Corporate Crime & Compliance UK

  • March 01, 2024

    Home Office Ankle Tags For Migrants Breached Data Law

    A government pilot scheme to electronically monitor migrants breached privacy law, the U.K.'s data watchdog said on Friday as it issued an enforcement notice and warning.

  • February 29, 2024

    HMRC Uncovers Complex Offshore Tax Avoidance Scheme

    The U.K. tax authority said Thursday that it had exposed a complex tax avoidance scheme operating through a Singapore-based company.

  • February 29, 2024

    Drax May Face Group Litigation Over Greenwashing Claims

    Drax Group PLC shareholders could launch a group legal action against the energy company over claims it faked its environmental credentials to secure £6.5 billion ($8.2 billion) in U.K. government subsidies, the law firm helming the action said.

  • February 29, 2024

    Mozambique President Beats 'Tuna Bonds' Immunity Appeal

    Mozambique's president cannot be sued in England by shipbuilder Privinvest in the country's wide-ranging litigation over the $2 billion "tuna bonds" corruption scandal as a London appellate court on Thursday upheld a ruling that he has immunity as a sitting head of state.

  • February 29, 2024

    European Authorities Arrest 14 In €195M VAT Fraud Probe

    European law enforcement agencies said Thursday that they had arrested 14 people suspected in a €195 million ($211 million) value-added tax fraud across 17 countries.

  • February 29, 2024

    Global Regulator Seeks Stronger Swiss Bank Safeguards

    A global standards setter recommended on Thursday that the Swiss authorities introduce tougher rules for the country's biggest banks as it learns from the crisis that led to the rushed UBS-Credit Suisse merger in 2023.

  • February 29, 2024

    Academic Says Richard III Film Shows Him As Misogynistic

    A university academic who oversaw the discovery of Richard III's remains told the High Court in the first stage of a libel trial on Thursday that a Steve Coogan film portrays him as devious, misogynistic, patronizing and disablist.

  • February 29, 2024

    FCA Plan To Name Suspect Firms Early Alarms Finance Sector

    Plans put forward by the Financial Conduct Authority to name companies under investigation early might unfairly cause "catastrophic" damage to reputations, even if the regulator later drops the case, according to lawyers.

  • February 29, 2024

    £1.84B Of Gov't-Backed COVID Loans Suspected Fraudulent

    Some £1.84 billion ($2.32 billion) of U.K. government-backed COVID-19 loans granted to help businesses through the pandemic are suspected to be fraudulent, the Department for Business and Trade said Thursday.

  • February 29, 2024

    Meta Hit With GDPR Complaints By EU Consumer Groups

    Meta has been accused of "massive illegal data processing" by eight European consumer groups, which alleged on Thursday that the tech giant's "consent or pay" choice for customers is a cover-up for obtaining sensitive personal information.

  • February 29, 2024

    Car Leasing Execs To Face 2026 Trial In £88M SFO Fraud Case

    Two directors of a failing car leasing company accused by the Serious Fraud Office of carrying out an £88 million ($111 million) investment fraud are set to face trial in September 2026, a judge confirmed on Thursday. 

  • February 28, 2024

    Autonomy Founder's Fraud Trial Risks 'Morass,' Judge Warns

    The California federal judge overseeing the upcoming criminal fraud trial of Autonomy founder Mike Lynch over the software company's $11.7 billion sale to Hewlett-Packard warned prosecutors and defense attorneys Wednesday about growing estimates for the trial's length, saying they're "going to lose [jurors] in the morass" of a monthslong trial.

  • February 28, 2024

    MPs Launch Inquiry Into Effectiveness Of Russia Sanctions

    Parliament's Treasury Select Committee on Thursday said it is launching a parliamentary inquiry into whether Britain's sanctions against Russia have been effective in hampering the Kremlin's ability to finance its war with Ukraine.

  • February 28, 2024

    Fieldfisher Hires New ESG Chief From BCLP

    Fieldfisher LLP has recruited a former general counsel at Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP to lead its environmental, social and governance function as the law firm continues building its credentials in sustainability.

  • February 28, 2024

    Insurer To Pay £15K To End Abuse Payout Row With Ex-Vicar

    The Church of England's main insurer has agreed to pay £15,000 ($18,950) in a settlement to resolve a dispute over a former vicar's liability for money the insurer paid to settle victims' claims after he was convicted of child abuse.

