Financial Services UK

  • October 16, 2024

    Companies House Outlines Phased Rollout Of New Powers

    Companies House announced Wednesday a two-year timetable for rolling out heightened powers granted under new economic crime legislation that it said will bring the biggest change to its register in over 175 years.

  • October 16, 2024

    Vanguard Group Nixes Investment Group's TM

    Vanguard Group convinced European officials to nix a trademark for "VanguardRe," after its Lebanese rival failed to provide any evidence that it had genuinely used the sign to market its insurance services in years.

  • October 16, 2024

    EU Watchdogs Warn Digital Act Changes Will Hinder Rollout

    The European Union's financial market regulators have said amendments proposed by the bloc's executive arm under the Digital Operational Resilience Act around registering information will cause "unnecessary complexity" and hinder the rollout of the legislation.

  • October 16, 2024

    Fresh Warnings Issued Over FCA Value-For-Money Rules

    The Financial Conduct Authority's proposed new assessment of pension schemes' value is so complex it risks failing savers, trade body the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association has warned.

  • October 16, 2024

    Gov't Launches Taskforce To Combat Spiraling Insurance Cost

    The government said Wednesday that it would take on the surging car insurance rates faced by drivers, with a cross-party group of politicians, experts and regulators looking to get to the bottom of the problem.

  • October 16, 2024

    FCA Launches Probe Into Premium Finance Insurance Market

    Britain's finance watchdog said Wednesday that it will investigate premium finance practices over concerns that consumers who pay for cover in installments might not be getting fair deals.

  • October 16, 2024

    US Fails To Revoke Bail Of Crypto Chief Wanted In Fraud Case

    The U.S. government failed on Wednesday to keep the former chief executive of a $7.5 billion crypto-asset business in custody while he fights extradition for allegedly manipulating the market for his company's virtual tokens, as a judge deemed him a low flight risk.

  • October 16, 2024

    Argentina Denied UK Top Court Appeal In €1.3B Bond Dispute

    Argentina cannot dodge paying out on an outstanding €1.3 billion ($1.4 billion) to bondholders after wrongly adjusting the way it calculates yields for government securities after Britain's highest court refused to consider the case.

  • October 15, 2024

    Wyndham Says Vacation Group Awaze Withheld TM Royalties

    Hotel chain operator Wyndham has told a London court that a vacation group that it licensed its trademarks to as part of the purchase of Wyndham's European holiday rentals business cannot unilaterally reduce its royalty payments following an internal reorganization.

  • October 15, 2024

    Sustainability Assurance Market Lacks Choice, FRC Says

    Market players are concerned that the U.K. sustainability assurance market could become dominated by the Big Four accounting giants, limiting choice and effective competition, the industry's regulator said Tuesday.

  • October 15, 2024

    Bankers Say WSJ Articles Used Criminal Data In GDPR Claim

    Two investment bankers alleged Tuesday that Wall Street Journal articles on court proceedings in the Cayman Islands falsely suggested they defrauded nearly $1 billion from a Chinese entrepreneur, in an early stage of their London claim against the publisher.

  • October 15, 2024

    Starmer Hints At National Insurance Hike Over Capital Gains

    British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Tuesday again refused to rule out raising employers' National Insurance, a payroll levy used to fund social programs, after downplaying claims that his government is planning to raise the capital gains tax.

  • October 15, 2024

    Trustees Urged To Do More Than Minimum On ESG

    Trustees of retirement saving schemes should do more than just what's required to comply with ESG duties, The Pensions Regulator's climate change lead said.

  • October 22, 2024

    Hughes Hubbard Adds Securities Pro From Clifford Chance

    Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP has hired an experienced U.S. securities and capital markets expert as a partner in Paris, as the firm looks to grow its financing and cross-border M&A practices in Europe.

  • October 15, 2024

    StanChart Wins UK Test Case Over Alternative To Libor Rate

    Standard Chartered PLC on Tuesday was granted permission by a London court to use an alternative to the defunct London interbank offered rate to help set the interest it pays on $750 million in shares, without having to repay the investment now.

