Expert Analysis

• Assessing Exposure Under UK Foreign Influence Scheme

  

  While the proposed Foreign Influence Registration Scheme, designed to ensure transparency around foreign state-directed activities, may be delayed by the snap general election, organizations should prepare for compliance, including addressing concerns about the extent of unintended consequences arising from the scheme's scope, say Gavin Costelloe and Gillian Sproul at Greenberg Traurig.

• How FCA Guidance Aligns With Global Cyberattack Measures

  

  The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority’s recent guidance on preparing for cyberattacks aligns with the global move by financial regulators to focus on operational resilience, highlighting the importance of proactive strategies and robust resilience frameworks to mitigate disruptions, while observing a disappointing level of engagement by the industry, say Alix Prentice and Grace Ncube at Cadwalader.

• Contractual Drafting Takeaways From Force Majeure Ruling

  

  Lawyers at Cleary discuss the U.K. Supreme Court's recent judgment RTI v. MUR Shipping and its important implications, including how the court approached the apparent tension between certainty and commercial pragmatism, and considerations for the drafting of force majeure clauses going forward.

• Takeaways From Regulators' £61.6M Citigroup Trading Fine

  

  Following the Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority’s recent significant fining of Citigroup for its catastrophic trading error, and with more enforcement likely, institutions should update their controls and ensure system warnings do not become routine and therefore disregarded, says Abdulali Jiwaji at Signature Litigation.

• Factors For London Cos. To Consider If Adding US Listings

  

  Recent reports of a continuing valuation gap between London and New York have resulted in some London-listed companies considering U.S. listings to gain an increased investor base, but with various obligations and implications involved in such a move, organizations should consider whether there is a real benefit from trading there, say lawyers at Winston & Strawn.

• Behind The Stagecoach Boundary Fare Dispute Settlement

  

  The Competition Appeal Tribunal's recent rail network boundary fare settlement offers group action practitioners some much-needed guidance as it reduces the number of remaining parties' five-year dispute from two to one, says Mohsin Patel at Factor Risk Management.

• Assessing The Energy Act 2023, Eight Months On

  

  Although much of the detail required to fully implement the Energy Act 2023 remains to be finalized, the scale of change in the energy sector is unprecedented, and with the U.K. prioritizing achieving net-zero, it is likely that developments will continue at pace, say lawyers at Paul Hastings.

• Decoding Arbitral Disputes: Spanish Judicial Oversight

  

  The recent conviction of arbitrator Gonzalo Stampa underscores the critical importance of judicial authority in the realm of international arbitration in Spain, and emphasizes that arbitrators must respect the procedural frameworks established by Spanish national courts, says Josep Galvez at 4-5 Gray’s Inn.

• Opinion

  Why Timing Makes UK Libor Judgments Controversial

  

  The recent U.K. Court of Appeal decision in the R v. Hayes and Palombo appeal against Libor convictions demonstrates that had U.K. regulators probed with the facts known today, civil claims in all jurisdictions would be dismissed and a decadelong wasted investigation should be put to rest, says Charles Kuhn at Clyde & Co.

• Tips For Orgs Using NDAs In Light Of New UK Legislation

  

  The recent passage of the Victims and Prisoners Act follows a crackdown on the misuse of nondisclosure agreements, but although NDAs are not prohibited and regulators recognize their legitimate justification, organizations relying on them must be able to clearly explain that justification if challenged, say attorneys at Macfarlanes.

• Comparing UK, EU Digital Products Cybersecurity Approaches

  

  New U.K. and EU legislation impose different cybersecurity requirements on manufacturers of connectable products, but despite its higher overall standard and holistic approach, organizations should be aware that compliance with the EU act does not necessarily mean satisfying the U.K. regime, says Christopher Foo at Ropes & Gray.

• Lessons From Epic's Dutch Fine For Unfair Marketing To Kids

  

  Dutch regulators' imposition of a €1.1 million fine on Epic Games for unfair commercial practices targeting children marks a significant moment in the ongoing scrutiny of digital market practices, and follows an increased focus on children's online safety in the U.S. and European Union, say attorneys at Crowell & Moring.

• Risks And Promises Of AI In The Financial Services Industry

  

  Generative artificial intelligence has immense potential to revolutionize the financial services industry, but firms considering its use should first prepare to show their customers and the increasingly divided international regulatory community that they can manage the risks inherent to the new technology, say attorneys at Gibson Dunn.

• EU Anti-Greenwashing Guide Analyzed For Fund Managers

  

  Anna Maleva-Otto and Matthew Dow at Schulte Roth explain how the European Securities and Markets Authority’s new guidelines on sustainability-related terms in fund names aim to protect European Union investors from unsubstantiated claims, and how they provide quantifiable criteria for determining which terms can be used to promote their funds.

• FCA 'Finfluencer' Trial Exposes Social Media Promo Risks

  

  The upcoming Financial Conduct Authority prosecution of nine individuals for Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 violations is the first time an online influencer will be tried for using social media to promote investments, demonstrating the need to be wary of the specific legal requirements surrounding financial product promotion, says David Claxton at Red Lion.