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Financial Services UK
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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.
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July 16, 2024
Fraudster Allegedly Used COVID Loans For PA's Legal Fees
A British businessman imprisoned for theft and false accounting scammed the government-backed pandemic funding scheme to repay the legal costs of an associate after she became embroiled in efforts to claw back his assets, prosecutors said Tuesday.
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July 16, 2024
Top UK Court Rules Deal Advice Fees Are Not Tax Deductible
Britain's Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that £2.5 million ($3.2 million) paid in advisory fees by an investment company to Deutsche Bank and others is not tax-deductible as the expenses were "capital in nature" spent trying to dispose of a Dutch business.
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July 15, 2024
SEC Says German Flouting Discovery In $150M Fraud Probe
A German national suspected of receiving proceeds of a $150 million "pump and dump" scheme from his son can't pick and choose when to avail himself of U.S. legal processes, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said Monday as it seeks to recover funds.
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July 15, 2024
UK Watchdogs Look At Digital Wallet Risks, Benefits
Two U.K. regulators on Monday said they are looking into the benefits and risks of digital wallets like Apple Pay, Google Pay and PayPal for people and businesses, after noticing "a seismic shift" in payment methods in the country.
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July 15, 2024
Insurers Investing In AI Due To New Accounting Standard
Insurance firms are increasing investments in artificial intelligence and other technologies after implementing a new accounting standard for data reporting, according to a survey by Big Four firm PwC published Monday.
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July 15, 2024
Labour Gov't Urged To Consult On Green Finance Rules
A trade body for financial institutions has urged the Labour government to consult before imposing extra rules on firms' plans to transition to the green economy to avoid liability risks.
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July 15, 2024
SFO Beats Trader's Costs Demand Over Delayed Disclosure
A London court found on Monday that the Serious Fraud Office is not on the hook for the legal fees incurred by a former trader in biodiesel fuel after his trial, where he was acquitted of fraud charges, was delayed more than a year amid problems with disclosure.
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July 15, 2024
Retail Complaints To EU Cross-Border Investment Firms Soar
The number of complaints from retail clients against investment firms operating across borders within the European Union and its economic area soared to 7,507 in 2023, a 31% increase from the 5,733 complaints recorded the previous year, according to a report on Monday by the bloc's markets watchdog.
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July 15, 2024
PayPal Fined $27.3M By Polish Competition Watchdog
Poland's competition regulator said Monday that it has fined PayPal 106.6 million Polish złoty ($27.3 million) for using prohibited provisions in its user agreement that could lead to sanctions against users that are unpredictable.
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July 15, 2024
WH Ireland Completes £5M Sale Of Capital Markets Division
Wealth manager WH Ireland Group PLC said on Monday that it has finalized the £5 million ($6.5 million) sale of its capital markets division to financial services company Zeus Capital Ltd.
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July 12, 2024
Lawyer Beats Allegation He Helped Tycoon Duck Asset Freeze
A leading Monégasque lawyer did not conspire to help an embattled Taiwanese shipping magnate evade an asset freezing order, as he "honestly believed" he was entitled to transfer $26 million from the sale of the businessman's villas, a London judge ruled Friday.
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July 12, 2024
UK Litigation Roundup: Here's What You Missed In London
This past week in London has seen the owner of the Lambretta scooter brand Innocenti SA embroiled in a trademark dispute with a property developer, a clash between two art dealers over a collection of tapestries, Telecom Italia pursue a debt claim against a competing telecommunications company, and performing arts trade union Equity hit a casting directory for charging unfair subscription fees on actors. Here, Law360 looks at these and other new claims in the U.K.
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July 12, 2024
Israeli Aquafarm Blames War For Unpaid $21M Debt
An Israeli aquafarming company has hit back at an asset management firm trying to recover $21 million for an allegedly unpaid settlement agreement, arguing it has been impossible to raise money following Hamas' Oct. 7 attack in Israel.
Expert Analysis
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Key Points From EC Economic Security Screening Initiatives
Lawyers at Herbert Smith analyze the European Commission's five recently announced initiatives aimed at de-risking the EU's trade and investment links with third countries, including the implementation of mandatory screening mechanisms and extending coverage to investments made by EU companies that are controlled subsidiaries of non-EU investors.
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Following The Road Map Toward Quantum Security
With the Financial Conduct Authority’s recent publication of a white paper on a quantum-secure financial sector, firms should begin to consider the quantum transition early — before the process is driven by regulatory obligations — with the goal of developing a cybersecurity architecture that is agile while also allowing for quantum security, say lawyers at Cleary.
