

KAC is represented by Howard Kennedy’s Chris Gooding, instructing Essex Court Chambers’ Joe Smouha QC. Rabinowicz is instructing Stephen Nathan QC of Blackstone Chambers.