Financial Services UK

  • April 09, 2025

    Rothesay Seals £105M Pensions Deal With Skipton

    A pension plan for U.K. building society Skipton has agreed a £105 million ($135 million) full buy-in deal with insurer Rothesay Life PLC, securing the benefits of all 705 members.

  • April 08, 2025

    Revolut Bank Fined €3.5M In Lithuania Over AML Failures

    Lithuania's central bank said Tuesday that it has fined Revolut Bank UAB €3.5 million ($3.8 million) for breaching anti-money laundering requirements.

  • April 15, 2025

    Taylor Wessing Hires Finance Pro From DWF

    Taylor Wessing LLP has recruited an expert in corporate finance and special situations from DWF, the firm's first partner hire of 2025.

  • April 08, 2025

    BDO Faces Probe Over Collapsed Home REIT's Audit

    The Financial Reporting Council is investigating BDO LLP's audit of the ailing real estate investment trust Home REIT PLC's consolidated financial statements from years before the investor announced it would wind down, the corporate governance regulator said Tuesday.

  • April 08, 2025

    Kuwait Pension Chief's Estate Denies $1B Bribery Claims

    The estate of the deceased Kuwaiti pension authority director denied on Tuesday that the businessman was involved in an unlawful scheme of corrupt payments in excess of $1 billion, saying he believed the payments were legitimate and above-board.

  • April 08, 2025

    Barclays Denies Ex-Employee's Role In Transfer Fraud Case

    Barclays Bank told a London court that it is not responsible for a $643,000 fraud targeting a Singaporean fire safety company, arguing that the loss resulted from the company's "own failures" rather than any wrongdoing by the bank.

  • April 08, 2025

    Legal Advice No Shield For Ex-Metro Bank Execs, FCA Says

    The City watchdog told a tribunal on Tuesday that two former Metro Bank executives could not use legal advice from Linklaters LLP as a "get-out-of-jail-free card" for publishing a statement at the heart of a £900 million ($1.2 billion) scandal.

  • April 08, 2025

    Trade Body Urges Softer Regulatory Touch On PEPP Rules

    A trade body for Europe's investment managers urged watchdogs in the bloc on Tuesday to relax regulatory restrictions on providers of the pan-European pension product in a move to boost demand by investors.

  • April 08, 2025

    Ex-SFO Official Joins BNY Mellon As Senior Counsel

    A former official of the Serious Fraud Office has joined the Bank of New York Mellon as a senior in-house counsel after more than a decade at law firms including Reed Smith.

  • April 08, 2025

    FCA Boosts Testing Support For Innovative Products

    The financial watchdog said Tuesday that it will make it easier for companies to test innovative products and support those which apply for regulatory approval as part of its work program for 2025/26.

  • April 15, 2025

    Proskauer Hires Private Fund Partner From Paul Hastings

    Proskauer Rose LLP has hired a finance expert as a partner in its private investment fund team in London as the U.S. firm continues to strengthen its European practice, amid growth in the sector.

  • April 08, 2025

    BoE Proposes Faster Investment Recognition For Insurers

    The regulatory arm of the Bank of England said Tuesday that it wants to make it easier for insurance companies to invest in the U.K., part of a process to boost the competitiveness of the domestic economy.

  • April 07, 2025

    HMRC Says Hospital Parking Should Not Be VAT-Free

    HM Revenue and Customs told Britain's top court on Monday that a National Health Service trust providing car parking services should not be exempt from value-added tax, a case that could affect dozens of stayed appeals by NHS entities that total £70 million ($90 million).

  • April 07, 2025

    Cash Uncovered In FCA Probe Was My Dad's, Analyst Testifies

    A former analyst for an asset management firm testified in London on Monday that £198,000 ($253,000) unearthed by investigators as part of an insider dealing probe was not dirty money, but was partially cash destined for his father's construction business in Albania. 

  • April 07, 2025

    WeWork Loses 'By We' EU Trademark For Co-Working Spaces

    European Union officials have stripped WeWork of its "By We" trademark over co-working spaces, ruling that it could gain an unfair advantage if shoppers create a link with the "We" branding of a Dutch fashion chain.

  • April 07, 2025

    FCA Proposes Lighter Rules For Hedge Fund Managers

    The Financial Conduct Authority proposed Monday to reform its regime for alternative asset managers, making it easier to enter the market and grow the business.

  • April 07, 2025

    Linklaters Names New Global Financial Regulation Boss

    Linklaters LLP said Monday that it has appointed a new global head of its financial regulation group who will be based in Hong Kong.

  • April 07, 2025

    Doubts Grow Over Impact Of UK Capital Market Deregulation

    Government efforts to revitalize the country's sluggish economy by stripping away regulatory burdens on financial markets have raised concerns among lawyers that consumers might be exposed to more risk, amid doubts that the steps can stimulate broader U.K. economic output.

