Expert Analysis

• FCA Update Eases Private Stock Market Disclosure Rules

  

  The Financial Conduct Authority’s recently updated proposals for the Private Intermittent Securities and Capital Exchange System would result in less onerous disclosure obligations for businesses, reflecting ongoing efforts to balance an attractive trading venue for private companies while maintaining sufficient investor protections, say lawyers at Debevoise.

• Key Questions As Court Mulls Traders' Libor Convictions

  

  The U.K. Supreme Court is considering whether to overturn two traders’ Libor and Euribor manipulation convictions, with the appeal reinvigorating debate over the breadth of English common law’s conspiracy to defraud offense and raising questions about the limits of a judge’s role in criminal jury trials, says Ellen Gallagher at Vardags.

• Foreign Countries Have Strong Foundation To Fill FCPA Void

  

  Though the U.S. has paused enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, liberal democracies across the globe are well equipped to reverse any setback in anti-corruption enforcement, potentially heightening prosecution risk for companies headquartered in the U.S., says Stephen Kohn at Kohn Kohn.

• Code Of Practice Signals Aim To Bolster UK Software Security

  

  The U.K. government’s new code of practice for software vendors includes several principles that will help developers and distributors integrate security best practices, but without mandatory adoption, market inconsistencies may emerge, say lawyers at Deloitte.

• Expect Complex Ruling From UK Justices In Car Dealer Case

  

  While recent arguments before the U.K. Supreme Court in a consumer test case on motor finance commissions reveal the court’s take on several points argued, application of the upcoming decision will be both nuanced and fact-sensitive, so market participants wishing to prepare do not have a simple task, says Tom Grodecki at Cadwalader.

• Why Cos. Should Investigate Unethical Supply Chain Conduct

  

  The U.K. government’s recent updated guidance for businesses on reporting slavery and human trafficking in supply chains underscores the urgent need for companies to adopt transparent and measurable due diligence practices, reinforcing the broader need for proactive internal investigations into unethical or criminal conduct, say lawyers at Seladore and Matrix Chambers.

• FCA Bulletin Highlights Risks Of Leaking Inside M&A Info

  

  The Financial Conduct Authority’s recent bulletin on the consequences of leaking sensitive information during transactions, warning that such disclosure may result in market abuse allegations, demonstrates the regulator’s determination to root out and penalize insider dealing, say lawyers at Cadwalader.

• New Anti-Corruption Task Force Bolsters Int'l Collaboration

  

  The recent creation of an anti-corruption task force by the U.K., France and Switzerland demonstrates a commitment to tackling bribery within national and international frameworks, and organizations within these jurisdictions’ remit, including U.S. companies operating in Europe, should review their compliance practices to ensure they address diverging requirements, say lawyers at Skadden.

• FCA's Regulatory Plans Signal Cause For Cautious Optimism

  

  The Financial Conduct Authority’s latest strategy document plans for less intrusive supervision, a more open and collaborative approach, and a focus on assertive action where needed, outlining a vision of deepened trust and rebalanced risk that will be welcomed by all those it regulates, says Imogen Makin at WilmerHale.

• How CMA Is Responding To UK Gov't Pro-Growth Agenda

  

  With the U.K. government’s recent call for the Competition and Markets Authority and other regulators to better support economic growth, the competition policy landscape is shifting materially toward an emphasis on a more proportionate and targeted approach to merger enforcement, say lawyers at Macfarlanes.

• US Diversity Policies Present Challenges To UK And EU Cos.

  

  Following President Donald Trump’s recent executive orders calling for increased scrutiny of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, it is clear that global businesses operating in the U.K. and European Union will need to understand regional nuances to successfully navigate differing agendas on either side of the Atlantic, say lawyers at Jenner & Block.

• Updated EU Procedure Streamlines Data Transfer Approval

  

  The European Data Protection Board’s updated approval procedure for binding corporate rules for transfers of personal data to non-European Union countries promotes consistency for regulator communications during the application process, and sets expectations for processing timelines, say lawyers at Hogan Lovells.

• What Cos. Must Note From FCA Bulletin On Leaking M&A Info

  

  The Financial Conduct Authority’s recent bulletin on strategic leaks in merger and acquisition transactions, as the second such publication in four months, acts as a warning for issuers and their advisers to tighten up their current policies for handling inside information, say lawyers at Herbert Smith.

• FCA's Odey Decision Is Wake-Up Call For Financial Firms

  

  The Financial Conduct Authority recently banned hedge fund boss Crispin Odey from working in financial services, underscoring the critical importance the regulator places on whether individuals are fit and proper to perform regulated activities, and the connection between nonfinancial misconduct and the integrity of the financial markets, say lawyers at Pallas Partners.

• How Ransomware Payment Reforms Could Affect UK Cos.

  

  The Home Office’s recent proposals to ban ransomware payments by publicly owned bodies is a welcome first step in its aims to tackle the cybercrime industry, but the risk remains that hackers will now focus on private companies that are still permitted to pay a ransom, says Dominic Holden at Lawrence Stephens.