A recent study shows that despite legal protections, age discrimination remains a significant, often overlooked challenge in the U.K. labor market, meaning employers should make age a key focus of their diversity and inclusion initiatives in order to minimize risks of liability and reputational damage, says Daniel Stander at Vedder Price.

The Home Office’s recent guide to the Economic Crime Act’s failure to prevent fraud offense goes little further than offering broad suggestions, signaling the Serious Fraud Office’s encouragement of companies to self-police rather than an intention to pursue fraud allegations to trial, say lawyers at BCL Solicitors.

Warnings against the use of investigators who tout their ability to find an adversary’s private documents generally emphasize the risk of illegal activity and attorney discipline, but a string of recent cases shows an additional danger — investigators might be fabricating records altogether, says Brian Asher at Asher Research.

The new European Union Environmental Crime Directive makes clear that criminal liability of a company for causing environmental damage does not preclude proceedings being brought against individuals who aid and abet, including CEOs, board members and other corporate leaders, say lawyers at Crowell & Moring.

The Economic Crime Act's new corporate fraud offense — for which the Home Office recently released guidance — underscores the U.K.'s commitment to hold companies accountable on environmental grounds, and in lowering the bar for establishing liability, offers claimants a wider set of tools to wield against multinational entities, say lawyers at Bracewell.

The Competition and Markets Authority's first heat maps illustrating the location of warning letters sent to businesses are intended to increase awareness of the letters, and provide new information that reflects distribution and density across the U.K., says Matthew Hall at McGuireWoods.

Following the recent publication of the National Security and Investment Act report on the scrutiny of proposed investments, it will be interesting to see how the act’s powers fit into a government policy that plans to cut regulatory obstacles, while maintaining a hard line on national security, say lawyers at Katten Muchin.

In narrowing its scope of application, the U.K. Takeover Panel's forthcoming amended code will have practical implications for U.K.-registered companies and ultimately provide greater market clarity and certainty, say lawyers at Davis Polk.

In a landmark decision in cases involving Spain and Zimbabwe, the English Court of Appeal grappled with the intersection of state immunity and the enforcement of arbitration awards, setting a precedent for future disputes involving sovereign entities in the U.K, says Josep Galvez at 4-5 Gray's Inn.

In light of the Financial Conduct Authority’s recent £28.9 million fine of Starling Bank for its lax sanctions screening processes, businesses should understand both the U.K.’s and the European Union’s enforcement approaches, the larger sanctions landscape and the importance of cooperation, says Angelika Hellweger at Rahman Ravelli.

With Cleary recently announcing a new nonequity partner category, it is an opportune time for firms governed by English law to examine the advantages and disadvantages of this position from the perspective of both the firm and the lawyer, says John Gould at Russell-Cooke.

The European Commission’s recent decision on the merger between e& and PFF Telecom is the first to approve a transaction subject to commitments under the Foreign Subsidies Regulation, serving as a helpful guide by confirming that behavioral measures ring-fencing EU activities from the potential effect of third-country subsidies are acceptable, say lawyers at Cleary.

With a number of major reforms to the European Union's design protection system set to take effect in the first half of 2025, U.S. companies need to stay informed about specific details to maintain effective intellectual property management in the EU market, say lawyers at Finnegan.

Lawyers at Bird & Bird consider how global artificial intelligence regulation will be affected by the first international AI treaty recently signed by the U.S., EU and U.K., as well as its implications for business and several issues that stakeholders should be aware of.

Teresa Ribera Rodríguez’s recent nomination as the new European Union commissioner for competition prompts questions about policy and enforcement, with goals to enhance competition in business, implement stronger and faster enforcement, and promote and fund decarbonization likely in her sights during a five-year term, say lawyers at Linklaters.

The Premier League's arbitration award in its dispute with Manchester City Football Club has raised significant financial governance concerns in English football, and a resolution may set a precedent in regulatory development, say consultants at Secretariat.

As the world becomes less predictable and operational risks present greater challenges, global law firms must contend with a range of pressures, yet financial considerations still drive much of the process when deciding where to plant a flag, say Bethaney Durkin and Liam McCafferty at Byfield Consultancy.

The Procurement Act 2023’s delay until February 2025 has sparked debate among contracting authorities and suppliers, and the Labour Party’s preference for a broader reform package demonstrates the challenges involved in implementing legislative changes where there is a change in government, say lawyers at Shoosmiths.

The Labour government’s recently unveiled Employment Rights Bill marks the start of a generational shift in U.K. employment law, and its updates to unfair dismissal rights and restrictions on fire-and-rehire tactics are of particular note, say lawyers at Covington.