Corporate Crime & Compliance UK

  • June 26, 2025

    SFO Joins Global Anti-Corruption Alliance To Combat Bribery

    The Serious Fraud Office said Thursday it has joined an international and multi-agency team that investigates major corruption to bolster the U.K.'s ability to fight white collar crime and illicit cross-border finance.

  • June 26, 2025

    Businessman To Stand Trial In Malawi Bribery Case In 2027

    A British businessman accused of making corrupt payments to the former vice-president of Malawi, the country's former solicitor general and other high-ranking officials appeared before a London judge on Thursday to be told he won't stand trial for two years. 

  • June 26, 2025

    SRA Taps FRC Exec To Lead Regulator Past Controversies

    The Solicitors Regulation Authority said Thursday that it has appointed a senior executive from the U.K. accounting watchdog as its new chief executive, as the regulator navigates a turbulent period marked by high-profile scandals and increased scrutiny.

  • June 26, 2025

    Audit Watchdog Sets New Guidance For 'Black Box' AI

    Britain's accounting watchdog warned Thursday in new guidance on using artificial intelligence in audits that the opacity of AI models makes it crucial for firms to document how they are controlled.

  • June 26, 2025

    Staley Fails To Overturn FCA Ban Over Epstein Ties

    Former Barclays boss James "Jes" Staley lost his bid to overturn the Financial Conduct Authority's ban for allegedly lying about his ties to Jeffrey Epstein on Thursday as a London tribunal found he intentionally misled the watchdog's inquiry into their relationship.

  • June 25, 2025

    Class Certified In Suit Over Oil Market's Historic Price Crash

    A Chicago federal judge has certified a class of futures traders who claim Vega Capital London Ltd. and 12 of its traders caused a historic oil crash with an aggressive price manipulation scheme that resulted in oil futures going negative for the first time, saying the plaintiffs have met all the requirements for certification.

  • June 25, 2025

    Sanctioned Co. Director Convicted Of Failing To Give Info

    A sanctioned company director was convicted in a criminal court in London on Wednesday of failing to adequately respond to a request for information by the U.K.'s sanctions agency.

  • June 25, 2025

    Solicitor Hit With £30K Court Bill Over Fake Car Claims

    A solicitor has been handed an eight-month suspended sentence and a £30,874 ($40,871) bill for filing false claims that city potholes in Stoke-on-Trent were damaging cars, following an investigation that uncovered anomalies in his invoices.

  • June 25, 2025

    Ex-Trowers Pro Loses Disability Claim Over SRA Referral

    An employment tribunal has barred a former employee of Trowers & Hamlins LLP from bringing part of a legal claim against the firm after it reported her to the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

  • June 25, 2025

    Businessman Jailed For Laundering £1.9M For Romance Scam

    A businessman who laundered £1.9 million ($2.6 million) in romance scam proceeds through his textiles business has been imprisoned for more than four years, the Crown Prosecution Service said Wednesday.

  • June 25, 2025

    Sweden Fines Diagnostics Co. $1.25M For Market Abuse

    Sweden's financial watchdog has fined a medical diagnostics company 12 million Swedish kronor ($1.25 million) for breaching European Union regulations on market abuse following an investigation into its handling of insider information, the company revealed on Wednesday.

  • June 25, 2025

    Steptoe Chastised For Breaching Russian Sanctions

    The solicitors' regulator has rebuked the U.K. arm of Steptoe International after it breached the terms of its license to act for two clients under the Russian sanctions regime.

  • June 25, 2025

    Funeral Director In Court Charged With Fraud, Theft

    A funeral director appeared at an English criminal court on Wednesday charged with fraud, theft and burial offenses following a police investigation into his business.

  • June 24, 2025

    Irwin Mitchell Can't Ax Pension Fraud Negligence Claim

    A London court on Tuesday denied Irwin Mitchell's bid to scrap a professional negligence suit against a firm it merged with in 2015, but ruled Irwin Mitchell itself is not liable for the advice given to a pensioner in the wake of alleged fraud.

  • June 24, 2025

    Gov't Eyes Clearer AML Rules Under Industrial Strategy

    The U.K. government has laid out plans to introduce "clearer and more proportionate" money laundering regulations in broader plans to boost growth as it dubbed the country's legal sector one of the key drivers.

