Expert Analysis

• Pension Trustee Case Could Lead To Fossil Fuels Divestment

  

  While the recent Court of Appeal case McGaughey v. Universities Superannuation Scheme attempts to link fossil fuel investment by trustees to significant risk of financial detriment, it is concerning that two out of 470,000 scheme members could be permitted to bring a claim without ensuring that other members are represented, says Anna Metadjer at Kingsley Napley.

• Outbound Screening May Be Next EU Investment Control Step

  

  Following the European Commission’s recent commitment to reduce dependence on third countries by developing an outbound investment review mechanism, it will be interesting to see whether member states will take a united stand or whether national security interests will trump such an approach, say Christoph Barth and Neil Hoolihan at Linklaters.

• Barclays Ruling Narrows Banks' Fraud Recovery Duty

  

  The U.K. Supreme Court's recent ruling in Philipp v. Barclays decided against the so-called Quincecare duty's application in authorized push payment fraud, shining light on how banks should balance their responsibility to follow customers' instructions against making reasonable inquiries, say lawyers at Ontier.

• EU Decision Adds To Growing Right Of Access Case Law

  

  The European Court of Justice recently confirmed in Pankki S the broad scope of the right to access under the General Data Protection Regulation, including data processed before the regulation came into operation, which may pose a burden in terms of cost and time for organizations with long-standing clients, say Thibaut D'hulst, Dariusz Kloza and Danica Fong at Van Bael & Bellis.

• How The Law Must Change To Accommodate Digital Assets

  

  The Law Commission's recent report shows that the common law of England and Wales is well suited to adapt to digital assets, and with targeted statutory reform to unlock the possibility of recognizing property in intangible things, the U.K. can become an ideal hub for parties to transact with emerging technology, says Sarah Green at the commission.

• Copyright Trial Defense Tips From 'Thinking Out Loud' Case

  

  The twofold defense strategy that earned Ed Sheeran his recent "Thinking Out Loud" copyright trial victory revealed the strength of a musician's testimony, the importance of a consistent narrative and the power of public policy arguments when combating infringement claims, say Jonathan Phillips and Latrice Burks at Larson.

• UK Tribunal Ruling Sheds Light On Workplace Speech Issues

  

  The U.K. Employment Appeal Tribunal's recent judgment in Higgs v. Farmor's School — concerning a Christian employee dismissed for allegedly anti-LGBT social media posts — highlights factors that employers should consider in tricky situations involving employees' speech, says Anna Bond at Lewis Silkin.

• Leading THC Case Lends Support To UK Legalization Debates

  

  Even though the Court of Appeal's ruling in R v. Margiotta on legally importing and supplying low THC cannabis cannot be relied on post-Brexit, it provides powerful arguments for the legalization of supply in low THC cannabis, including the fact the product is not considered a narcotic drug, say Robert Jappie at Fieldfisher and Josh Normanton at Trinity Chambers.

• Employment Tribunal Data Offers Workplace Practice Insights

  

  A breakdown of the Ministry of Justice's recent Employment Tribunal figures shows shifting trends among employees, and potential challenges and possible improvement areas for employers, and if the data continues to be published, it could play an essential part in clearing the fast-growing backlog of tribunal matters, says Gemma Clark at Wright Hassall.

• Unpacking The Rwanda Policy Appeal Decision

  

  The Court of Appeal recently declared the U.K. government's Rwanda policy unlawful in AAA v. Secretary of State, but given that this was only on the basis that Rwanda is not currently a safe third country, it is possible that the real risk of Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights breaches will be obviated, says Alex Papasotiriou at Richmond Chambers.

• Getty Case Will Be Pivotal For Generative AI Copyright Issues

  

  The Getty v. Stability AI litigation in the U.K. and U.S. raises legal ambiguities on who owns generative artificial intelligence output, and the outcomes will set a major precedent on copyright practices for businesses in both countries and beyond, say Victoria Albrecht at Springbok AI and Mark O'Conor at DLA Piper.

• ESG Litigation May Move Toward Untrue Statement Claims

  

  As the environmental, social and governance agenda has gained significant momentum, and more activists and investors hold businesses accountable to their commitments, the Financial Services and Markets Act provides a legal vehicle for shareholders to exert pressure on listed companies, say Rupert Lewis and Ceri Morgan at Herbert Smith.

• What The Collective Interests Bill May Mean For Irish Litigation

  

  As multinational corporations continue to increase their presence in Ireland, the forthcoming Collective Interests of Consumers Bill is expected to significantly alter the Irish litigation landscape and provide fertile ground for consumer-led group actions, backed by a gradual edging toward wider third-party litigation funding reform, say lawyers at Kennedys.

• Successfully Implementing AI Rules Requires A Cultural Shift

  

  Recent positive use cases of artificial intelligence demonstrate the potential benefits it can bring to the legal profession, and while the development of AI rules is essential, their effectiveness depends on user adoption, behavioral change and human acceptance, say Charlie Morgan and Salman Dhalla at Herbert Smith.

• Recent Cases Mark Maturation Of CAT Class Cert. Approach

  

  The Competition Appeal Tribunal's recent refusal to grant collective proceedings applications against Visa and MasterCard in the Commercial and Interregional Card Claims case shows that the tribunal takes its role as a gatekeeper seriously, and that it will likely continue to be difficult for defendants to defeat certification first time around, say lawyers at Linklaters.