Financial Services UK

  • March 28, 2024

    Ex-Plastics Co. Manager Found Guilty Of Insider Dealing

    A former manager at a plastics company was found guilty of insider dealing on Thursday by a London jury, but his friend was acquitted of similar charges in connection with the £261 million ($329 million) purchase of a rival company.

  • March 28, 2024

    Insurers Must Face £13B Russia-Stranded Planes Suits In UK

    Major insurers including Allianz, AXA and Liberty Mutual will have to face £13 billion ($16.4 billion) worth of claims over planes stranded in Russia after the invasion of Ukraine as a London judge on Thursday ruled against attempts to move the claims to Moscow.

  • March 28, 2024

    Developer Says Law Firm Flubbed FOS Appeal

    A property developer is suing its former lawyers for just over £700,000 ($883,500) for negligence after the firm allegedly failed to file a complaint against a now-infamous turnaround unit of the Royal Bank of Scotland when its investments turned sour in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis.

  • March 28, 2024

    Traders' Loss Raises High Bar For Bankers To Clear Names

    The failure of two former traders to overturn their rate-rigging convictions could mark the end of the road for others convicted in connection with the scandal because of the reluctance of the English courts to topple precedent, lawyers say.

  • March 28, 2024

    EU Watchdogs To Relax On OTC Derivative Clearing Breaches

    The European Union's securities regulator has said it expects national regulators not to prioritize supervisory action against banks or insurers that fail to clear some over-the-counter derivatives with foreign pension schemes, ahead of legal exemption.

  • March 28, 2024

    NCA Logs 5% Decline In Suspicious Activity Reports Last Year

    The National Crime Agency reported Thursday a 5% decline in reports about potential criminal activities such as suspected money laundering and terrorist financing to its intelligence unit received during the financial year that ended March 2023.

  • March 28, 2024

    UK Litigation Roundup: Here's What You Missed In London

    This past week in London has seen investors target fraudsters who ran a fake film tax scheme, Barclays Bank sue privately owned Russian bank PJSC Sovcombank, easyGroup bring a trademark infringement claim against online casino TGI Entertainment for its "easybet" word sign, and a bioethanol fuel company hit high-profile individuals connected to the collapsed Elysian Fuels scheme. Here, Law360 looks at these and other new claims in the U.K.

  • March 28, 2024

    UK Signs Accounting Standards Deal With Australia

    Britain's audit watchdog said Thursday it has secured a deal on accounting standards with Australian authorities to make it easier for auditors to work between both countries.

  • March 28, 2024

    Investors Told To Show Standing For £1.4B StanChart Claim

    A London judge on Thursday ordered part of a group of investors suing Standard Chartered PLC for £1.4 billion ($1.7 billion) — for allegedly downplaying how much it had breached U.S. sanctions — to prove they are entitled to bring the claim. 

  • March 28, 2024

    Crowe Denies £5M Negligence Claim Over Audits Of Wine Co.

    A London-based accounting firm has hit back against a £5 million ($6.3 million) negligence claim by the liquidators of a failed wine investment company, saying it acted with the "care and skill" of a "reasonably competent" auditor.

  • March 28, 2024

    Struggling Lender Amigo Raises Cash, Eyes Reverse Takeover

    Amigo Holdings PLC said on Thursday that it has raised cash and is looking for a reverse takeover target so that it can continue operating as a listed company, amid the planned liquidation of its troubled subprime lending arm.

  • March 28, 2024

    Abrdn Property Plans Wind-Down After Merger Rejected

    Abrdn Property Income Trust Ltd. has said it is planning a managed wind-down after its shareholders voted against an all-share merger with Custodian Property Income REIT PLC that valued it at £237 million ($299 million).

  • March 28, 2024

    UK To Nullify NDAs That Stop People Reporting Crimes

    Non-disclosure agreements that prevent victims from reporting potential crimes are to become unenforceable, the government said Thursday as it announced plans to "clarify" the law governing the controversial contracts.

  • March 27, 2024

    No New Trial For Hedge Fund Boss In Forex Rigging Case

    A New York federal judge on Friday refused to acquit or call for a new trial for a U.K.-based hedge fund chief convicted of illegally manipulating a currency exchange rate, rejecting his argument that his alleged conduct lacked sufficient ties to the United States.

