Sanctions Spotlight: UK Broadens Scope Of Iran Sanctions

The U.K.'s new Iran sanctions reimpose and expand restrictions on finance, energy, trade and transport, bringing its regime closer to the European Union's approach and creating wider compliance demands for affected businesses, says Alexandra Melia at Steptoe.

Preparing For UK's New Crypto-Assets Regulatory Regime

Under the U.K.'s forthcoming crypto-assets regime, a broad range of activities will be brought within the Financial Conduct Authority's authorization remit, making the application window particularly important for overseas firms serving U.K. consumers, says Mark Chalmers at Davis Polk.

5 Tokenized Equity Terms That Will Decide Tax Status

As the London Stock Exchange gears up to list tokenized shares of the U.K.'s largest public companies, issuers, platforms and investors must consider a handful of product terms that can result in different tax statuses for tokens that track the same company, say Zoe Wyatt and Yuri Hamano at Andersen.

How UK PLC Boards Can Stave Off Disclosure Claims Risks

To minimize the risk of exposure to shareholder claims amid a continuing rise in securities litigation, companies must evaluate exposure, protect privilege and keep an eye on pending litigation, such as the recent investor claims filed against British American Tobacco and Entain, say lawyers at Simpson Thacher.

Appeals Court Offers Framework For Loan Interest Disputes

The Court of Appeal's recent decision in Houssein v. London Credit Ltd. offers guidance for borrowers and lenders on determining what is required to stop contractual interest from accruing on a secured loan and whether a default interest provision amounts to an unenforceable penalty, say lawyers at Reed Smith.

Designing Management Incentives For An Uncertain PE Exit

With management teams increasingly asked to stay invested for longer periods as private equity holding periods extend and routes to exit become less predictable, management incentive plans require sufficient flexibility to remain effective, say lawyers at Morgan Lewis.

Tesla Win Establishes UK Courts May Set Patent Pool Rates

The recent U.K. Supreme Court decision in Tesla v. InterDigital & Avanci determined that English and Welsh courts can resolve license rate-setting disputes for standard essential patents, with a U.K. FRAND determination serving as leverage in negotiating high-value licenses for standardized technologies, say lawyers at Quinn Emanuel.

How Public Filing Pilot Is Influencing Litigation Strategy

The ongoing pilot program that makes it easier for third parties like journalists or academics to obtain court documents used in certain public hearings is reshaping how litigation teams draft skeleton arguments, settle expert evidence, and identify and restrict sensitive material, say lawyers at Greenberg Traurig.

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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.

AI Voice Cloning Exposes Gaps In UK Personality Rights Law

The advent of artificial intelligence voice cloning has turned concerns over the absence of dedicated personality rights into a practical policy issue, and the U.K. government's planned consultation on digital replicas offers an opportunity to develop targeted intellectual property and fraud protections without undermining innovation, say lawyers at Foot Anstey.

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Practice Leader Insights From RPC's Simon Hart

Simon Hart, head of RPC's financial services sector, discusses the importance of leading with clear goals and a shared purpose, the challenge of keeping clients focused under sustained pressure, and why junior lawyers should resist the trend to become too specialized early on.

Financial Firm Ruling Narrows Push Fraud Recovery Route

The recent Court of Appeal decision in Moorwand v. Hamblin rejected a derivative claim brought by victims of an authorized push payment fraud, clarifying that these claims will only succeed in limited circumstances where a provider is demonstrably put on inquiry for misappropriation, say lawyers at Irwin Mitchell.

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.

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Practice Leader Insights From Reed Smith's Panos Katsambas

Panos Katsambas, global co-lead of Reed Smith's financial industry group, discusses how dealing with adversity in world events enabled him to handle volatility in his practice, how private credit and fund finance are now dominating the financial industry, and why it is important to remember that the legal industry is a service industry.

Why Bear Hugs Are Making A Comeback In UK M&A Deals

With "bear hugs" recently reemerging as an attractive negotiation tool for bidders in mergers and acquisitions, both target boards and potential acquirers should note the effect of the City Code on Takeovers and Mergers' timing and drafting limits, says Ben Land-Maycock at Covington.