Financial Services UK

  • April 12, 2024

    Pension Body Warns Of 'Burdensome' New Reporting Rules

    A U.K. pension industry body has called for new reporting regulations on the sector to be toned down, warning that the additional red tape could deter smaller schemes from taking steps to improve their investment strategies.

  • April 12, 2024

    SocGen To Sell Moroccan Units To Investment Firm For €745M

    Societe Generale SA said on Friday that it has agreed to sell its Moroccan banking and insurance businesses to private investor Saham Group SA for €745 million ($794 million) as part of its long-term ambition to streamline the company.

  • April 12, 2024

    Clyde & Co. Must Face Ex-Client's Pared-Back Negligence Suit

    Clyde & Co. LLP must face part of a construction magnate's negligence claim over a failed legal case concerning a soured investment, after a London judge tossed part of the case on Friday but ruled that one aspect of it had a real prospect of success.

  • April 11, 2024

    Autonomy Became Less Transparent Before Sale, Jury Told

    An ex-market analyst testifying Thursday in a California criminal trial over claims that former Autonomy CEO Michael Lynch duped HP into buying the British company for $11.7 billion told jurors that the company became less forthcoming about some of its accounting a couple of years before the sale.

  • April 11, 2024

    BlackRock Can't Deduct Interest On $4B, London Court Finds

    Financial services firm BlackRock cannot deduct interest on $4 billion in loans it used for the 2009 purchase of Barclays Global Investors because avoiding taxes was the main reason for the way it structured the transaction, a London appeals court ruled Thursday.

  • April 11, 2024

    Ex-Sidley Partner Says CPS Did Not Disclose Prosecution Info

    A former Sidley Austin LLP partner, a former senior KPMG LLP official and a banking adviser have hit back at the Crown Prosecution Service in the men's £66 million ($82.8 million) claim over a failed tax fraud prosecution, arguing that their prosecutor hid important information from them.

  • April 11, 2024

    Squire Patton Advises Broadstone Buy Of Credit Risk Co.

    Broadstone said on Thursday it had acquired credit risk company Vestigo Partners Ltd., in a deal steered by Squire Patton Boggs and Harrison Clark Rickerbys.

  • April 11, 2024

    Sanctions Targets Eye EU-UK Split As Appeals Stack Up

    A court ruling on Wednesday, which upended the first round of European Union sanctions imposed on two Russian tycoons, contrasts with the approach taken by the English courts, where legal challenges to the restrictive measures have been repeatedly rebuffed.

  • April 11, 2024

    Pension Schemes Moving Toward Net Zero, Watchdog Says

    Britain's pensions watchdog said in a review published Thursday that retirement savings schemes have moved closer to achieving net-zero emissions standards in their portfolios by updating investment strategies and boosting allocations to low-carbon funds.

  • April 11, 2024

    SocGen To Sell Equipment Finance Unit To Rival For €1.1B

    French banking giant Societe Generale SA said Thursday that it has agreed to sell its professional equipment financing business to rival BPCE for €1.1 billion ($1.2 billion) to streamline the business and bolster its equity capital.

  • April 11, 2024

    Squire Patton Steers £130M Mitsubishi Pension Deal

    Insurer Just Group said Thursday it has signed off on a £130 million ($163 million) buy-in transaction for a scheme sponsored by Mitsubishi Chemical UK Ltd. in a deal guided by Squire Patton Boggs LLP.

  • April 11, 2024

    FCA Finds Failings By Administrator Of Woodford Funds

    The Financial Conduct Authority said Thursday it has found that Link Fund Solutions failed to act with "due skill, care and diligence" when it was the authorized manager of the failed £3.7 billion ($4.6 billion) flagship fund managed by Neil Woodford.

  • April 10, 2024

    No Merit To Autonomy Whistleblower Claims, Auditor Says

    A Deloitte partner testifying in a California criminal trial over claims that former Autonomy CEO Michael Lynch and finance director Stephen Chamberlain duped HP into buying the British tech company for $11.7 billion said Wednesday that auditors concluded that whistleblower allegations by a finance department executive were meritless.

