Financial Services UK

  • September 11, 2024

    Watchdog Warns Small Banks To Improve Lending Controls

    The Bank of England's regulatory arm warned smaller banks and building societies in a letter Tuesday to improve their lending controls and affordability assessments.

  • September 11, 2024

    UK Gov't To Classify Cryptocurrency As Personal Property

    The U.K. government introduced a bill on Wednesday that classifies bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies as personal property, a move that will give owners of digital assets certainty and protection under the law if it passes.

  • September 11, 2024

    Solaris Sues Binance For €144M After Debit Card Deal Axed

    Online banking group Solaris has sued Binance in London for €144 million ($159 million) it claims to be owed in guaranteed fees after the cryptocurrency exchange operator terminated an agreement for the provision of debit cards to customers of Binance companies. 

  • September 11, 2024

    Oligarchs Fridman, Aven Fail To Ax Sanctions Reporting Rules

    European Union measures that require oligarchs including Mikhail Fridman and Petr Aven to disclose their assets and cooperate in investigations are lawful and "necessary" for maintaining the bloc's sanctions regime, a European court ruled Wednesday, saying the rules were "unprecedented."

  • September 11, 2024

    Ex-PE Boss Denies Owing Fee For €150M Investment In Fund

    A former partner at private equity firm TPG has denied that he owes an asset adviser any fees for securing an alleged €150 million ($165 million) investment in his own fund.

  • September 11, 2024

    UK Pension Funding Surplus Dips £500M After BoE Rate Cut

    The funding surplus of U.K. pension plans fell by £500 million ($653 million), according to official figures, after the Bank of England cut interest rates in August.

  • September 11, 2024

    TV Property Developer Appears In Court On Fraud Charges

    A television property developer appeared at a London criminal court on Wednesday to face charges for the first time that he defrauded a U.S. rental company out of £2 million ($2.6 million).

  • September 11, 2024

    Latham Hires Senior Tax Pro From Travers Smith In London

    Latham & Watkins LLP said on Wednesday that it has recruited a former head of tax at Travers Smith LLP for its office in London, a blow for the U.K. law firm, which has been hit by the departure of a series of partners.

  • September 10, 2024

    TPG, Rosatom Seek To Bar Jailed Oligarch's $14B Fraud Claim

    Russia's state atomic energy corporation and private equity firm TPG Group on Tuesday urged a London judge to block an imprisoned oligarch's $14 billion fraud conspiracy claim over the alleged seizure of his port and transport businesses led by the Russian state.

  • September 10, 2024

    V&E Launches New Dublin Office In Aviation Finance Push

    Vinson & Elkins LLP has launched a new office in Ireland to provide New York and English law advice to clients on aviation leasing and financing matters.

  • September 10, 2024

    Crypto-Biz Loses 'Mara' TM Over Virtual Coin Services

    British officials have partially pulled the plug on an African technology company's trademark for "Mara," ruling that a rival business had already cornered the virtual coin market with a similar-looking name.

  • September 10, 2024

    Local Gov't Audit Deadlines 'Necessary Step,' Watchdog Says

    Legislation recently tabled in Parliament that introduces statutory deadlines for local authorities and their auditors to publish accounts is a "necessary step" to rebuild a system hampered by delays, Britain's accounting watchdog said Tuesday.

  • September 10, 2024

    White & Case Guides £100M Hedge Fund Deal For Spectator

    Hedge fund manager Paul Marshall has bought The Spectator for £100 million ($130 million), the 196-year-old news magazine said on Tuesday, a move that will keep the publishing institution independent and out of foreign control.

  • September 10, 2024

    FCA Charges 1st Individual With Running Illegal Crypto-ATMs

    The Financial Conduct Authority said Tuesday that it has launched its first criminal prosecution of an individual suspected of running a network of illegal cryptocurrency ATMs.

  • September 10, 2024

    Investors Sue Broker For Assisting $129M Forex Fraud

    A group of investors who lost tens of millions of dollars in a fraudulent foreign exchange scheme have sued a London broker for approximately $43 million for allegedly providing credit for the company to trade through brokerage accounts which perpetuated the fraud.

  • September 10, 2024

    Ex-Barclays VP Loses Bid To Retry Lost Promotion Claim

    An attempt by a former Barclays vice president to revive her claim that she faced racial discrimination during a promotion round has failed, as an employment tribunal ruled that she was merely trying to "have another bite at the cherry."

  • September 10, 2024

    Paul Hastings Taps Capital Markets Pro From Davis Polk

    Paul Hastings LLP has hired a prominent capital markets transactions expert as a partner at its London office as it looks to boost its global practice, which it has identified as a priority.

  • September 09, 2024

    Brit Fights Fraud Extradition, Says He Is Protected Witness

    A retired British accountant urged a London court Monday to block Spanish authorities' request that he be extradited to face money laundering and fraud charges, arguing that the request is abusive because he is entitled to protection as a witness for prosecutors in related cases.

  • September 09, 2024

    EU Should Loosen Merger Rules To Compete, Report Says

    The European Union should loosen its merger rules and reform trade policy and the energy market in order to boost EU competitiveness enough to catch up with the U.S. and China, a former European Central Bank president reported Monday.