  • April 07, 2025

    EU To Assess Interest Rate Changes On Pension Funds

    Europe's insurance regulator said Monday that it will assess how changes in interest rates tied to geopolitical tensions may harm pension funds during its fifth annual stress test on the sector.

  • April 07, 2025

    Wealth Manager Quilter Buys NHS Pensions Analyst

    Quilter PLC said Monday that it has acquired MediFintech, an analyst of National Health Service pensions, as the wealth manager looks to bolster its advisory arm to cope with a change to public service retirement plans.

  • April 07, 2025

    Allianz Luxembourg Unit Penalized For AML Breaches

    Luxembourg's financial regulator has hit the domestic branch of insurer Allianz with a €283,000 ($310,000) fine for breaching the country's anti-money-laundering and terrorist-financing rules.

  • April 07, 2025

    Brit Jailed For Money Laundering Plot After 7 Yrs On The Run

    An extradited tax fugitive has been jailed for five-and-a-half years for his involvement in a £3.5 million ($4.5 million) money laundering scheme, HM Revenue and Customs said Monday.

  • April 07, 2025

    Fidelity Japan Rejects Merger Approach From AVI Japan

    The board of Fidelity Japan Trust has rejected a merger proposal from rival AVI Japan Opportunity Trust, telling its shareholders to vote to continue with its current strategy instead.

  • April 07, 2025

    Credit Agency Hit With Fine For Misleading Approval Claims

    A European Union financial markets regulator said on Monday that it has fined a financial technology credit ratings agency €420,000 ($460,000) for "misleadingly" using the authority's name to suggest that it endorsed the company's activities.

  • April 04, 2025

    Deutsche Bank Not Liable For ISIS Terror, Judge Finds

    A New York federal judge on Friday dismissed a lawsuit accusing Deutsche Bank AG of facilitating the financing of the Islamic State, saying that the families of two journalists and an aid worker the terrorist group killed failed to sufficiently allege that the bank participated in a human trafficking venture.

Expert Analysis

  • 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.

  • Economic Crime Act Exposure: What Companies Can Expect

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    The intention of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act is to make it easier to attribute criminal liability to companies if a senior manager has committed an offense, but the impact on corporate criminal convictions depends on who qualifies as a senior manager and the evidential challenges in showing it, say Hayley Ichilcik and Julius Handler at MoFo.

  • FCA Promotions Review Sends A Strong Message To Firms

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    The recent FCA review into firms' compliance with the rules on promoting high-risk investments to retail clients clarifies that it expects the letter and the spirit of the rules to be followed, and given the interplay with the consumer duty, there are wider implications at stake, say Marina Reason and Chris Hurn at Herbert Smith.

  • When Can Bonuses Be Clawed Back?

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    The High Court's recent decision in Steel v. Spencer should remind employees that the contractual conditions surrounding bonuses and the timing of any resignation must be carefully considered, as in certain circumstances, bonuses can and are being successfully clawed back by employers, say Merrill April and Rachael Parker at CM Murray.

  • The State Of UK Litigation Funding After Therium Ruling

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    The recent English High Court decision in Therium v. Bugsby Property has provided a glimmer of hope for litigation funders about how courts will interpret this summer's U.K. Supreme Court ruling that called funding agreements impermissible, suggesting that its adverse effects may be mitigated, says Daniel Williams at DWF Law.

  • UK Shareholding Report A Missed Opportunity For New Tech

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    The recommendations in the U.K. Digitization Taskforce's recent report on digitizing and improving the U.K. shareholding framework are moderate but not revolutionary, and its failure to recommend digital ledger technology will impede a full transformation of the system, say Tom Bacon and Andrew Tsang at BCLP.

  • Tools M&A Deal Makers Can Use To Bridge Valuation Gaps

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    As macroeconomic headwinds reset valuation expectations, parties to merger and acquisition are increasingly looking to methods such as earnouts, vendor financing and minority transactions to bridge the valuation gap and get deals done, says Philip Herbst at Cleary.

  • Navigating The Novel Challenges Facing The Legal Profession

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    The increasing prominence of ESG and AI have transformed the legal landscape and represent new opportunities for lawyers, but with evolving regulations and the ever-expanding reach of the Solicitors Regulation Authority, law firms should ensure that they have appropriate policies in place to adapt to these challenges, say Scott Ashby and Aimee Talbot at RPC.

  • Deal Over Jets Stranded In Russia May Serve As Blueprint

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    In the face of a pending "mega-trial" over leased airplanes held in Russia after its invasion of Ukraine, a settlement between leading aviation lessor AerCap Holdings NV and NSK, the Russian state-controlled insurance company, could pave the way for similar deals, say Samantha Zaozirny and Timeyin Pinnick at Browne Jacobson.

  • Economic Crime Act Brings Changes For Limited Partnerships

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    The recently passed Economic Crime Act introduces significant financial transparency obligations for new and existing U.K. limited partnerships, and with criminal consequences for noncompliance, a degree of advance consideration is strongly advised, say Amelia Stawpert and Alex Jones at Hogan Lovells.

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