  • April 10, 2024

    Italian Airline Chairman Sued For €50M Over Joint Venture

    The chairman of Aeroitalia SRL has allegedly blocked aviation magnate German Efromovich from controlling the startup Italian airline by refusing to hand over his majority stake in the project, according to a new London claim seeking €50 million ($54 million).

  • April 10, 2024

    Ex-BigLaw Atty In OneCoin Scam A Flight Risk, Feds Say

    A former Locke Lord LLP partner who was convicted of laundering proceeds from the OneCoin cryptocurrency scam has "every incentive" to flee the country, prosecutors told a New York federal judge, arguing he shouldn't be allowed to stay out on bail while his appeal is pending.

  • April 10, 2024

    Ex-Footballer Sues HSBC For £2M Loan Negligence

    Former professional soccer player Matthew Jansen has claimed HSBC lost him almost £2 million ($2.5 million) during the 2008 financial crisis by allegedly failing to monitor the risk of loans secured against properties.

  • April 10, 2024

    Insurer Aviva Expands Bulk Purchase Pilot For Small Pensions

    Insurance giant Aviva said Wednesday it has launched a streamlined bulk purchase annuity service to support smaller pension schemes with assets of less than £100 million ($126 million) to de-risk their plans.

  • April 10, 2024

    PCAOB Fines KPMG, Deloitte Units $27M For Cheating Claims

    KPMG Netherlands and two Deloitte units will pay a combined $27 million to settle allegations from the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board of widespread answer sharing in their internal training programs, with KPMG's $25 million penalty marking the largest fine PCAOB has ever imposed.

  • April 10, 2024

    UK Reports £612M Lost To Investment Fraud Last Year

    Cryptocurrency scams accounted for the bulk of investment fraud cases that cost U.K. investors more than £612 million ($771 million) in 2023, according to crime data service Action Fraud.

  • April 10, 2024

    Swiss To Beef Up Banking Rules After Credit Suisse Rescue

    The Swiss government said Wednesday that it plans to beef up rules for its largest domestic lenders, including giving its financial watchdog an expanded toolkit after the near-collapse of Credit Suisse revealed holes in the current regime.

  • April 10, 2024

    Compensation For Poor Pensions Advice At Record Low

    Compensation for retirement savers who were wrongly advised to transfer out of their defined benefit pension has hit a record low, a consultancy said on Wednesday.

  • April 10, 2024

    EU Bank Rescue Agency Overcharged Institutions By €3.7B

    A European Union court ruled Wednesday that the eurozone's rescue agency for financial institutions overcharged for contributions to its safety net fund by almost €3.7 billion ($4 billion) but has given the authority at least six months until it has to repay.

  • April 10, 2024

    FCA Eyes Revisions To Payments For Investment Research

    The Financial Conduct Authority on Wednesday said it plans to revise how asset managers pay for investment research, seeking to simplify and expand access across the sector.

  • April 10, 2024

    Fraudsters Behind £50M Benefits Scam Get Sentencing Date

    Five Bulgarians who pleaded guilty to fraud and money laundering have been convicted at a London criminal court, the European Agency for Criminal Justice Cooperation said Wednesday, a crime the agency described as the largest benefits fraud to have hit the U.K.

  • April 10, 2024

    Lifeboat Fund Opens Probe Into British Steel Pension Adviser

    The compensation program for financial services said it has opened an investigation into an advice firm in connection with the British Steel Pension Scheme scandal.

Expert Analysis

  • How Boards Can Mitigate Privacy, Cybersecurity And AI Risks

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    In 2023, data privacy, cybersecurity and AI persist as prominent C-suite concerns as regulators stepped up enforcement, and organizations must develop a plan for handling these risks, in particular those with a global footprint, say lawyers at Latham.

  • The Outlook For UK Restructuring Plans At Home And Abroad

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    The U.K. continues to be a center for large-cap, cross-border restructurings, though its competitive edge over the EU in this regard may narrow, while small and medium-sized enterprises are already likely to avoid costly formal processes by reaching out to their secured lenders for restructuring solutions, say Paul Keddie and Timothy Bromley-White at Macfarlanes.

  • Foreign Assets Ruling Suggests New Tax Avoidance Approach

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    The U.K. Supreme Court's recent ruling in His Majesty's Revenue & Customs v. Fisher, which found that the scope of the transfer of foreign assets is narrow, highlights that the days of rampant tax avoidance have been left behind, and that the need for wide-ranging and uncertain tax legislation is lessening, says James Austen at Collyer Bristow.

