Expert Analysis

• UK Review May Lead To Lower Investment Screening Burden

  

  The government’s current review of national security investment screening rules aims to refine the scope of mandatory notifications required for unproblematic deals, and is likely to result in much-needed modifications to minimize the administrative burden on businesses and investors, say lawyers at Simpson Thacher.

• What Prince Harry Privacy Case May Mean For Media Ethics

  

  An English High Court recently allowed the privacy case brought by Prince Harry and six other claimants against the Daily Mail publisher to proceed, which, if successful, could embolden other high-profile individuals to bring claims and lead to renewed calls for a judicial public inquiry into British press ethics, says Philippa Dempster at Freeths.

• Economic Crime Act Exposure: What Companies Can Expect

  

  The intention of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act is to make it easier to attribute criminal liability to companies if a senior manager has committed an offense, but the impact on corporate criminal convictions depends on who qualifies as a senior manager and the evidential challenges in showing it, say Hayley Ichilcik and Julius Handler at MoFo.

• How European Authorities Are Foiling Anti-Competitive Hiring

  

  Lawyers at Squire Patton discuss key labor practice antitrust concerns and notable regulation trends in several European countries following recent enforcement actions brought by the European Commission and U.K. Competition and Markets Authority.

• FCA Promotions Review Sends A Strong Message To Firms

  

  The recent FCA review into firms' compliance with the rules on promoting high-risk investments to retail clients clarifies that it expects the letter and the spirit of the rules to be followed, and given the interplay with the consumer duty, there are wider implications at stake, say Marina Reason and Chris Hurn at Herbert Smith.

• When Can Bonuses Be Clawed Back?

  

  The High Court's recent decision in Steel v. Spencer should remind employees that the contractual conditions surrounding bonuses and the timing of any resignation must be carefully considered, as in certain circumstances, bonuses can and are being successfully clawed back by employers, say Merrill April and Rachael Parker at CM Murray.

• The State Of UK Litigation Funding After Therium Ruling

  

  The recent English High Court decision in Therium v. Bugsby Property has provided a glimmer of hope for litigation funders about how courts will interpret this summer's U.K. Supreme Court ruling that called funding agreements impermissible, suggesting that its adverse effects may be mitigated, says Daniel Williams at DWF Law.

• UK Shareholding Report A Missed Opportunity For New Tech

  

  The recommendations in the U.K. Digitization Taskforce's recent report on digitizing and improving the U.K. shareholding framework are moderate but not revolutionary, and its failure to recommend digital ledger technology will impede a full transformation of the system, say Tom Bacon and Andrew Tsang at BCLP.

• What Lawyers Need To Know About The UK Online Safety Act

  

  The recently passed U.K. Online Safety Act requires regulated providers to take action to assess and mitigate user risks, and counsel for these companies should take advantage of Ofcom’s clear desire to have a collaborative relationship and improve governance, say Rachael Annear and Tristan Lockwood at Freshfields.

• Trial By AI Could Be Closer Than You Think

  

  In a known first for the U.K., a Court of Appeal justice recently admitted to using ChatGPT to write part of a judgment, highlighting how AI could make the legal system more efficient and enable the judicial process to record more accurate and fair decisions, say Charles Kuhn and Neide Lemos at Clyde & Co.

• Employer Considerations After Visa And Application Fee Hikes

  

  The U.K.'s recent visa and application fee increases are having a significant financial impact on businesses, and may heighten the risk of hiring discrimination, so companies should carefully reconsider their budgets accordingly, says Adam Sinfield at Osborne Clarke.

• Why It's Urgent For Pharma Cos. To Halt Counterfeit Meds

  

  With over 10.5 million counterfeit medicines seized in the EU in 2023, it is vital both ethically and commercially that pharmaceutical companies take steps to protect against such infringements, including by invoking intellectual property rights protection, says Lars Karnøe at Potter Clarkson.

• Nix Of $11B Award Shows Limits Of Arbitral Process

  

  A recent English High Court decision in Nigeria v. Process & Industrial Developments, overturning an arbitration award because it was obtained by fraud, is a reminder that arbitration decisions are ultimately still accountable to the courts, and that the relative simplicity of the arbitration rules is not necessarily always a benefit, say Robin Henry and Abbie Coleman at Collyer Bristow.

• How The Netherlands Became A Hub For EU Class Actions

  

  As countries continue to implement the European Union Collective Redress Directive, the Netherlands — the country with the largest class action docket in the EU — provides a real-world example of what class and mass litigation may eventually look like in the bloc, say lawyers at Faegre Drinker and Houthoff.

• Navigating The Novel Challenges Facing The Legal Profession

  

  The increasing prominence of ESG and AI have transformed the legal landscape and represent new opportunities for lawyers, but with evolving regulations and the ever-expanding reach of the Solicitors Regulation Authority, law firms should ensure that they have appropriate policies in place to adapt to these challenges, say Scott Ashby and Aimee Talbot at RPC.