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Financial Services UK
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July 19, 2024
UK Clears Nationwide's £2.9B Purchase Of Virgin Money
The competition regulator of the U.K. said Friday that it has cleared Nationwide Building Society's acquisition of Virgin Money UK PLC for £2.9 billion ($3.7 billion), which the companies say would create a combined group with assets of approximately £366 billion.
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July 19, 2024
Businessman Found Guilty Of Fraud For COVID Loan Abuse
A British businessman accused of dishonestly obtaining a COVID-19 small business loan was convicted of fraud on Friday after prosecutors accused him of scamming the system to repay an associate embroiled in a fight with the Serious Fraud Office.
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July 19, 2024
Casino Group Faces French Price-Fixing Probe
Casino Group, the French retail giant that has recently undergone a restructuring, said it is being investigated by France's financial crime agency for possible price manipulation and corruption.
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July 18, 2024
Ukraine Businessman Looks To Arbitrate $1B Gramercy Suit
A Ukrainian businessman is urging a Wyoming federal court to force Gramercy Funds Management to arbitrate in London its racketeering lawsuit accusing him of fraudulently transferring more than a billion dollars from his agricultural business, a debtor of the Connecticut-based hedge fund.
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July 18, 2024
Law Firm Did Not Think SRA Alerts Applied To Former Client
Matthew & Matthew Solicitors has told liquidators for a now-defunct group of companies that it did not believe that warnings about investment schemes by the English solicitors' regulator applied to its client, arguing that the businessman's care home scheme appeared legitimate.
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July 18, 2024
GE Can't Claim Credit For £189M In Double Tax, Court Says
A U.K.-registered subsidiary of General Electric does not qualify for at least £189 million ($245 million) in double tax relief under a U.S.-U.K. treaty because it lacks a U.S. presence akin to a domicile, a London appellate court ruled.
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July 18, 2024
PE Firm's £432M Deal Awaiting NSIA Clearance Pushed Back
Wealth management firm Mattioli Woods said Thursday that its approximately £432 million ($546 million) acquisition by London private equity firm Pollen Street Capital that is awaiting national security clearance is now likely to close a month later than expected.
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July 18, 2024
Pension Experts Urge 'Gateway Tests' For Public Consolidator
More than half of pension professionals believe that any public sector consolidator must have tough "gateway tests" similar to those employed by commercial superfunds, if the project gets off the ground.
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July 18, 2024
Treat Politically Exposed People Better, FCA Tells Firms
The Financial Conduct Authority told all financial services companies on Thursday to do more to ensure that high-profile individuals and their families are not treated unfairly after it found widespread deficiencies in a review of the sector.
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July 18, 2024
Faegre Drinker Hires Ex-Northern Trust Legal Chief
Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP has recruited a senior lawyer at Northern Trust Asset Management to join its office in London as it continues to build its investment management practice in the English capital.
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July 17, 2024
Retired Couple Seek To Override Ex-Solicitor's Deceit Win
A financial advisor and his wife battled to reverse a ruling finding them liable to a former solicitor for his investment in a now-defunct forex trading scheme, arguing they had wrongly been found to be partners.
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July 17, 2024
Qatari Fund Sues Sheikh Over Stalled 70-Carat Diamond Deal
A Qatari investment fund has accused a Sheikh of breaching a promise to sell it a 70-carat diamond, telling a London court that he cited the COVID-19 pandemic as a force majeure event allowing his family to avoid handing over the jewel.
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July 17, 2024
Labour Revives Arbitration Bill To Reform £2.5B Industry
The U.K. will introduce a new Arbitration Bill reviving legislation shelved in the runup to the election as part of plans to support the country's position as an international center for dispute resolution, the government said in the King's Speech on Wednesday.
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July 17, 2024
UK Gov't Moves Ahead With Accounting Reform Bill
The new Labour Government said on Wednesday that it will push ahead with draft legislation to toughen up regulation of auditors to help to reduce the risk of corporate failures.
