Expert Analysis

• Appeal Tribunal Ruling Raises Bar For Belief-Based Firings

  

  In University of Bristol v. Miller, the Employment Appeal Tribunal's recent ruling concerning an employee's dismissal for making anti-Zionist comments demonstrates that even controversial political beliefs may be protected, and that disciplinary action must be proportionate to the conduct, says Tessa Harris at Redmans Solicitors.

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  Practice Leader Insights From Birketts' Jessica Caws

  

  Jessica Caws, co-head of financial services at Birketts, discusses creating a collaborative environment for her junior colleagues, the excitement of working on a matter at the forefront of regulatory change, and why as a lawyer it is important to develop the ability to critically analyze information early on.

• FCA Nonfinancial Misconduct Rules Demand Shift For Firms

  

  Under the Financial Conduct Authority's new nonfinancial misconduct framework, conduct like serious bullying, harassment and violence is now capable of generating regulatory consequences extending well beyond the workplace, and four questions are likely to occupy compliance teams over the coming months, says Chloe-Jane Belton at Howard Kennedy.

• 2 ECJ Rulings Give Guidance On Sport Agent Regs

  

  The European Court of Justice recently settled two long-running disputes, Rogon and RRC Sports, by finding that the antitrust rules governing these leagues offer exceptions for regulating players' agents, and offering a path for sports associations to implement rules controlling services ancillary to their sport, say lawyers at Skadden.

• 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.