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Why EU Ruling On Beneficial Ownership May Affect The UK
Following the EU judgment in Sovim v. Luxembourg that public access to beneficial ownership information conflicts with data protection rights, several British overseas territories and dependencies have recently reversed their commitment to introduce unrestricted access, and challenges to the U.K.’s liberal stance may be on the cards, says Rupert Cullen at Allectus Law.
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Key Changes In FRC Code Aim To Promote Good Governance
The focus of the recently published Financial Reporting Council Corporate Governance Code on risk management and internal controls is to ensure the competitiveness of the U.K. listing regime while not compromising on governance standards, and issuers may wish to consider updating their policies in order to follow best practice, say lawyers at Debevoise.
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Ruling In FCA Case Offers Tips On Flexible Work Requests
In Wilson v. Financial Conduct Authority, the Employment Tribunal recently found that the regulator's rejection of a remote work request was justified, highlighting for employers factors that affect flexible work request outcomes, while emphasizing that individual inquiries should be considered on the specific facts, say Frances Rollin, Ella Tunnell and Kerry Garcia at Stevens & Bolton.
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Breaking Down The New UK Pension Funding Regs
Recently published U.K. pension regulations, proposing major changes to funding and investing in defined benefit pension schemes, raise implementation considerations for trustees, including the importance of the employer covenant, say Charles Magoffin and Elizabeth Bullock at Freshfields.
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Predicting DeFi Regulations At Home And Abroad In 2024
Though decentralized finance has advocates on both sides of the Atlantic in figures like U.S. SEC Commissioner Hester Peirce and U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, DeFi in 2024 seems likely to be folded into existing regulatory frameworks in the U.K. and EU, while anti-crypto scrutiny may discourage DeFi’s growth in the U.S., say Daniel Csefalvay and Eric Martin at BCLP.
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Consultation Docs Can Help EU Firms Prep For Crypto Regs
Firms providing crypto services should note two recent papers from the European Securities and Markets Authority defining proposals on reverse solicitation and financial instrument classification that will be critical to clarifying the scope of the regulatory framework under the impending Markets in Crypto-Assets Regulation, say lawyers at Hogan Lovells.
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A Closer Look At Novel Jury Instruction In Forex Rigging Case
After the recent commodities fraud conviction of a U.K.-based hedge fund executive in U.S. v. Phillips, post-trial briefing has focused on whether the New York federal court’s jury instruction incorrectly defined the requisite level of intent, which should inform defense counsel in future open market manipulation cases, say attorneys at Lankler Siffert.
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Investors' Call For Voting Changes Faces Practical Challenges
A recent investor coalition call on fund managers to offer pass-through voting on pooled funds highlights a renewed concern for clients’ interests, but legal, regulatory and technological issues need to be overcome to ensure that risks related to the product are effectively mitigated, says Angeli Arora at Allectus.
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Litigation Funding Implications Amid Post-PACCAR Disputes
An English tribunal's recent decision in Neill v. Sony, allowing an appeal on the enforceability of a litigation funding agreement, highlights how the legislative developments on funding limits following the U.K. Supreme Court's 2023 decision in Paccar v. Competition Appeal Tribunal may affect practitioners, say Andrew Leitch and Anoma Rekhi at BCLP.
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What Extension Of French FDI Control Means For Investors
The recently published French order on foreign investment control expands the regime's application to more sectors and at a lower threshold of share ownership, illustrating France's determination to maintain sovereignty over its supply chains in sensitive sectors, and adding new considerations for potential investors in these areas, say lawyers at Linklaters.
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What To Expect For Private Capital Investment Funds In 2024
As 2024 gets underway, market sentiment in the private fundraising sphere seems more optimistic, with a greater focus on deal sourcing and operational optimizations, and an increased emphasis on impact and sustainability strategies, say lawyers at Ropes & Gray.
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Cayman Islands Off AML Risk Lists, Signaling Robust Controls
As a world-leading jurisdiction for securitization special purpose entities, the removal of the Cayman Islands from increased anti-money laundering monitoring lists is a significant milestone that will benefit new and existing financial services customers conducting business in the territory, say lawyers at Walkers Global.
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Cos. Should Plan Now For Extensive EU Data Act Obligations
The recently enacted EU Data Act imposes wide-ranging requirements across industries and enterprises of all sizes, and with less than 20 months until the provisions begin to apply, businesses planning compliance will need to incorporate significant product changes and revision of contract terms, say Nick Banasevic, Robert Spano and Ciara O'Gara at Gibson Dunn.