  • June 24, 2025

    CMA Outlines Potential Fixes For Google Search In UK

    Britain's competition authority on Tuesday proposed applying the country's new digital markets regime to Google's search service and said it is considering potential interventions, including requiring choice screens and setting rules for search rankings.

  • June 24, 2025

    Solicitor Denies Inducing Trust To Invest £5.8M In His Firm

    A solicitor has denied fraudulently inducing a family trust into investing £5.75 million ($7.84 million) into a company he part owned that became insolvent, arguing the trust made its own assessment to become involved in the "low risk" project.

  • June 24, 2025

    Ephgrave Says SFO And DOJ 'Back In Business'

    The director of the Serious Fraud Office said Tuesday that the agency is "back in business" with the U.S. Department of Justice following a policy shift in how the American prosecutor approaches enforcing international bribery and corruption laws.

  • June 24, 2025

    Commercial Fraud Claims Shift To King's Bench, Report Finds

    The King's Bench Division of the High Court, responsible for a broad range of civil matters, has overtaken the specialist Commercial Court as the most popular place to bring commercial fraud cases in England and Wales, according to trend analysis published Tuesday. 

  • June 24, 2025

    Liverpool Conveyancing Firm Shuttered Over Client Accounts

    The Solicitors Regulation Authority said Tuesday that it has shut down a law firm in Liverpool after finding that the firm and its managers failed to comply with rules governing the handling of client money.

  • June 24, 2025

    Law Firm Partner Denies Ignoring Signs Of £7M Client Fraud

    A partner at Portner Law denied dishonestly allowing use of the firm's account to launder money, telling a London trial that he did not register any red flags with a client who was involved in a £7 million ($9.5 million) fraud.

  • June 23, 2025

    IBM Trims UK Whistleblower's Claim Of Mistreatment

    An employment tribunal has ruled that a staffer at IBM U.K. cannot sue its parent company because her work as part of a global team did not make it her secondary employer.  

  • June 23, 2025

    Trafigura Beats Dubai Bank Unit's 'Cynical' $21M Fraud Case

    Trafigura on Monday defeated a claim by a subsidiary of Dubai's Rasmala Investment Bank alleging that the commodities trader tricked it into providing $21 million to pay off another company's debts, with a London court ruling the trader was not part of the deception.

  • June 23, 2025

    UK Payroll Tax Revenue Continues Rising, HMRC Says

    The U.K.'s receipts from income and payroll taxes increased to £84.6 billion ($114.4 billion) in April and May, up by £6.1 billion compared with the same period last year, according to data from HM Revenue & Customs. 

  • June 23, 2025

    Staffer Can't Ax Amazon's Defense To Russia Tech Sale Claim

    A former Amazon employee on Monday lost his bid to strike out the tech giant's defense to his claims that he was fired for blowing the whistle on alleged sales of its facial recognition technology to Russia.

Expert Analysis

  • Implications Of The EU AI Act For Medtech Companies

    Author Photo

    Lawyers at Hogan Lovells discuss challenges the medtech sector faces in conforming with the requirements of the recently enacted European Union Artificial Intelligence Act, and the necessity for a detailed comparison with existing legislation to identify and address potential gaps.

  • Insurance Rulings Show Court Hesitancy To Fix Policy Errors

    Author Photo

    Two recent Court of Appeal insurance decisions highlight that policyholders can only overcome policy drafting errors and claim coverage if there is a very obvious mistake, emphasizing courts' reluctance to rewrite contract terms that are capable of enforcement, says Aaron Le Marquer at Stewarts.

  • What New UK Listing Rules Mean For Distressed Companies

    Author Photo

    The Financial Conduct Authority’s recently published overhaul of U.K. listing rules makes it easier for advisers to restructure distressed listed companies, and in moving to a more disclosure-based approach, simplifies timelines and increases opportunities for investors, say Kate Stephenson and Sarah Ullathorne at Kirkland & Ellis.

  • AI Reforms Prompt Fintech Compliance Considerations

    Author Photo

    With the EU Artificial Intelligence Act's Aug. 1 enforcement, and the U.K.'s new plans to introduce AI reforms, fintech companies should consider how to best focus limited resources as they balance innovation and compliance, says Nicola Kerr-Shaw at Skadden.