  • March 27, 2024

    Evidence On Ex-Mozambique Official Stays In $2B Fraud Suit

    A former Mozambique finance minister can't keep evidence from his phone out of a case alleging his involvement in a $2 billion scheme to siphon government-backed project funds from that country after a federal judge in Brooklyn on Wednesday backed the phone's seizure and search.

  • March 27, 2024

    Wedlake Bell Can't Get Early Exit From Trust Negligence Case

    A London court dismissed a law firm's attempt to escape a damages claim for its admitted negligent management of a trust, finding Wednesday that the law is "in a state of development" about the scope of a solicitor's duty in that situation.

  • March 27, 2024

    StanChart Urges Court To Toss Part Of £1.4B Sanctions Suit

    Standard Chartered PLC urged a London judge Wednesday to block part of a group of investors' £1.4 billion ($1.77 billion) claim against it alleging that the bank had downplayed how much it breached U.S. sanctions against Iran by hundreds of billions of dollars, alleging some of the investors had not shown they had standing.

  • March 27, 2024

    BoE Finds Increasing Fear Of Financial Risk From AI

    The Bank of England said on Wednesday the proportion of banks, insurers and other firms that find artificial intelligence one of the greatest risks to the finance system has doubled in six months.

  • March 27, 2024

    Finance Pros Avoid Prison For £3M Mortgage Fraud

    A banned independent financial adviser and an accountant were handed suspended sentences on Wednesday for forging documents to help their clients make fraudulent mortgage applications worth £3 million ($3.8 million).

  • March 27, 2024

    BoE Says Action On LDI Has Boosted Financial Stability

    The U.K.'s financial stability watchdog said Wednesday that measures introduced in the wake of the pension fund crisis 18 months ago have bolstered resilience to further shocks.

  • March 27, 2024

    Swiss Watchdog Sets Out New Capital Rules For Banks

    Switzerland's financial regulator said Wednesday it has published five sets of rules to implement the latest capital requirements for banks, known as Basel III, allowing a more risk-sensitive treatment of managed collective assets than the global standards require.

  • March 27, 2024

    Watchdog Aligns Accounting Rules In UK, Ireland With IFRS

    Britain's accounting regulator published plans on Wednesday to update some accounting standards in the U.K. and the Republic of Ireland to align with changes in international guidelines.

  • March 27, 2024

    Payments Watchdog Launches 2nd Review Of ATM Coverage

    The Payment Systems Regulator launched on Wednesday its second review of the effectiveness of its mandate for LINK, the national cash machine network, to ensure the accessibility of ATMs across the country.

  • March 27, 2024

    UK Draft Pay Fraud Rules Open Tricky Legal Liabilities

    The government's new draft legislation, which will give banks longer to investigate suspicions of fraud before they send payments instructed by customers, will create a wave of new legal liabilities and lead to regulatory hurdles, according to lawyers.

  • March 27, 2024

    Ex-Barclays, Citi Traders Lose Interest Rate-Rigging Appeals

    Two former traders convicted of manipulating benchmark interest rates lost their bid to clear their names on Wednesday as an English appellate court ruled that they had received fair trials. 

Expert Analysis

  • A Look At The Latest EU Alternative Investment Regulation

    Author Photo

    Recent amendments to the EU Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive governing a range of alternative investment funds reflect a growing regulatory focus on nonbanking financial institutions, which expand credit to support economic growth but carry a commensurate risk, say Juliette Mills and Alix Prentice at Cadwalader.

  • Unpacking The Law Commission's Digital Assets Consultation

    Author Photo

    The Law Commission recently published a consultation on recognizing a third personal property category to accommodate the development of digital assets, highlighting difficulties with current models of property rights and the potential consequences of considering digital assets as personal property, say Andrew Tsang and Tom Bacon at BCLP.

  • Unpacking The FCA's Approach To AML Compliance Failures

    Author Photo

    In light of the upward trend of skilled-person reviews by the Financial Conduct Authority, including the latest investigation into Lloyds' anti-money laundering controls, financial firms should familiarize themselves with the mechanisms of FCA supervision and enforcement investigations, says Kathryn Westmore at RUSI.

  • New Russia Sanctions Reveal Int'l Enforcement Capabilities

    Author Photo

    Significant new U.K., U.S. and EU sanctions imposed on Russia notably target Europe-based individuals and entities accused of sanctions evasion, and with an apparent political will to enhance capabilities, the rhetoric is translating into international enforcement activity, say lawyers at Cadwalader.

