Expert Analysis

• What The Future Holds For UK Auditing Reform

  

  The U.K.'s Financial Reporting Council has shown itself to be an increasingly effective and proactive regulator in its final months, and the greater powers of its incoming replacement — the Audit, Reporting and Governance Authority — will likely continue an era of heightened scrutiny for auditors, say Paul Brehony and Kate Gee at Signature Litigation.

• How UK Data Breach Ruling May Rein In Insurance Claims

  

  The recent U.K. High Court ruling in Warren v. DSG Retail, which held that claimants can only pursue personal data claims provided for in data protection legislation, narrows the basis upon which claims can be made following a data breach, and could make lower-cost recovery of after-the-event insurance premiums a thing of the past, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.

• 2nd Circ. Arbitral Award Ruling Signals Restrictive Approach

  

  The Second Circuit's recent ruling in Gater Assets v. Moldovagaz, reversing a default judgment arbitration award on jurisdictional grounds, fortifies U.S. court protections for foreign states and state-owned entities, and forecasts the court's conservative approach to when nonparties can be bound by arbitration agreements, say attorneys at Cleary.

• Lloyds EU Operations Highlight Challenges For UK Insurers

  

  Potential problems facing Lloyd's Europe could be shared by other U.K. insurers operating in the European Union's more stringent post-Brexit regulatory landscape, but individual countries' discrete provisions allowing for certain cross-border activities could enable a more nuanced approach, says Jeremy Irving at Browne Jacobson.

• The Risky Reality Of GDPR Noncompliance

  

  With the General Data Protection Regulation remaining in force in the post-Brexit European Union, businesses should be aware not only of the increasing fines levied for noncompliance, but also of the expenses incurred for lost management time, the professional costs and the reputational damage, says Alexander Egerton at Seddons Law.

• An Underused Group Litigation Tool Could Help UK Claimants

  

  Though the Financial Markets Test Case Procedure has only been used as a collective redress mechanism for the first time recently in Financial Conduct Authority v. Arch Insurance, hopefully it will be called on more often to resolve future post-Brexit issues and other pandemic cases, says Becca Hogan at Signature Litigation.

• Risk Management Lessons From Recent Finance Co. Failures

  

  Investor exposure to Archegos Capital and Greensill Capital before their high-profile collapses earlier this year show puzzling lapses in internal controls and highlight key risk management considerations for investors, says Benedict Roth at Martello Financial Services.

• 3 Risk Management Lessons From Pandemic Insurance Wars

  

  As appellate decisions in COVID-19 business interruption insurance claims continue to clarify the state of the law, there are some things that policyholders' lawyers and risk managers can do in the meantime to help prepare for future unforeseen events affecting coverage, says Peter Halprin at Pasich.

• What New UK Money Laundering Law Means For Fintech

  

  New U.K. money laundering legislation will likely benefit electronic money and payment institutions, but an increase in state forfeiture powers and a lingering possibility of a broad failure-to-prevent offense leave the fintech industry's regulatory future uncertain, say Andrew Herd and Helena Spector at Red Lion Chambers.

• UK Bill Must Navigate Crosscurrents Of Internet Regulation

  

  The U.K.'s draft Online Safety Bill seeks to regulate a broad swath of online content and internet services but faces a number of potential implementation challenges, including balancing digital safety with freedom of expression and administering regulatory goals with frequently opposing objectives, say Ben Packer and Jemma Purslow at Linklaters.

• 2 UK Pension Cases Guide On 3rd-Party Due Diligence

  

  The U.K. Court of Appeal's recent decision in Adams v. Options UK, and upcoming hearing in Financial Conduct Authority v. Avacade, highlight important precautions self-invested personal pension operators should take when dealing with unauthorized third parties, says Paul Ashcroft at Wedlake Bell.

• Evaluating Insurance Options In Light Of Suez Canal Blockage

  

  The recent blockage of the Suez Canal by the cargo ship Ever Given illustrates that manufacturers, carriers and recipients of internationally shipped goods should consider all the insurance offerings available to cover losses resulting from shipping delays, say David Klein and Ryan Vanderford at Pillsbury.

• Data Protection Considerations For Insurers Post-Brexit

  

  Now that companies must comply with both U.K. and EU data protection laws, insurers operating in Europe face additional data exposure liability risks and should adjust their underwriting practices and policy wordings accordingly, says Charlotte Worlock at Atheria Law.

• Cargo Insurance May Cover Losses From Suez Canal Delays

  

  Policyholders who have suffered economic losses from the recent Suez Canal blockage may be able to secure compensation from their standard cargo insurance policies, even if coverage for delays is explicitly precluded, says Jeremy Lawrence at Munger Tolles.

• 3 Lessons For UK Litigators In Virtual Trials

  

  UK litigators should note several best practices for adapting to the hurdles, and capitalizing on the benefits, of virtual trials, and expect the new hearing format to persist beyond the end of the pandemic, say Christopher Boyne and Emma Laurie-Rhodes at Debevoise.