  • October 22, 2024

    Ex-A&O Lawyer Brings Int'l Expertise To Twenty Essex

    A former solicitor at Allen & Overy LLP has joined Twenty Essex Ltd. alongside her existing position at an Australian barristers set to bolster the London chambers' team of experts in international disputes.

  • October 15, 2024

    Barclays Challenges UK Motor Finance Ruling In Test Case

    Barclays launched a legal challenge Tuesday against a decision that found it had treated a consumer unfairly by paying a commission to a car finance broker, in a test case with potential implications for future complaints over motor financing arrangements.

  • October 15, 2024

    EU To Create Governance Structure For Faster Settlements

    The financial watchdogs and executive arm of the European Union said Tuesday that they will establish a governance structure that will work with the sector to oversee a move toward faster one-day settlements of securities trades.

  • October 15, 2024

    UBS Told To Bolster Crisis Plans After Credit Suisse Deal

    UBS must boost its emergency plans after buying stricken rival Credit Suisse to ensure that the combined group can wind down or be sold without cost to taxpayers, Switzerland's finance watchdog said on Tuesday.

  • October 14, 2024

    Tycoon Sentenced To 8 More Years Over Real Estate Fraud

    A businessman imprisoned for a £2.5 million ($3.3 million) property fraud has been sentenced to another eight years in prison for defaulting on a £4.5 million court order that was part of legal proceedings to recover money taken in a failed deal to develop a luxury apartment.

  • October 14, 2024

    Finance Firms Urge EU To Back Shorter Settlement Period

    Europe's financial institutions urged the bloc's public authorities on Monday to commit to moving to one-day settlement of securities trades in coordination with the U.K. and Switzerland.

  • October 14, 2024

    African Bank Sues Engineering Biz For $111M In Unpaid Debt

    One of Africa's largest trade banks has sued Kaztec Engineering Ltd. for $111 million, accusing the Nigerian business of failing to pay back a loan it used to acquire oil assets in the country.

  • October 14, 2024

    Crypto-CEO Faces US Extradition In Market Manipulation Case

    The former chief executive of a $7.5 billion crypto-asset company appeared at a London court Monday accused by the U.S. government of manipulating the market for the company's dog-themed "Saitama Inu" crypto-tokens before selling them for tens of millions in profit.

  • October 14, 2024

    FCA Applies Consumer Duty To Tackle Fraud Reimbursement

    The Financial Conduct Authority has applied its consumer protection framework to banks to ensure that they tackle authorized push payment fraud and reimburse victims, beyond the rules set by the payments watchdog, according to lawyers.

  • October 11, 2024

    Bird & Bird Adds DLA Piper Legal Director To London Office

    Bird & Bird LLP has added a former DLA Piper legal director as a partner to its London tax team. 

Expert Analysis

  • Mitigating Incarceration's Impacts On Foreign Nationals

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    Sentencing arguments that highlighted the disparate impact incarceration would have on a British national recently sentenced for insider training by a New York district court, when compared to similarly situated U.S. citizens, provide an example of the advocacy needed to avoid or mitigate problems unique to noncitizen defendants, say attorneys at Lankler Siffert.

  • Decoding Arbitral Disputes: The Benefits Of Non-EU Venues

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    In Spain v. Triodos, a Swedish appeal court recently annulled an intra-EU investment treaty award, reinforcing a growing trend in the bloc against enforcing such awards, and highlighting the advantages of initiating enforcement proceedings in common law jurisdictions, such as the U.K., says Josep Galvez at 4-5 Gray's Inn Square.

  • How Proposed Platforms For Unlisted Co. Trading May Work

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    The U.K. government is continuing development of its proposed private intermittent securities and capital exchange system to facilitate secondary share trading in private companies through a regulatory sandbox while ironing out details, representing an innovative step for unlisted company liquidity, say lawyers at Sullivan & Cromwell.

