Expert Analysis

• Opinion

  Law360's Global 20 Doesn't Acknowledge Global Networks

  

  While I read with interest Law360's report analyzing the top 20 global law firms of 2018, I also noticed it doesn't tell the whole story. Global networks of independent law firms compare favorably with multinational firms in terms of geographic coverage, legal expertise, and awareness of local cultures and customs, says Glenn Cunningham of Interlaw Ltd.

• Despite Brexit, Business As Usual For FCA

  

  The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority has acknowledged that Brexit will present challenges, and will set aside some resources in preparation, but its business plan for 2018-2019 sends a strong message that there will be no let-up when it comes to detecting and prosecuting market abuse, says Ben Ticehurst of Rahman Ravelli Solicitors.

• The Final Word On No Oral Modification Clauses In The UK

  

  The U.K. Supreme Court's recent decision in Rock v. MWB came down on the side of commercial certainty, establishing that "no oral modification" clauses mean exactly what they say. Nonetheless, the decision may lead to some problematic cases, say Kathryn Rowe and Peter McMaster QC of Appleby Global.

• EU's Proposed Premarketing Rules May Disrupt Fundraising

  

  The European Commission's proposal to amend key European fund management directives introduces new conditions for premarketing a fund in the EU. Unless this proposal is substantially loosened, managers may risk increased regulatory scrutiny if they continue with current fundraising practices, says John Young of Ropes & Gray LLP.

• UK Overseas Territories Disclosure Rule May Be Premature

  

  Section 51 of the U.K.'s new Anti-Money Laundering Act imposes public beneficial company ownership registers in the British overseas territories. A general push for enhanced disclosure can only be welcomed, but this particular initiative may not be the correct means to reach a worthy goal, say Ian Hargreaves and Stephanie Sarzana of Covington & Burling LLP.

• Myths And Facts About Using TAR Across Borders

  

  Many legal teams involved in cross-border matters still hesitate to use technology assisted review, questioning its ability to handle non-English document collections. However, with the proper expertise, modern TAR can be used with any language, including challenging Asian languages, say John Tredennick and David Sannar of Catalyst Repository Systems.

• Predictions For UK Prudential Regulation Authority Standards

  

  Two years after the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority acknowledged the threat cyberattacks pose to the U.K.'s financial system, little progress has been made. The Prudential Regulation Authority's new operating standards, expected to publish this year, must show that it is taking cybersecurity seriously, but without stifling innovation, says Jamie Monck-Mason of Willis Towers Watson.

• Why Companies Should Be Grateful For The GDPR

  

  After the pain heals from what for many businesses was a last-minute scramble for General Data Protection Regulation compliance, many of these businesses will come to appreciate how the effort made them stronger from a compliance, security and even operational performance stance, say Howard Schiffman and Adam Cohen of Yeshiva University.

• EU Law Brings Data Sharing Pointers For US Financial Cos.

  

  Although data sharing via application programming interfaces is not mandated in the U.S. as it is in Europe under the new Revised Payment Services Directive, financial institutions that do not embrace it risk being left behind in terms of both technology and partnerships, say Erin Fonte and Brenna McGee of Dykema Gossett PLLC.

• BigLaw Blogs In A Post-GDPR Marketing Universe

  

  Connecting with potential prospects is now more challenging due to the EU General Data Protection Regulation, meaning that law firm microsites, blogs and social media will become more valuable than ever. The firms that deploy them strategically will increase their relative visibility and accelerate the rebuilding of their opt-in distribution lists, says Stephan Roussan of ICVM Group.

• FCA Enforcement Strategy May Influence Litigation Privilege

  

  The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority's recently published annual business plan and mission statement indicate an uptick in enforcement activity. Alongside this, the past year has seen a number of interesting court decisions dealing with claims for litigation privilege, say Abdulali Jiwaji and Elliott Fellowes of Signature Litigation LLP.

• GDPR Is Here — What If You Didn't Prepare?

  

  Businesses that are only now waking up to the reality of the EU General Data Protection Regulation, which took effect on Friday, must prioritize their compliance efforts to mitigate potential regulatory risks as they work quickly to achieve full compliance, say Joseph Facciponti and Katherine McGrail of Murphy & McGonigle PC.

• GDPR — Coming Soon To A Merger Near You

  

  Beginning May 25, European regulators will be able to enforce the EU General Data Protection Regulation. The possibility of enforcement means the GDPR will now have greater bearing on M&A activity in the U.S. and elsewhere, say Emma Flett and David Higgins of Kirkland & Ellis International LLP.

• 4 Questions About Whistleblowing In The UK And Beyond

  

  Following the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's announcement of its biggest-ever Dodd-Frank whistleblower awards, Chris Warren-Smith of Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP discusses whistleblowing in financial service industries in different jurisdictions with other Morgan Lewis attorneys based all around the world.

• Obtaining DPAs In The UK Will Not Be Easy

  

  In a recent speech, the U.K. Serious Fraud Office's joint head of bribery and corruption, Camilla de Silva, made it clear that deferred prosecution agreements will not be given out to each and every company seeking one. Self-reporting, internal investigation, cooperation and reform are all factors that the SFO assesses to determine which companies deserve DPAs, says Azizur Rahman of Rahman Ravelli Solicitors.