  • Irish Businesses Should Act Now To Prepare For EU AI Act

    Author Photo

    Artificial intelligence is increasingly transforming the Irish job market, and proactive engagement with the forthcoming European Union AI Act, a significant shift in the regulatory landscape for Irish businesses, will be essential for Irish businesses to responsibly harness AI’s advantages and to maintain legal compliance, say lawyers at Pinsent Masons.

  • Takeaways From World Uyghur Congress Forced Labor Ruling

    Author Photo

    The Court of Appeal’s recent judgment in the World Uyghur Congress' case against the National Crime Agency confirms that companies dealing in goods that they suspect to be products of forced labor are potentially liable to criminal prosecution, presenting significant legal risks that cannot always be mitigated through conducting supply chain due diligence, say lawyers at King & Spalding.

  • 10 Ways To Manage AI Risks In Service Contracts

    Author Photo

    With the European Union Artificial Intelligence Act coming into force on Aug. 1 and introducing a new regulatory risk, and with AI technology continuing to develop at pace, parties to services arrangements should employ mechanisms now to build in flexibility and get on the front foot, says James Longster at Travers Smith.

  • What Future May Hold For AI Innovation In UK Under Labour

    Author Photo

    Labour’s recent King's Speech was notable in its absence of discussion of a comprehensive artificial intelligence bill, and while this may indicate to many that the UK is open for business, the party’s approach to cross-sectoral engagement will be critical for shaping Britain's AI landscape in the near term, says Alexander Amato-Cravero at Herbert Smith.

  • Unpacking The New Concept Of 'Trading Misfeasance'

    Author Photo

    In addition to granting one of the largest trading awards since the Insolvency Act was passed in 1986, the High Court recently introduced a novel claim for misfeasant trading in Wright v. Chappell, opening the door to liability for directors, even where insolvent liquidation or administration was not inevitable, say lawyers at Greenberg Traurig.

  • EU WhatsApp Deletion Fine Sends Clear Message

    Author Photo

    The recent European Commission fine of International Flavors & Fragrances — the first for the deletion of social media messages during a dawn raid — although halved as a result of IFF's cooperation, shows the commission's view on obstruction poses a real risk to companies under investigation, says Matthew Hall at McGuireWoods.

  • Key Takeaways From Proposed EU Anticorruption Directive

    Author Photo

    The European Commission's anticorruption proposal, on which the EU Council recently adopted a position, will substantially alter the landscape of corporate compliance and liability across the EU, so companies will need to undertake rigorous revisions of their compliance frameworks to align with the directive's demands, say lawyers at Linklaters.

  • Implications Of EU Network Directive For Data Center Owners

    Author Photo

    With the October implementation deadline of the EU’s new cybersecurity regime under the Network Systems Directive fast approaching, data center owners and operators need to consider compliance steps, and U.K. companies providing services in the EU should take note, say lawyers at Bird & Bird.

  • New EU Guidelines Provide Insights On Global AI Regulation

    Author Photo

    The European Data Protection Supervisor’s first guidelines on artificial intelligence only apply to governmental bodies, but together with the EU AI Act they demonstrate a strong and prescriptive policy, and offer a glimpse into what could be the next phase in world AI regulation, says Kevin Benedicto at Redgrave.

  • Boeing Plea Deal Is A Mixed Bag, Providing Lessons For Cos.

    Author Photo

    The plea deal for conspiracy to defraud regulators that Boeing has tentatively agreed to will, on the one hand, probably help the company avoid further reputational damage, but also demonstrates to companies that deferred prosecution agreements have real teeth, and that noncompliance with DPA terms can be costly, says Edmund Vickers at Red Lion Chambers.

  • Keeping Up With Carbon Capture Policy In The US And EU

    Author Photo

    Recent regulatory moves from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the European Commission in the carbon capture, sequestration and storage space are likely to further encourage the owners and operators of fossil fuel-fired power plants to make decisions on shutdowns or reconfiguration to meet the expanding requirements, say Inosi Nyatta and Silvia Brünjes at Sullivan & Cromwell.

Want to publish in Law360?


Submit an idea

Have a news tip?


Contact us here