Expert Analysis

• 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.

• SEC Data Transfer Safe Harbor Raises Questions For UK Cos.

  

  The U.K. Information Commissioner's Office recently authorized British companies to transfer U.K. subjects’ personal data to facilitate U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission investigations, but companies need more detail on how to invoke the safe harbor or handle EU data subjects, say attorneys at Davis Polk.

• COVID-19 Insurance Issues To Watch In Civil Law Countries

  

  A recent decision from a Spanish court of appeals shows that COVID-19 business interruption coverage disputes may not have outcomes that would be expected in common law countries, say Miguel Torres at Martínez-Echevarría & Rivera Abogados and José Umbert at Zelle.

• Remote Working Tips For Lawyer Trainees And Their Firms

  

  The prospect of joining a law firm during the pandemic can cause added pressure, but with a few good practices — and a little help from their firms and supervising attorneys — lawyer trainees can get ahead of the curve while working remotely, say William Morris and Ted Landray at King & Spalding.

• What Growing Focus On ESG Means For Insurers

  

  As the world pays steadily more attention to environmental, social and governance issues, insurers and reinsurers will need to integrate ESG risks into their underwriting and compliance efforts, but doing so will help attract consumers and achieve positive investment returns, say attorneys at Debevoise.

• Finance Firms May See Increased FCA Enforcement This Year

  

  Financial firms will likely see increased investigation and enforcement actions from the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority following Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic, including in the areas of financial crime, customer protection, operational resilience and conduct, says Tracey Dovaston at Boies Schiller.

• UK Supreme Court Ruling Clarifies Arbitrator Bias Standard

  

  The U.K. Supreme Court's judgment in Halliburton v. Chubb, likely the court's most important decision in the area of international arbitration in the past decade, articulates important guidelines for how English courts will police issues of arbitrator disclosure and bias, even as it fuels concerns among insurance policyholders, say Allan Moore and Ramon Luque at Covington.

• Evaluating Ethical And Legal Risk In Ransomware Payments

  

  Deciding whether to pay the demanded ransom during a cyberattack is complex and requires a careful balancing of the risks to the firm's business against the reputational and regulatory risks, but companies can also prepare for this eventuality by taking concrete steps now, say Rob Dedman and Kim Roberts at King & Spalding.

• How Climate, Finance And Trade Will Intersect In 2021

  

  In the coming year, the Biden administration will likely align its policies on climate change, finance and trade more closely with those of international partners and organizations, leading to more coordinated action on climate standards that will be applied across the global economy, say consultants at C&M International.