April is always marked as a busy time of the year for employment lawyers and HR professionals having to adjust the increased limits for awards. In this publication, we have set out the new limits.

A guide to completing an IPO or other admission to the main market or growth market of the Aquis Stock Exchange.

Cross-border private M&A deals between UK sellers and US buyers were on the rise in 2024 and are predicted to continue to rise during 2025. These transactions bring compelling opportunities: UK sellers can tap into substantial US capital, while US buyers gain a foothold in the European market.

Employee Ownership Trusts (EOTs) have seen a significant surge in the popularity in recent years, and this trend is expected to continue following the latest Budget announcements on 30 October 2024.

ECCTA comes into force in stages and this article aims to provide a concise overview of what changes have been introduced, what are the upcoming changes and how to prepare for them. Organisations should be aware of these changes to ensure compliance and avoid the risks of penalties.

With six specialist lawyers providing expert advice, we offer a highly experienced, partner-led, cost-effective service. We aim to resolve disputes quickly and pragmatically, to achieve the best outcome for all our clients.

Our Consultants examine these new requirements and offer insights into effective ESG strategies.

We understand that dealing with your family affairs requires more than just sound advice and technical excellence. We invest the time to get to know our clients’ circumstances, needs and preferences to deliver commercially informed and practical results for you.

April is always marked as a busy time of the year for employment lawyers and HR professionals having to adjust the increased limits for awards.

The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act (the “Act”) has introduced a number of reforms to Companies House in March this year. One of the Act’s aims is to improve corporate transparency and enhance the role of Companies House.

Here are some examples of cases where employers have taken disciplinary action regarding an employee’s comments on social media about their employer. 

In our latest review we reflect on some notable developments and trends in UK corporate and commercial law.

It is often said that one of the main reasons business-people choose to use arbitration to resolve their issues instead of litigation is a desire to keep their disputes away from the public gaze. National courts are public forums and litigation brought in court is open to public scrutiny.

The UK government has been exploring a programme of wide-ranging reforms to the listing regime since 2020. This was driven in part by market feedback indicating that the UK listing regime was regarded as overly burdensome and deterring companies from listing in the UK.

In our article: Laytons Artificial Intelligence (AI) Series: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and legal liability — Laytons ETL we looked at how the rapid development of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology leaves us to question whether the English Civil Liability rules of contractual, and extra-contractual liability for loss and damage caused by AI, are fit for purpose.

Following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, the UK government imposed broader and stricter financial and trade sanctions against Russian nationals and businesses “for the purposes of encouraging Russia to cease actions which destabilise Ukraine, or undermine or threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty or independence of Ukraine”.

Ahead of the expected changes for employment law this year, we look back at the implications of the cases that took place in 2022, and what we can expect in 2023. 

In the second part of our year end recap, we reflect on some of the more notable developments of the past 12 months in the areas of Mergers & Acquisitions, Corporate Governance and Business Crime.

The corporate finance regulatory framework is experiencing seismic shifts as the UK government looks to implement change necessitated or facilitated by Brexit and to maintain and enhance the UK’s position in the global financial marketplace. As we approach the year end, we recap on the status of some of the key changes and developments in the UK’s corporate sector over the past 12 months. 

You will have heard that P&O Ferries fired 800 staff with immediate effect in March 2022. Similarly, technology company Meta and social media giant Twitter have laid off thousands of staff in an attempt to significantly reduce costs.

In an attempt to crackdown on foreign criminals using property to launder money, the UK government has, for a number of years, attempted to introduce a register of those overseas entities which hold UK property.

As we enter a new year, environmental and social responsibility becomes an ever brighter light on the radar of business. A series of diverse drivers have converged to ensure that ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) has become or is fast becoming a top priority for businesses across the globe.

Our Capital Markets Briefing covers the FCA Task Force on climate-related financial disclosures, the UK Secondary Capital Raising Review, the UK Prospectus regime review and the FCA confirming that it will be extending to standard listed companies the obligation to make climate related disclosures.

In our latest briefing, we look at warranty disclosures following the recent Court of Appeal ruling in Butcher v Pike [2021] along with warranty claims and interpretation of financial caps following the High Court decision where a claim for breach of warranties in a share purchase agreement was considered.

On 15 November 2021, the government published new National Security and Investment Act 2021 (NSIA 2021) guidance on notifiable acquisitions and updated guidance on what to expect when an acquisition is being reviewed and assessed.

It’s remarkable how often the title ‘director’ is used to describe someone’s position in a business. The title confers a sense of importance which is why it is often used but being a ‘real’ director brings with it a considerable degree of responsibility and potential liabilities, and if this was more widely understood there would be a greater reluctance to so casually use the title.

Following the UK’s departure from the EU on 31 January 2020 the UK-EU Withdrawal Act (EUWA) provided for a transition period (which ended on 31st December 2020) during which the UK’s listing regime remained unchanged.

A year and more on from the UK’s first lockdown, business continues to adapt to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. As we move into the second half of 2021 this update reviews briefly the prospects and challenges for the sector.

The UK National Security and Investment Act 2021 (the Act) received Royal Assent on 29th April and is anticipated to become law later this year. The Act introduces a new standalone regime in the UK for the review of transactions and investments on national security grounds (NSI Regime).