Decoding Arbitral Disputes: Contract Benefits Carry Burdens

The U.K. Supreme Court this week allowed a marine insurer's appeal in a long-running dispute stemming from a 2002 oil spill, restoring the fundamental symmetry that once a contractual benefit is claimed, the arbitration burden comes with it, says Josep Galvez at 4-5 Gray's Inn.

How Employment Ruling Limits Buyer's Inherited Tort Liability

The Court of Appeal’s ruling that a psychiatric hospital did not inherit vicarious liability for alleged staff abuse of a patient under previous owners will have immediate practical consequences as third parties seek to use protections meant for employees at workplaces changing hands to pursue buyers as substitute defendants, say lawyers at CMS.

AI Voice Cloning Exposes Gaps In UK Personality Rights Law

The advent of artificial intelligence voice cloning has turned concerns over the absence of dedicated personality rights into a practical policy issue, and the U.K. government's planned consultation on digital replicas offers an opportunity to develop targeted intellectual property and fraud protections without undermining innovation, say lawyers at Foot Anstey.

Gov't Projects Report Signals Areas Of Dispute Risk

The National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority's recent report assessing major government projects provides an indicator of future contractual and regulatory risks for companies, and of how the increased emphasis on project oversight and early intervention may influence the disputes landscape, says Theresa Mohammed at Watson Farley.

Top Court's AXA Ruling Sets High Bar To Disapply Test Cases

The Supreme Court's recent decision in AXA Insurance v. Commissioners of Inland Revenue is notable in explaining the court's scope to disapply the binding effect of a group litigation order test case on follower claims, although this remains the exception rather than the rule, say lawyers at King & Spalding.

Why Bear Hugs Are Making A Comeback In UK M&A Deals

With "bear hugs" recently reemerging as an attractive negotiation tool for bidders in mergers and acquisitions, both target boards and potential acquirers should note the effect of the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers' timing and drafting limits, says Ben Land-Maycock at Covington.

How AI Can Complicate Liability Limits In Contracts

With the U.K. Jurisdiction Taskforce's recent legal statement on liability for harms confirming that contract clauses remain subject to established norms, AI-drafted limits on liability pose concern, as the wording chosen must account for human definition and interpretation, says solicitor Daniel Erskine.

UK Corp. Crime Landscape Raises Global Governance Stakes

The Crime and Policing Act 2026 recently entered into force, highlighting a growing emphasis on governance and senior management oversight, the influence of compliance on commercial decision-making, and an overlap between legal and regulatory risk across jurisdictions, say lawyers at McDermott.

Int'l Arbitration Can Serve As Critical Tool In Hormuz Crisis

As the closure of the Strait of Hormuz continues to severely disrupt global commercial navigation, companies should understand the key claims likely to arise in emergency and expedited arbitration procedures — including force majeure, breach of contract and pricing disputes — and the contractual safeguards and protective measures to consider, say lawyers at McDermott.

FCA Letter Highlights Football Clubs' Crypto Deal Risks

The Financial Conduct Authority’s recent warning to Premier League football clubs about sponsorship arrangements with unauthorized crypto-asset businesses demonstrates its concerns over unlawful financial promotions and anti-money laundering compliance failures, both of which run the risk of significant reputational damage and criminal prosecution, says Sushil Kuner at Freeths.

Why Tonzip Is Notable In English Sanctions Law Development

The Court of Appeal's ruling in Tonzip Maritime Ltd. v. 2Rivers Pte Ltd., the latest in the English law of sanctions ownership and control, confirms that where a contract refers to sanctions exposure, the relevant question may be whether there is a real and objectively reasonable risk, not whether a sanctions breach has already been proved, say lawyers at Michelman Robinson.

AI Makes Law Firm Change Management A Client Issue

As artificial intelligence implementation is causing clients' expectations of outside counsel to shift toward greater risk control and more transparent value, successful law firm transformation and the preservation of professional trust will require governance, training and accountability, says John Hutchinson at Broadfield.

How Firms Can Prepare For Increasing AI-Cybersecurity Risks

The growing convergence between cybersecurity and artificial intelligence means that businesses need to recognize the breadth of the threat, and conduct repeated testing and adjustment to address the shifting risk landscape, say lawyers at Debevoise.

Series

Practice Leader Insights From Mayer Brown's Miriam Bruce

Miriam Bruce, Mayer Brown's head of business protection, discusses how being promoted on the eve of the pandemic was a baptism of fire in leadership, the challenges of multidimensional disputes, and why lawyers should invest in relationships, not just technical knowledge.

Nonequity Partner Tier Presents Lawyers With Pros And Cons

While the nonequity partner model may offer law firms' management flexibility and be a genuine stepping stone for lawyers in some organizations, at others the tier functions more as an extended holding pattern whose uncertainty can cause frustration for ambitious lawyers, say Filippo Falchi and Portia White at Major Lindsey.