  • September 09, 2024

    Think Tank Sets Out UK Pension Reform For Self-Employed

    The government needs to introduce reforms to boost the level of pension contributions among self-employed workers, a think tank said.

  • September 09, 2024

    Barratt, Lloyds Bank Form £150M JV For UK Housing

    Housebuilder Barratt Developments PLC said Monday that it has formed a £150 million ($195 million) joint venture with Lloyds Banking Group and the U.K.'s housing and regeneration agency to develop thousands of houses across the country.

  • September 09, 2024

    FCA Proposes Rules For Banks Delaying Suspicious Transfers

    The Financial Conduct Authority set out guidance on Monday for banks seeking to delay suspicious payment transactions under new legislation as the watchdog seeks to ensure fair treatment for customers and efficient processing.

  • September 09, 2024

    Asset Manager Alpha Seals Guernsey Insurance Biz Buyout

    Alpha Growth PLC said on Monday that it has completed the purchase of 93.36% of Jeometri, an insurance management company in Guernsey, for £449,300 ($588,300) including costs, as the asset manager moves to expand its life insurance business across the U.K. and streamline its operations.

  • September 09, 2024

    UK Crypto-Marketing Rules Risk Regulatory Overreach

    Legal advisers for crypto-asset companies are concerned by how strenuously the financial watchdog will enforce new guidelines for promoting complex digital financial products for consumers, and have warned that overinterpreting the rules could handicap development of the market.

  • September 06, 2024

    UK Litigation Roundup: Here's What You Missed In London

    This past week in London has seen Rockfire Capital sue its former director, Liam Kavanagh, after he was accused of cheating cash-strapped Thurrock Council out of £150 million ($197 million), FedEx launch a claim against an Israeli supply chain business, and a legal dispute between steel magnate Sanjeev Gupta and a former colleague. Here, Law360 looks at these and other new claims in the U.K.

Expert Analysis

  • What UK Digital Markets Act Will Mean For Competition Law

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    The new Digital Markets Act’s reforms will strengthen the Competition and Markets Authority's investigatory and enforcement powers across its full remit of merger control and antitrust investigations, representing a seismic shift in the U.K. competition and consumer law landscape, say lawyers at Travers Smith.

  • What New UK Labour Gov't Is Planning For Financial Services

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    Following the Labour Party’s U.K. election win on July 4, the new government has already announced its key missions for economic growth, green investment and tax reform, so affected Financial Conduct Authority-regulated entities should be prepared for change and on the lookout for details, says Rachael Healey at RPC.

  • Companies Trading In The EU Should Heed Mondelēz Ruling

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    The European Commission’s recent €337.5 million fine of Mondelēz is the latest decision targeting restrictions on EU cross-border trade, and serves as a warning to companies active in the region to check their contracts and practices for illegal restraints, and to perform audits to ensure compliance, says Matthew Hall at McGuireWoods.

  • Why Reperforming Loan Securitization In UK And EU May Rise

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    The recently published new U.K. securitization rules will largely bring the U.K.’s nonperforming loan regime in line with the European Union, and together with the success of EU and U.K. banks in reducing loan ratios, reperforming securitizations may feature more prominently in relevant markets going forward, say lawyers at Morgan Lewis.

  • What French Watchdog Ruling Means For M&A Landscape

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    Although ultimately dismissed due to lack of evidence, the French competition authority’s recent post-closing review of several nonreportable mergers is a landmark case that highlights the increased complexity of such transactions, and is further testament to the European competition authorities’ willingness to expand their toolkit to address below-threshold M&As, say lawyers at Cleary.

  • New Directors' Code Of Conduct May Serve As Useful Guide

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    Although the Institute of Directors’ current proposal for a voluntary code of conduct is strongly supported by its members, it must be balanced against the statutory requirement for directors to promote their company’s success, and the risk of claims by shareholders if their decisions are influenced by wider social considerations, says Matthew Watson at RPC.

  • Exploring The EU's Draft Standards On Crypto Authorization

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    The European Securities and Markets Authority’s recently published draft standards aim to promote fair competition and a safer environment for crypto providers and investors, detailing precisely the information to be provided to national authorities in charge of screening the acquisitions of a qualifying holding, says Mathieu de Korvin at Norton Rose.

  • How FCA Guidance Aligns With Global Cyberattack Measures

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    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.

  • Takeaways From Regulators' £61.6M Citigroup Trading Fine

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    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

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    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.

  • Assessing The Energy Act 2023, Eight Months On

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    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.

  • Opinion

    Why Timing Makes UK Libor Judgments Controversial

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    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

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    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.

  • What Alternative Fuel Proposals Mean For EU Infrastructure

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    The European Union’s proposed Alternative Fuels Infrastructure Facility, covering activities in the transport sectors supporting the decarbonization process, sets ambitious standards regarding the deployment of adequate supply infrastructure and offers new funding opportunities for port operators and shipowners, says Christian Bauer at Watson Farley.

  • Continuation Funds: What You Need To Know

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    As the continuation fund market matures, the structure and terms of these transactions have become increasingly complex, presenting challenges that should be carefully navigated by participants to ensure a successful transaction process, say lawyers at Skadden.

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