The bulk of Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Nicholson Graham's UK partnership has been ordered to pay just £6,750 to Mohamed Fayed after winning out in the £8.8m negligence claim he made against the firm.

Fayed had sued legacy firm Nicholson Graham & Jones, which merged with US firm Kirkpatrick in 2004, alleging it had been negligent in the advice it gave on Fayed's purchase of the Fulham Football Club in 1997.

Fayed argued that as a result of the firm's drafting, he was later forced to pay £7.75m to his minority shareholders to buy out their stake in the club. He therefore brought a claim in 2003, seeking to reclaim the £7.75m plus interest and costs.

However, in his judgment on Monday (31 July), Mr Justice Mann ruled there was no connection between the alleged mistake and the payment made to shareholders in 2002, so the claim against the firm largely failed.

The only criticism upheld against Kirkpatrick was that the firm made a mistake in marking up agreed amendments to one of the contracts and Mann awarded Fayed £6,750 costs for taking legal advice on that.

Kirkpatrick London senior partner Michael Johns commented: "We are delighted with the successful outcome of this litigation. It is regrettable that the claim was brought and it is a claim which had to be defended."
Kendall Freeman managing partner Laurence Harris led the claimant team while Kirkpatrick instructed Mayer Brown Rowe & Maw.