  • February 28, 2024

    IPO Launches Campaign To Fight Risky Fake Cosmetics

    The Intellectual Property Office said Wednesday it wants to crack down on demand for fake beauty and hygiene products with a campaign designed to educate consumers called "Choose Safe Not Fake," following research that buyers were unaware of the health risks they posed.

  • February 28, 2024

    Post Office Confirms Investigation Into Own CEO

    The U.K. Post Office has confirmed that its chief executive is facing an investigation after the former chair alleged that the CEO had considered resigning amid the probe and the ongoing scandal over the wrongful convictions of subpostmasters.

  • February 28, 2024

    Bogus Insurance Claim Lawyer Seeks To Overturn Striking Off

    A solicitor who made a false insurance claim over a road traffic accident urged a court on Wednesday to restore him to the profession, saying that a tribunal did not consider the "exceptional circumstances" of the case.

  • February 28, 2024

    Sanctions Ruling Affords Gov't Leeway In Foreign Affairs

    The failed attempt by two wealthy businessmen to overturn U.K. sanctions on appeal has underscored the court's limited role in questioning matters of foreign policy, even though the judiciary has carved out a larger role in weighing the proportionality of individual sanctions, lawyers say.

  • February 28, 2024

    Director Banned Over Unlawful £57M Investment Scheme

    The man behind an unlawful care home funding scheme that lost investors more than £57 million ($72 million) has been banned from being a company director for 14 years, according to the U.K.'s Insolvency Service.

  • February 28, 2024

    FRC Plans To Review Code For Asset Managers

    Britain's accounting watchdog announced it will carry out a fundamental review of the Stewardship Code and revise its rules for investors where necessary to help promote U.K. competitiveness.

  • February 28, 2024

    St James's Place Sets Aside £426M For Potential Client Refunds

    One of the U.K.'s largest wealth managers said Wednesday that it has set aside £426 million ($540 million) for potential refunds to clients that have complained they did not receive financial advice they paid for.

  • February 27, 2024

    NDAs Being Used To Conceal Illegal Conduct, Law Body Says

    The Legal Services Board said Wednesday that it has found evidence that lawyers are using non-disclosure agreements to cover up their clients' illegal practices as it considers tightening rules to protect workers and consumers.

  • February 27, 2024

    HMRC Customer Service At All-Time Low, Report Finds

    The U.K. tax authority has reached an all-time low level of customer service due to the rising demands from taxpayers and the growing complexity of tax problems, according to a parliamentary report published Wednesday.

  • February 27, 2024

    EX-NMC Health Group CFO Denies Knowledge Of $4.7B Fraud

    The former chief financial officer of United Arab Emirates healthcare group NMC has denied he was involved in a $4.7 billion fraud that administrators allege saw cash siphoned off from the firm for himself and its founder, claiming it was concealed from him.

Expert Analysis

  • PPI Ruling Spells Trouble For Financial Services Firms

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    The Supreme Court's recent decision in Canada Square v. Potter, which found that the claimant's missold payment protection insurance claim was not time-barred, is bad news for affected financial services firms, as there is now certainty over the law on the postponement of limitation periods, rendering hidden commission claims viable, say Ian Skinner and Chris Webber at Squire Patton.

  • Extradition Ruling Hints At Ways Around High Burden Of Proof

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    The U.K. Supreme Court's recent ruling in Popoviciu v. Curtea De Apel Bucharest confirmed that, in a conviction extradition case, the requested person must establish a flagrant violation of their right to a fair trial, but the court's reasoning reveals creative opportunities to test this boundary in the U.K. and Strasbourg alike, says Rebecca Hughes at Corker Binning.

  • What Lawyers Can Learn From FDI Screening Report Findings

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    The recent European Commission report on the screening of foreign direct investments into the EU reveals how member states need to balance national security concerns with openness, and with more cross-border transactions subject to screening, lawyers must be alert to jurisdictional variances, says Jonathon Gunn at Faegre Drinker.

  • Why Law Firms Should Heed Calls To Put ESG Over Profit

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    According to Deloitte’s recent survey, the majority of Gen Z and millennials remain unimpressed with businesses’ societal impact, and junior lawyers in particular are increasingly expecting the legal profession to shift to a business model that prioritizes sustainability above profitability, says Dana Denis-Smith at Obelisk Support.

  • UK Review May Lead To Lower Investment Screening Burden

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    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

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    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

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    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

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    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

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    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?

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    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

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    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

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    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

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    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

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    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

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    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.

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