Expert Analysis

• How The Rise In Ransomware Is Affecting Business Insurance

  

  Following an unprecedented rise in global ransomware attacks, with insurance companies scaling back coverage and increasing premiums, policyholders should consider these trends and take certain steps to mitigate risks, say Marialuisa Gallozzi and Josianne El Antoury at Covington.

• How A New Law Tightens The Screw On Dirty Money In The UK

  

  By backing up and enhancing the unexplained wealth order regime in a significant rewriting of the rules, the long-awaited Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Act should do much to improve due diligence procedures and raise the standards for foreign wealth making its way to the U.K., says Syed Rahman of Rahman Ravelli.

• A Landmark UK Enforcement Case For Crypto-Assets

  

  HM Revenue and Customs' recent seizure of nonfungible tokens from three people under investigation for value-added tax fraud promises to be the first of many such actions against crypto-assets, so investors should preemptively resolve potential tax matters with U.K. law enforcement agencies to avoid a rude awakening, says Andrew Park at Andersen.

• Emerging Economic Effects From Russia-Ukraine War

  

  While the full economic effects of Russia's invasion of Ukraine will only become clear with time, some of the geopolitical and financial consequences are already becoming apparent, such as a possible shift from the petrodollar, Russian debt default and investor asset recovery complications, say attorneys at King & Spalding.

• Unexplained Wealth Orders' Role In UK Dirty Money Bill

  

  A bill passed by Parliament on Monday that targets Russian oligarchs who have substantial U.K. assets may embolden agencies who use unexplained wealth orders to take action against others who were not previously viewed as suitable candidates for UWOs, says Aziz Rahman at Rahman Ravelli.

• How EU Proposal Would Affect Corporate Sustainability Duties

  

  The European Commission recently released its proposal for a directive on corporate sustainability, human rights and environmental due diligence, that, if adopted, will have a substantial impact on the external corporate regulation and the internal corporate governance of the largest companies operating in the EU, says François Holmey at Carter-Ruck.

• How Will UK Use New Penalties For Debt-Dodging Directors?

  

  Thomas Shortland at Cohen & Gresser discusses the scope of the new disqualification regime for company directors who dissolve their businesses to avoid paying back state COVID-19 loans, and identifies factors that may affect how frequently the government exercises the new powers.

• Automated AML Compliance Tools Are No Silver Bullet

  

  As financial institutions increasingly use automated tools for anti-money laundering compliance, attorneys at Covington discuss the risks of overreliance on such tools, regulatory expectations, potential liability and insurance coverage implications, as well as lessons from recent enforcement actions.

• Issues To Watch In Potential English Arbitration Act Reform

  

  Summary dismissal, confidentiality, technological updates and certain other topics that could fall under the England and Wales Law Commission's upcoming review of the 25-year-old Arbitration Act should be of particular interest to those considering an English-seated arbitration, say Neil Newing and Alasdair Marshall at Signature Litigation.

• UK's Vicarious Liability Juggernaut Shows Signs Of Slowing

  

  In the last five years, U.K. court decisions have generally broadened the scope of vicarious liability, holding organizations responsible for individuals' crimes, but more recent decisions suggest that courts are finally taking steps to limit such liability, say Stephanie Wilson and Philip Tracey at Plexus Legal.

• What 9th Circ. Arbitration Case May Mean For Insurance

  

  If the plaintiffs in CLMS Management Services v. Amwins Brokerage of Georgia appeal the Ninth Circuit's recent decision that state law does not bar the enforcement of arbitration clauses in insurance contracts, the case may have a significant effect on the different dispute resolution options for insurers and policyholders, say attorneys at Sheppard Mullin.

• UK Focus On Int'l Data Transfers Shows Appetite For Reform

  

  Recent U.K. public consultations on international transfers of personal data and structural amendments to the country's General Data Protection Regulation illustrate the post-Brexit appetite for reform and signal changes to the international data transfers regime, say Kate Brimsted and Tom Evans at BCLP.

• Policyholder Outlook Following UK Biz Interruption Test Case

  

  In the nine months since the U.K. Supreme Court ruled in favor of policyholders in the Financial Conduct Authority’s test case on insurance coverage for COVID-19 businesses interruption claims, similar lawsuits filed against insurers show that a positive outcome for insureds is not guaranteed, say Peter Sharp and Paul Mesquitta at Morgan Lewis.

• What The Future Holds For UK Auditing Reform

  

  The U.K.'s Financial Reporting Council has shown itself to be an increasingly effective and proactive regulator in its final months, and the greater powers of its incoming replacement — the Audit, Reporting and Governance Authority — will likely continue an era of heightened scrutiny for auditors, say Paul Brehony and Kate Gee at Signature Litigation.

• How UK Data Breach Ruling May Rein In Insurance Claims

  

  The recent U.K. High Court ruling in Warren v. DSG Retail, which held that claimants can only pursue personal data claims provided for in data protection legislation, narrows the basis upon which claims can be made following a data breach, and could make lower-cost recovery of after-the-event insurance premiums a thing of the past, say attorneys at Jenner & Block.