  • Experian Ruling Helps Cos. Navigate GDPR Transparency

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    In Information Commissioner v. Experian, the Upper Tribunal recently reaffirmed the lawfulness of the company's marketing practices, providing guidance that will assist organizations in complying with the GDPR’s transparency obligations, say lawyers at Jenner & Block.

  • Clarity Is Central Theme In FCA's Greenwashing Guidance

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    Recent Financial Conduct Authority guidance for complying with the U.K. regulator's anti-greenwashing rule sends an overarching message that sustainability claims must be clear, accurate and capable of being substantiated, say lawyers at Cadwalader.

  • How New FCA Rules Strengthen Borrower Protections

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    The Financial Conduct Authority’s recently published final rules, aimed at strengthening protections for borrowers in financial difficulty by regularizing good practices across the industry, put its previous guidance on a permanent footing and send a clear message to firms that this issue remains a regulatory priority, say James Black, Julie Patient and Mark Aengenheister at Hogan Lovells.

  • Opinion

    New Property Category Not Needed To Regulate Digital Assets

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    The U.K. Law Commission's exploration of whether to create a third category of property for digital assets is derived from a misreading of historical case law, and would not be helpful in resolving any questions surrounding digital assets, says Duncan Sheehan at the University of Leeds.

  • FTSE Draft Rules Show Impact Of FCA Listing Reforms

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    FTSE Russell’s recently published provisional rule changes represent a much-awaited indication of its response to the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority’s proposed listing reforms, providing a level of certainty that will assist issuers and advisers in preparing for the implementation of the regime, say lawyers at Davis Polk.

  • FCA Strikes A Balance With 'Finfluencer' Guidance

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    With financial firms leveraging social media to engage with a broader audience, the Financial Conduct Authority’s recent "finfluencer" guidance signals a recognition of the imperative to adapt regulatory frameworks while maintaining a firm commitment to consumer protection, say David Allinson and Damien O'Malley at RPC.

  • Dissecting Recent Developments Against The Misuse Of NDAs

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    The U.K. government's recent plans to nullify nondisclosure agreements that prevent victims from reporting crimes should remind lawyers to proactively consider the necessity of such agreements, especially in light of the Solicitors Regulation Authority's warning notice on drafting improper NDAs, say Clare Davis and Macaela Joyes at RPC.

  • What To Know About The Russia-Stranded Plane Ruling

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    The High Court's recent decision in Zephyrus Capital Aviation v. Fidelis Underwriting, rejecting reinsurers' U.K. jurisdiction challenges in claims over stranded planes in Russia, has broad implications for cross-border litigation involving exclusive jurisdiction clauses, says Samantha Zaozirny at Browne Jacobson.

  • 3 Notable Pensions Reforms In Spring Budget

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    The U.K. government’s spring budget introduced reforms to improve pension outcomes through the value for money framework and the lifetime provider model, as well as to encourage investments in Britain — three interlinked areas that could pressure trustees and providers to rethink how they approach investments, say Liz Ramsaran and Marcus Fink at DWF.

  • Assessing The FCA Data Study's Response To User Concerns

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    The Financial Conduct Authority’s recently published report on the supply of wholesale financial data differs from others in its exceptional breadth and analysis of an enormous volume of information, but in its reluctance to address market power or pricing directly, the regulator’s approach is still cautious, say Emma Radcliffe and Greg Dowell at Macfarlanes.

  • Focus On Private Funds Will Boost Ireland's Global Standing

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    As the market increasingly pivots to private funds, Ireland's recent introduction of particular products — such as an updated, flexible European long-term investment fund — provides more structuring opportunities and paves the way for a brighter outlook in the country, say lawyers at Dechert.

  • Cum-Ex Prosecutions Storm Shows No Sign Of Abating

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    The ongoing trial of Sanjay Shah in Denmark is a clear indicator that efforts remain focused on holding to account the alleged architects and beneficiaries of cum-ex trading, and with these prosecutions making their way across Europe, it is a more turbulent time now than ever, says Niall Hearty at Rahman Ravelli.

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