  • Lessons To Be Learned From 2023's Bank Failures

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    This year’s banking collapses, coupled with interest rate rises, inflation and geopolitical instability have highlighted the need for more robust governance, and banks and regulators have learned that they must adequately monitor and control liquidity risk to protect against another financial crisis, say Juliette Mills and Alix Prentice at Cadwalader.

  • An Overview Of European Private Investments in Public Equity

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    Although still fairly rare, private investments in public equity may continue to be an attractive option for some European issuers seeking to secure equity financing, and advisers planning such an investment should consider the various local options, requirements and norms, say lawyers at Sullivan & Cromwell.

  • Cos. Must Monitor Sanctions Regime As Law Remains Unclear

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    While recent U.K. government guidance and an English High Court's decision in Litasco v. Der Mond Oil, finding that a company is sanctioned when a designated individual is exercising control over it, both address sanctions control issues, disarray in the law remains, highlighting that practitioners should keep reviewing their exposure to the sanctions regime, say lawyers at K&L Gates.

  • Unpacking The UK's Proposals To Regulate Crypto-Assets

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    Recent proposals for crypto-asset regulation in the U.K. demonstrate support for crypto's potential, but there is concern around the authorization process for organizations undertaking crypto-asset activities, and new regulations will require a more detailed assessment of firms' compliance not previously addressed, say Jessica Lee and Menelaos Karampetsos at Brown Rudnick.

  • The Top 7 Global ESG Litigation Trends In 2023

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    To date, ESG litigation across the world can largely be divided into seven forms, but these patterns will continue developing, including a rise in cases against private and state actors, a more complex regulatory environment affecting multinational companies, and an increase in nongovernmental organization activity, say Sophie Lamb and Aleksandra Dulska at Latham.

  • UK Takeover Code Changes: Key Points For Bidders, Targets

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    Newly effective amendments to Rule 21 of the U.K. Takeover Code, which remove legal and administrative constraints on a target operating its business in the ordinary way during an offer, will add clarity for targets and bidders, and are likely to be welcomed by both, say lawyers at Davis Polk.

  • Russia Ruling Shows UK's Robust Jurisdiction Approach

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    An English High Court's recent decision to grant an anti-suit injunction in the Russia-related dispute Renaissance Securities v. Chlodwig Enterprises clearly illustrates that obtaining an injunction will likely be more straightforward when the seat is in England compared to when it is abroad, say lawyers at Linklaters.

  • How New Loan Origination Regime Will Affect Fund Managers

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    Although the recent publication of the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive II represents more of an evolution than a revolution, the leverage limitations applicable to loan-originating funds are likely to present practical challenges for European credit fund managers, say attorneys at Fried Frank.

  • How EU Sustainability Directive Will Improve Co. Reporting

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    The need for organizations to make nonfinancial disclosures under the recently adopted EU Sustainability Reporting Standards will significantly change workforce and human rights reporting, and with the objective of fostering transparency, should bring about an increased focus on risks, policies and action plans, say Philip Spyropoulos and Thomas Player at Eversheds Sutherland.

  • PPI Ruling Spells Trouble For Financial Services Firms

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    The Supreme Court's recent decision in Canada Square v. Potter, which found that the claimant's missold payment protection insurance claim was not time-barred, is bad news for affected financial services firms, as there is now certainty over the law on the postponement of limitation periods, rendering hidden commission claims viable, say Ian Skinner and Chris Webber at Squire Patton.

  • What Lawyers Can Learn From FDI Screening Report Findings

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    The recent European Commission report on the screening of foreign direct investments into the EU reveals how member states need to balance national security concerns with openness, and with more cross-border transactions subject to screening, lawyers must be alert to jurisdictional variances, says Jonathon Gunn at Faegre Drinker.

  • UK Review May Lead To Lower Investment Screening Burden

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    The government’s current review of national security investment screening rules aims to refine the scope of mandatory notifications required for unproblematic deals, and is likely to result in much-needed modifications to minimize the administrative burden on businesses and investors, say lawyers at Simpson Thacher.

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