Expert Analysis

• Poundland Restructuring Plan Highlights Insolvency Law Shift

  

  Poundland’s recently approved £95.2 million restructuring plan in the High Court under Companies Act, Part 26A, demonstrates that the relatively new provision has become an increasingly popular option for rescuing large companies facing insolvency, says Gavin Kramer at Collyer Bristow.

• EU-US Data Transfer Ruling Offers Reassurance To Cos.

  

  The European Union General Court’s recent upholding of the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework in Latombe v. European Commission, although subject to appeal, provides companies with legal certainty for the first time by allowing the transfer of European Economic Area personal data without relying on alternative mechanisms, say lawyers at Wilson Sonsini.

• Privy Council Shareholder Rule Repeal Is Significant For Cos.

  

  The recent Privy Council ruling in Jardine v. Oasis Investment abrogates the shareholder rule, which precluded a company from claiming legal advice privilege for document production in shareholder litigation, providing certainty to company directors seeking legal advice, say lawyers at Harneys.

• Israeli Ruling Shows A Non-EU ICSID Enforcement Approach

  

  An Israeli district court's recent decision declining to enforce an International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes award served as a prominent testing ground for how a non-European Union jurisdiction approaches the enforcement of an intra-EU award against an EU member state, says Josep Galvez at 4-5 Gray’s Inn.

• Supreme Court Ruling Stands Firm On Trust Law Principles

  

  The U.K. Supreme Court’s recent strict application of trust law in Stevens v. Hotel Portfolio may render it more difficult for lawyers in future cases to make arguments based on a holistic assessment of the facts, says Olivia Retter at Quinn Emanuel.

• High Court Freezing Order Ruling Highlights Strict CPR Rules

  

  The recent High Court decision in AAA v. BBB to set aside an expired worldwide freezing order serves as a reminder to injunctive relief practitioners that rules are there to be followed, and that it is critical to adhere to timings, say lawyers at Greenberg Traurig.

• AI Risks Legal Sector Must Consider In Dispute Resolution

  

  Artificial intelligence presents significant opportunities to lawyers and decision-makers navigating increasingly data-heavy legal proceedings, but two recent cases provide a sobering reminder of the potential for misuse, say lawyers at White & Case.

• UK Supreme Court Dissent May Spark Sanctions Debate

  

  While the recent U.K. Supreme Court's rejection of Eugene Shvidler’s appeal determined that sanctions decisions are primarily the government’s preserve, Justice Leggatt’s dissenting view that judges are better placed to assess proportionality will cause ripples and may mark a material shift in how future appeals are approached, say lawyers at Seladore.

• What UK's New Prosecution Guidance Means For Compliance

  

  Recent guidance from the U.K.'s Serious Fraud Office and Crown Prosecution Service, aligning their approach with the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act, offers a timely prompt for corporate boards and legal teams to update their risk management frameworks, say lawyers at Signature Litigation.

• Decoding Arbitral Disputes: ICSID Enforcement In Australia

  

  The Federal Court of Australia recently ruled for award creditors in Blasket Renewable Investments v. Spain in a judgment that explains how Australia's statute book operationalizes the promise of depoliticized enforcement under the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes Convention while accommodating, without yielding to, the centrifugal forces of European Union law, says Josep Galvez at 4-5 Gray's Inn.

• How AI May Have Made A Difference In Monzo Bank Breaches

  

  Artificial intelligence tools have the capabilities needed to keep pace with increasingly sophisticated threats, and such tools might have helped prevent the anti-money laundering failures that led to the recent £21.1 million fine against Monzo Bank, says Alexander Vilardo at Howard Kennedy.

• Charting A Course For The UK's Transition From Paper Shares

  

  The recent report from the U.K.'s Digitisation Taskforce, recommending modernization of how shares in U.K.-listed companies are held, makes it clear that while moving from paper shares to an intermediated system is a positive step, the transition will not be without complications, say lawyers at HSF Kramer.

• Irish Ruling Presents Road Map For Evaluating Jurisdiction

  

  With its recent decision in Petersen Energia Inversora v. The Argentine Republic, the Dublin Commercial High Court has delivered a judgment of conspicuous clarity on the frontiers of Ireland's service-out jurisdiction for the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments, says Josep Galvez at 4-5 Gray’s Inn.

• UK's 1st ICSID Claim Shows Bilateral Investment Treaty Reach

  

  For the first time, the U.K. is facing a claim under the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes Convention, underscoring the broader reality that treaty protections are no longer confined to investors in emerging markets, says Philipp Kurek at Signature Litigation.

• Opinion

  Further Anti-SLAPP Reform Is Needed To Protect Free Speech

  

  New provisions aimed at combating strategic lawsuits against public participation recently came into effect in the U.K., but in applying only to economic crime-related information, the definition of a SLAPP is too narrow to prevent instigators bringing claims to silence public criticism, says Sadie Whittam at Lancaster University.