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July 17, 2024
EU Financial Watchdogs Set Up Cyber-Risk Info Exchange
European Union financial watchdogs said Wednesday that they will establish a framework for authorities in the bloc and international bodies to share information on cyberthreats and incidents that pose a risk to financial stability.
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July 17, 2024
Labour Gov't To Make Fiscal Rules Law, Empower OBR
The new Labour government will legislate to write into law the Treasury's long-held fiscal rules and grant new powers to the Office for Budget Responsibility to scrutinize policy, according to plans confirmed in the King's Speech on Wednesday.
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July 17, 2024
Gov't Plans Pensions Bill To Consolidate Retirement Savings
The new Labour government said on Wednesday that it will introduce a new Pensions Schemes Bill that aims to consolidate the cluttered retirement savings sector.
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July 16, 2024
Tycoon's Pilot Says Feds' Stock Tip Claims Don't Add Up
A private pilot who used to work for convicted insider trader and U.K. billionaire Joe Lewis is arguing federal prosecutors can't use allegations that his own trades were suspicious to ramp up a sentence for a separate tax evasion charge.
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July 16, 2024
Ex-Goldman Banker Denies Bribe Charges After Extradition
A former Goldman Sachs banker pled not guilty Tuesday before a Brooklyn federal magistrate judge to charges that he bribed Ghanaian officials, after losing an extradition battle in British courts.
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July 16, 2024
Ex-Mozambique Official Accused Of $2B Fraud As Trial Opens
Federal prosecutors told a Manhattan jury Tuesday that Mozambique's former finance minister took $7 million in bribes in a "corrupt" plot to enrich himself and defraud investors after $2 billion in state-backed development projects flopped.
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July 16, 2024
Self-Styled Bitcoin Founder Could Face Criminal Prosecution
A London judge referred Craig Wright to prosecutors on Tuesday for potential perjury charges after concluding that the Australian computer scientist had repeatedly lied about inventing bitcoin for financial gain.
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July 16, 2024
Labour Government Urged To Introduce Green Tax Credits
The new Labour government should introduce tax credits for businesses investing in green energy technology, according to a tax expert from the Confederation of British Industry.
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July 16, 2024
Financial Intel Firm To Buy Fund Ratings Biz RSMR
Fintel PLC said Tuesday it has conditionally bought Rayner Spencer Mills Research Ltd. for an undisclosed amount of money, making the purchase of the fund ratings and research agency its ninth acquisition in 12 months.
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July 16, 2024
Donre Advisory Enters Liquidation After FCA Scrutiny
The Financial Conduct Authority said Tuesday that Donre Advisory Ltd. has entered liquidation two months after it stopped the inadequately resourced investment adviser from conducting business.
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July 23, 2024
Disputes Boutique Hires Fladgate Insolvency Pro As Partner
Alius Law has hired an insolvency and restructuring partner from Fladgate LLP as it looks to build up its financial services practice in London — and the disputes boutique wants to tempt more senior litigators to leave behind the "constraints" of larger firms.
Expert Analysis
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Investors Should Prepare For Possible EU Energy Treaty Exit
Following the European Commission’s recent call for the European Union and Euratom to withdraw from the Energy Charter Treaty, investors in the energy sector should assess the legal structure of their existing investments and consider restructuring to ensure adequate protections, says Philipp Kurek at Kirkland.
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EU Raw Materials Initiative Vital For Sustainable Value Chains
The European Commission’s recent steps toward developing partnerships with the U.S. and Argentina to ensure a secure supply of critical raw materials are a welcome recognition of the importance of mining to the European Union's sustainable transition, say lawyers at Watson Farley.
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UK Top Court Ruling Spells Uncertainty For Litigation Funders
The U.K. Supreme Court's recent decision in Paccar Inc. v. Competition Appeal Tribunal has called litigation funding agreements impermissible, causing astonishment in the legal industry and raising questions over how funders should now approach litigation, say Mohsin Patel at Factor Risk Management and Imran Benson at Hailsham Chambers.
