Expert Analysis

• The Divergent Approaches In US, EU Forced Labor Standards

  

  Forced labor guidance documents recently issued by the U.S. and the European Union have meaningful differences, with the U.S. taking a documentary approach to compliance and the EU emphasizing human rights risks as a governance challenge, but one model will likely exert greater influence, say attorneys at Steptoe.

• Saxon Woods Ruling Clarifies Directors' Duty Of Good Faith

  

  The U.K. Supreme Court’s recent landmark judgment in Saxon Woods sends a clear message to businesses that a director's conduct must withstand objective scrutiny, affirming that even if an individual believes they are acting in the company's best interests, they cannot deceive fellow board members, says Richard Clayman at Kingsley Napley.

• BlueCrest Decision Tightens Test For LLP Tax Treatment

  

  The U.K. Supreme Court’s recent judgment in HMRC v. BlueCrest Capital Management clarifies the tax framework for assessing whether limited liability partnership members are genuinely operating as partners or should be treated as employees, which is likely to be significant far beyond the hedge fund sector, say lawyers at Stewarts Law.

• How Employers Can Prep For EU Pay Transparency Directive

  

  Although most EU member states failed to implement the Pay Transparency Directive by the June deadline, employers should take steps to address the overarching requirements, as compliance obligations could come into force quickly and with little advance notice, say lawyers at Morgan Lewis.

• BP Board Coup Spotlights Powers To Remove Directors In UK

  

  Recent action taken against BP PLC’s chair reveals the authority conferred on boards by an organization's bespoke articles of association and stands as a reminder that director removal in the U.K. is not a simply a voting rights issue, raising questions about the allocation of power between boards and shareholders, say Dan Coppel and James Ford at Faegre Drinker.

• AI Makes Law Firm Change Management A Client Issue

  

  As artificial intelligence implementation is causing clients' expectations of outside counsel to shift toward greater risk control and more transparent value, successful law firm transformation and the preservation of professional trust will require governance, training and accountability, says John Hutchinson at Broadfield.

• How Firms Can Prepare For Increasing AI-Cybersecurity Risks

  

  The growing convergence between cybersecurity and artificial intelligence means that businesses need to recognize the breadth of the threat, and conduct repeated testing and adjustment to address the shifting risk landscape, say lawyers at Debevoise.

• How UK Unfair Dismissal Reforms Could Affect PE Sponsors

  

  The U.K. government’s unfair dismissal rights reforms taking effect from January 2027 could create uncertainty over management incentive arrangements and complicate senior management changes, representing a material shift in the risk landscape for private equity firms, say lawyers at Debevoise.

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  Practice Leader Insights From Mayer Brown's Miriam Bruce

  

  Miriam Bruce, Mayer Brown's head of business protection, discusses how being promoted on the eve of the pandemic was a baptism of fire in leadership, the challenges of multidimensional disputes, and why lawyers should invest in relationships, not just technical knowledge.

• Nonequity Partner Tier Presents Lawyers With Pros And Cons

  

  While the nonequity partner model may offer law firms' management flexibility and be a genuine stepping stone for lawyers in some organizations, at others the tier functions more as an extended holding pattern whose uncertainty can cause frustration for ambitious lawyers, say Filippo Falchi and Portia White at Major Lindsey.

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  Studying Foreign Languages Makes Me A Better Lawyer

  

  Studying Italian and Japanese has shown me that learning a new language can benefit a legal career in several ways, including by demonstrating the importance of approaching problems from a fresh perspective and the value of practicing patience with colleagues and clients, says Anna King at Genworth Financial.

• 4 Securities Trends For Pension Trustees To Watch In 2026

  

  With the U.K. signaling it will soon demand more active fiduciary stewardship from pension trustees, British and EU fund managers must follow key trends in mass securities litigation, investment disclosures, and U.S. enforcement that could require intervening for their investors in 2026, say lawyers at Labaton Keller.

• Preparing For UK's New Tax Fraud Whistleblower Program

  

  With the U.K. government introducing a U.S.-style whistleblower incentive scheme to tackle high-value tax avoidance and evasion, companies should take proactive steps and establish clear protocols to mitigate the potential increase in tax investigations, say lawyers at Skadden.

• Judicial AI Guidance Update Shows Caution Still Prevails

  

  The judiciary’s recently updated guidance on the use of artificial intelligence warns judges and tribunal members about misinformation and white text manipulation, providing a reminder that AI tools cannot replace direct engagement with evidence and reflecting a broader concern about their application when handling confidential material, say lawyers at Hogan Lovells.

• Navigating Legal Privilege Issues When Using AI

  

  The recent explosion in artificial intelligence has led to prompts and AI outputs that may be susceptible to disclosure in proceedings, and it is important to apply familiar principles to assess whether legal privilege may apply to these interactions, say lawyers at HSF.