Entrepreneur Emma Sinclair, once lauded as the youngest person in Britain to float a company on the stock market at age 29, is now involved in a significant financial dispute with her brother, James, over their technology firm. The feud centers on the sale of James Sinclair's shares in their software company, EnterpriseJungle, a transaction now valued at £4.5 million.
A High Court judge presiding over the case in London has highlighted the "deep bad feeling" between the siblings and questioned whether James Sinclair's actions were motivated by a desire to cause his sister personal distress, beyond simply recovering the owed funds. The judge also noted James's "very aggressive" approach to challenging his sister's financial evidence.
The dispute escalated after James Sinclair, an experienced technology entrepreneur based in California, was removed as a director of EnterpriseJungle and dismissed in 2021. The siblings subsequently agreed that Emma would purchase his five million shares, with the payments to be spread over several years. When these payments were delayed, James pursued the outstanding amount through the Californian courts.
In January, the Californian courts awarded James Sinclair approximately £2.3 million. Emma Sinclair and the company appealed this decision, while James sought to enforce the judgment in London's High Court. Thomas Raphael KC, sitting as a deputy High Court judge, observed that the legal proceedings had been conducted with little regard for escalating costs, fueled significantly by the animosity between the brother and sister.
Emma Sinclair warned that an immediate repayment could force her to sell shares at a reduced price, potentially jeopardizing her control over the business. The judge has suspended immediate enforcement of the judgment, contingent on further payments. Emma has proposed paying approximately £1.7 million by February.
Despite these developments, James Sinclair has succeeded in establishing his right to enforce the Californian judgment in England. The siblings are awaiting the outcome of their respective appeals in California.