Expert Analysis

• Considering A More Cost-Effective Future For The SFO

  

  In light of multiple recent examples of U.K. Serious Fraud Office investigations yielding far less than the agency may have hoped for, a new approach to prosecuting individuals and corporations may be a smart investment, says Azizur Rahman of Rahman Ravelli.

• Lessons From Carphone Warehouse's Partial FCA Settlement

  

  In the first case decided under the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority's new partial settlement process, Carphone Warehouse demonstrates not only the possible value of cooperating with authorities but also the cost of failing to right previous wrongs, says Syedur Rahman of Rahman Ravelli Solicitors.

• Collective Redress In The EU: Past, Present And Future

  

  Legislative processes harmonizing collective redress throughout the European Union have accelerated, leading to a proposed requirement that all member states establish collective action mechanisms, but some worry that the directive lacks sufficient guarantees against abusive litigation, say Philippe Métais and Elodie Valette of White & Case LLP.

• Lenders Score Major High Court Victory In Foreclosure Case

  

  The U.S. Supreme Court's unanimous ruling on Wednesday in Obduskey v. McCarthy & Holthus LLP removes nearly all activities taken by creditors seeking nonjudicial foreclosure of liens and mortgages from the ambit of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, says John Baxter of Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP.

• 3 Brexit Scenarios And Their Implications For US-UK Trade

  

  Brexit negotiations are likely to result in one of three scenarios later this month: a Brexit deal, no Brexit at all or a "hard" no-deal Brexit. Each possibility will have different implications for the prospects of a U.S.-U.K. free trade agreement, says Dean Pinkert of Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP.

• Frustrating Events: Are Your Contracts Brexit-Proof?

  

  In Canary Wharf v. European Medicines Agency, the U.K. High Court recently ruled that the U.K.'s withdrawal from the European Union will not discharge the EMA's lease obligations. Following Brexit, most similar arguments invoking force majeure or frustration are unlikely to succeed, say Rebecca Dipple and Wayne Hofer of Orrick Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP.

• Simple Secrets For Writing A Killer Brief

  

  These days, the legal profession offers meager opportunity for oral argument, so we need to focus on being better, brighter, tighter writers. And the key to writing a better brief is grabbing your judge's attention with a persuasive, well-crafted story, says Daniel Karon of Karon LLC.

• What 2019 Has In Store For UK Data Protection

  

  Many of the big data protection compliance themes of 2018 will continue on this year, including even General Data Protection Regulation preparation, but the possibility of a no-deal Brexit may complicate matters, says Stewart Room of PwC LLP.

• Opinion

  Brexit International Arbitration Clause Is Misunderstood

  

  Much of the criticism aimed at the international arbitration clause in the recent Brexit withdrawal agreement unfairly identifies a perceived lack of transparency and appears to be based on a lack of understanding about the process, says Margarita Michael of O'Melveny & Myers LLP.

• The Lawyer's Daily

  How To Requalify As A Lawyer In Canada

  

  Becoming a lawyer in Canada is a challenging experience for foreign qualified lawyers. In addition to the bar exam, hurdles include obtaining certification from the National Committee on Accreditation, and complications from moving to Canada halfway through the process, says Kyle Abrey, in-house counsel at the Royal Bank of Canada.

• Legal Technology Is Likely To Flourish In The UK

  

  The U.K. may soon surpass the U.S. in legal technology, thanks to regulatory reform, law firm investment and an entrepreneurial environment, says Bridget Deiters of InCloudCounsel.

• Opinion

  Legal Operations Teams Are Gaining Popularity In EU

  

  As the European and global economies continue to change, any legal department that does not want to get outflanked by faster, more agile competitors should consider the value that legal operations teams have to offer, says Hans Albers, president of the Association of Corporate Counsel Europe.

• Why Proper Document Redaction May Be An Ethical Duty

  

  Paul Manafort's attorneys recently filed a court document containing incompletely redacted information, highlighting the need for attorneys to become competent at redaction — or at least at verifying that redaction has been performed correctly. Failure to do either could be construed as legal malpractice, says Byeongsook Seo of Snell & Wilmer LLP.

• Why The Flood Of GDPR Litigation Has Been Delayed

  

  Eight months into the General Data Protection Regulation regime, we have not yet seen the expected deluge of U.K. class actions, but be warned — the floodgates will not remain closed, says Bryony Hurst of Bird & Bird LLP.

• Opinion

  Law Schools Should Be More Like Medical Centers

  

  Medical centers and their faculty matter to the practice of medicine. Law schools and their faculty do not matter to the practice of law, says J.B. Heaton of J.B. Heaton PC.