  • What COVID Payout Ruling Means For Lockdown Loss Claims

    Author Photo

    While the High Court's recent COVID-19 payout decision in Gatwick v. Liberty Mutual, holding that pandemic-related regulations trigger prevention of access clauses, will likely lead to insurers accepting more business interruption claims, there are still evidentiary challenges and issues regarding policy limits and furlough, say Josianne El Antoury and Greg Lascelles at Covington.

  • Spartan Arbitration Tactics Against Well-Funded Opponents

    Author Photo

    Like the ancient Spartans who held off a numerically superior Persian army at the Battle of Thermopylae, trial attorneys and clients faced with arbitration against an opponent with a bigger war chest can take a strategic approach to create a pass to victory, say Kostas Katsiris and Benjamin Argyle at Venable.

  • EEA Equivalence Statement Is Welcomed By Fund Managers

    Author Photo

    The recent statement confirming European Economic Area equivalence to undertakings for collective investment in transferable securities for U.K. overseas funds regime purposes removes many managers’ concerns in the wake of Brexit, giving a clear pathway out of temporary marketing permissions and easing the transition from one regime to another, says Catherine Weeks at Simmons & Simmons.

  • In Int'l Arbitration Agreements, Be Clear About Governing Law

    Author Photo

    A trilogy of recent cases in the English High Court and Court of Appeal highlight the importance of parties agreeing to explicit choice of law language at the outset of an arbitration agreement in order to avoid costly legal skirmishes down the road, say lawyers at Faegre Drinker.

  • Crypto As A Coin Of The Corporate Realm: The Pros And Cons

    Author Photo

    The broadened range of crypto-assets opens up new possibilities for employers looking to recruit, incentivize and retain employees through the use of crypto, but certain risks must be addressed, say Dan Sharman and Sunny Mangatt at Shoosmiths.

  • Comparing UK And EU's View On 3rd-Party Service Providers

    Author Photo

    The U.K. is taking welcome steps to address the lack of direct oversight over critical third-party service providers, and although less onerous than that of the EU Digital Operational Resilience Act, the U.K. regime's proportionate approach is designed to make providers more robust and reliable, say lawyers at Shearman.

  • Key Points Of BoE Response To Digital Pound Consultation

    Author Photo

    Lawyers at Hogan Lovells analyze the recent Bank of England and U.K. government response to a consultation on the launch of a digital pound, finding that the phased approach to evaluating the issues makes sense given the significant potential impact on the U.K. economy.

  • Goldman Prosecution Delivers A Clear Sign Of FCA Strength

    Author Photo

    The recent successful prosecution of a former Goldman Sachs analyst for insider dealing and fraud is a reminder to regulated individuals that economic crime will never be tolerated, and that the Financial Conduct Authority is willing to bare its teeth in the exercise of its prosecutorial remit, says Doug Cherry at Fladgate.

  • The Good, The Bad And The New Of The UK Sanctions Regime

    Author Photo

    Almost six years after the Sanctions and Money Laundering Act was introduced, the U.K. government has published a strategy paper that outlines its focus points and unveils potential changes to the regime, such as a new humanitarian exception for financial sanctions, highlighting the rapid transformation of the U.K. sanctions landscape, says Josef Rybacki at WilmerHale.

  • A Look At Environment Agency's New Economic Crime Unit

    Author Photo

    Sophie Wood at Kingsley Napley explains how the Environment Agency’s newly established Economic Crime Unit will pursue criminal money flows from environmental offenses, and discusses the unit’s civil powers, including the ability to administer account freezing and forfeiture orders, says Sophie Wood at Kingsley Napley.

  • Opinion

    UK Whistleblowers Flock To The US For Good Reason

    Author Photo

    The U.K. Serious Fraud Office director recently brought renewed attention to the differences between the U.K. and U.S. whistleblower regimes — differences that may make reporting to U.S. agencies a better and safer option for U.K. whistleblowers, and show why U.K. whistleblower laws need to be improved, say Benjamin Calitri and Kate Reeves at Kohn Kohn.

Want to publish in Law360?


Submit an idea

Have a news tip?


Contact us here
Hello! I'm Law360's automated support bot.

How can I help you today?

For example, you can type:
  • I forgot my password
  • I took a free trial but didn't get a verification email
  • How do I sign up for a newsletter?
Ask a question!