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Gender Diverse Boards May Reduce Corporate Fraud Risk
Following the recently proposed "failure to prevent fraud" offense, companies should focus on diversity in leadership as research shows that an increase in women's representation on boards is associated with a decreased probability of fraud, say Anoushka Warlow and Suzanne Gallagher at BCL Solicitors.
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Trustees Should Take Caution After UK Pension Tap Plan
The U.K. government's recent plan to boost technology startups by tapping into pension sector funds may risk the hard-earned savings of members, so trustees need to be mindful of the proposals in light of their fiduciary duties, say Beth Brown and Riccardo Bruno at Arc Pensions.
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Factors Driving Increased Litigation Against European Cos.
European government regulation and enforcement, economic inflation and litigation funding are driving an increase in litigation, especially class actions, against corporations in Europe, a trend that seems to be here to stay, says Henning Schaloske at Clyde & Co.
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New UK Offense Will Help Law Firms Tighten AML Compliance
By allowing for larger fines and introducing a failure to prevent fraud offense, the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill, currently passing through Parliament, will further motivate law firms to improve their anti-money laundering compliance process, says Richard Simms at AMLCC.
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What Venezuelan Gold Fight Means For UK One Voice Doctrine
The Court of Appeal's judgment in Deutsche Bank v. Central Bank of Venezuela clarifies the application of the "one voice" doctrine to foreign court judgments, highlighting that the reasoning depends on the recognition or nonrecognition of a head of state or government that is contrary to the U.K. government's position, say lawyers at Latham.
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Report On UK Investment Act Offers Welcome Insights
The U.K. government's recent report on the National Security and Investment Act's first full year of operation is to be applauded for disclosing more information on the act's notification system than was required, enabling a better understanding of what has taken place and what the next year may hold, say Andrea Hamilton and Ajal Notowicz at Milbank.
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Preparing For M&A Under The Foreign Subsidies Regulation
The EU Foreign Subsidies Regulation introduces requirements that companies operating in the region must consider in M&A transactions, and any foreign financial contributions received by a target should be checked during the due diligence stage, with specific provisions for commission approval if a notification requirement is triggered, say Hendrik Viaene and Stéphane Dionnet at McDermott.
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Important Generative AI Considerations In M&A
The recent surge of interest in generative artificial intelligence and its use of machine learning algorithms means there are novel concerns as well as inherent risks for those engaging in M&A activity, and acquirers should pay careful attention to a target’s scope of ownership and licensing rights, say attorneys at Davis Polk.
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Pension Trustee Case Could Lead To Fossil Fuels Divestment
While the recent Court of Appeal case McGaughey v. Universities Superannuation Scheme attempts to link fossil fuel investment by trustees to significant risk of financial detriment, it is concerning that two out of 470,000 scheme members could be permitted to bring a claim without ensuring that other members are represented, says Anna Metadjer at Kingsley Napley.
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Outbound Screening May Be Next EU Investment Control Step
Following the European Commission’s recent commitment to reduce dependence on third countries by developing an outbound investment review mechanism, it will be interesting to see whether member states will take a united stand or whether national security interests will trump such an approach, say Christoph Barth and Neil Hoolihan at Linklaters.
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Barclays Ruling Narrows Banks' Fraud Recovery Duty
The U.K. Supreme Court's recent ruling in Philipp v. Barclays decided against the so-called Quincecare duty's application in authorized push payment fraud, shining light on how banks should balance their responsibility to follow customers' instructions against making reasonable inquiries, say lawyers at Ontier.
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Green Loans May Be Hungary's Path To Sustainable Financing
Fueled by a rising trend in the use of green loans, Hungary is making impressive progress in its journey toward achieving a net-zero future, although the development of social and sustainability-linked loans is still a work in progress, say Gergely Szalóki and Bálint Bodó at Schönherr.