Expert Analysis

• Takeaways From New FCA Rules On Research Payments

  

  The Financial Conduct Authority’s recently published final rules on payment optionality for investment research, which involve a client disclosure obligation option, will be welcome news for U.K. managers who buy investment research from U.S. brokers, and for global asset management groups, says Anna Maleva-Otto at Schulte Roth.

• How Digital Markets Act Will Enhance Consumer Protections

  

  The Digital Markets Act represents a major shift in U.K. competition and consumer protection law by introducing a new regulatory regime for large digital firms, and by giving the Competition and Markets Authority broader merger investigation powers and a wider enforcement remit for online activities, say lawyers at Cooley.

• What Steps Businesses Can Take After CrowdStrike Failure

  

  Following last month’s global Microsoft platform outage caused by CrowdStrike’s failed security software update, businesses can expect complex disputes over liability resulting from multilayered agreements and should look to their various insurance policies for cover despite losses not stemming from a cyberattack, says Daniel Healy at Brown Rudnick.

• Drafting Settlement Agreements That Avoid Future Disputes

  

  Several recent U.K. rulings highlight the importance of drafting precise settlement agreements to prevent time-consuming and costly disputes over what claims the agreements were meant to cover, says Michelle Radom at Osborne Clarke.

• Int'l Treaties May Aid Investors Amid UK Rail Renationalization

  

  The recently introduced Passenger Railway Services Bill seeks to return British railways to public ownership without compensating affected investors, a move that could trigger international investment treaty protections for obligation breaches, says Philipp Kurek at Signature Litigation.

• What EU Opinion May Mean For ESG Product Classification

  

  The recently issued European Supervisory Authority opinion on the Sustainable Finance Disclosures Regulation offers key recommendations, including revising the definition of sustainable investments and making principal adverse impacts consideration mandatory, that could sway the European Commission’s final approach to product classification, say lawyers at Debevoise.

• EU Competition Report Spotlights Areas For Future Focus

  

  The European Commission’s recent report on protecting competition highlights the importance of safeguarding innovation and preventing exploitative conduct by dominant firms, signaling that strong and focused law enforcement is to remain a priority with an even greater application of abuse-of-dominance rules, say Nicole Kar and Charlotte Mann at Paul Weiss.

• A Primer On EU's Updated Human Substance Regulations

  

  The European Union's updated standards regarding quality and safety of substances of human origin meant for human application carry significant implications for companies that work with cells and tissues, and U.S. companies active in the EU market should pay particular attention to the import and export rules, say Geneviève Michaux and Georgios Symeonidis at King & Spalding.

• Autonomy Execs' Acquittal Highlights Good Faith Instruction

  

  The recent acquittal of two former Autonomy executives demonstrates that a good faith jury instruction can be the cornerstone of an effective defense strategy in white collar criminal cases, in part because the concept of good faith is a human experience every juror can relate to, says Sara Kropf at Kropf Moseley.

• Implications Of The EU AI Act For Medtech Companies

  

  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

  

  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

  

  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

  

  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

  

  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

  

  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.