The UK’s consultation on deregulating commercial agents could have knock-on impacts on payment services and create regulatory divergence from the EU.
By Christian McDermott, Brett Carr, and Grace Erskine
On 16 May 2024, the UK government launched a consultation into the deregulation of the Commercial Agents (Council Directive) Regulations 1993 (the Commercial Agents Regulations). The Commercial Agents Regulations…
A primer on the new law for relevant service providers, within and beyond the UK.
By Gail E. Crawford, Deborah J. Kirk, Fiona M. Maclean, Alain Traill, Victoria Wan, and Amy Smyth
The Online Safety Act (the OSA) received Royal Assent on 26 October 2023 and is now in force.
The OSA establishes an extensive…
The decision confirms that an arbitration agreement will be upheld in the face of insolvency proceedings only if it can be shown that the petition debt is genuinely disputed on substantial grounds.
By Martin Davies, Dominic Geiser, and Oliver Middleton
The Privy Council’s decision in Sian Participation Corp (in liq) v. Halimeda International Ltd [2024] UKPC 16 (…
The ruling propels UK law enforcement to increase its investigative powers under POCA, and businesses to enhance their supply chain due diligence.
By Paul A. Davies, Clare Nida, Pamela Reddy, Michael D. Green, James Bee, Annie Birch, and Esha Marwaha
On 27 June 2024, the UK Court of Appeal found that the National Crime…
Proposed rule would be implemented by statute and would give primacy to parties’ choice of governing law and jurisdiction.
By Stuart Davis, Nell Perks, and Matthew Unsworth
There is at least a tentative consensus in English law that cryptocurrencies and other digital assets are capable of giving rise to property rights.[1] However, there remains considerable uncertainty around…
Professional investors will benefit from increased exposure to cryptoassets via traditional financial instruments, though retail investors’ exposure remains limited.
By Stuart Davis, Gabriel Lakeman, and Ivan Pizeta
In the fast-paced world of cryptocurrency, regulatory clarity is essential for both investors and market participants. In March this year, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) made a significant announcement regarding listing…
The sentencing of Romy Andrianarisoa, the first ever foreign public official to be convicted under the Bribery Act 2010, provides important takeaways.
By Pamela Reddy, Robin Spedding, and Matthew Unsworth
On 10 May 2024, Romy Andrianarisoa was sentenced to three-and-a-half years’ imprisonment for soliciting bribes contrary to Section 2 of the Bribery Act 2010 (Bribery Act). Andrianarisoa, former…
The English High Court found that a current risk of unfair trial in Russia justified declining to enforce Russian exclusive jurisdiction clauses.
By Oliver Middleton and Sean Newhouse
The English High Court has cleared the way for major aviation insurance litigation to proceed in England. In an important judgment on jurisdiction, the High Court refused to stay a group of…
The Serious Fraud Office’s strategy for 2024 to 2029 indicates aspiration to be a more effective agency and to incentivise personnel.
By Nathan Seltzer, Pamela Reddy, Clare Nida, and Annie Birch
On 18 April 2024, the UK’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO) published an ambitious, albeit high-level, five-year plan (the Plan), setting out its proposed framework to address…
UK Chancellor launches consultation on the proposed Private Intermittent Securities and Capital Exchange System (PISCES) as part of the Spring Budget.
By Mark Austin, Rob Moulton, Anna Ngo, Frederick Gardner, Charlotte Collins, and Johannes Poon
On 6 March 2024, HM Treasury published a consultation paper seeking industry feedback on the UK’s proposed new regulated crossover…
Recent changes to the PRA’s approach to enforcement show an increased focus on expediting the investigative process and incentivising early admissions.
By Andrea Monks, Rob Moulton, and Anna James
On 30 January 2024, the Bank of England (the Bank) unveiled a number of changes to the Prudential Regulation Authority’s (the PRA’s) approach to enforcement (PS1/24), including…
Motivated by a “visceral reaction” to large-scale economic crime, Nick Ephgrave lays out vision for a bolder, more pragmatic, and more proactive agency.
By Pamela Reddy and Matthew Unsworth
Whistleblowers, dawn raids, and cross-agency collaboration are all top of Nick Ephgrave’s agenda as he settles into his new role as Director of the UK’s Serious Fraud Office (SFO). Taking to…