Our Thinking · Regulatory & Compliance · Europe

FCA bans and fines financial adviser £68,300 for lacking in competence and integrity

The Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) has prohibited Simon John Varley (“Mr Varley”) from working in the financial sector and imposed a financial penalty of £68,300 for knowingly providing investment advice to retail customers, when he was not registered as a qualified person or an approved person to do so. The FCA found that Mr Varley […]

Leela4 May 2021

Our Thinking · Commercial & Corporate · Europe

European commission issues draft on the uk data adequacy decision

On 19 February 2021, the European Commission (“Commission”) published a draft adequacy decision (“Draft Decision“) in respect of the data protection framework in the United Kingdom (“UK“). The assessment is made both in relation to the EU General Data Protection Regulation 2016/679 (“GDPR“) and the Law Enforcement Directive 2016/680 (“LED“). The adoption of the adequacy decision […]

Leela29 April 2021

Our Thinking · Private Funds · Regulatory & Compliance · Europe

Changes to AIFMD Marketing Rules from August 2021

On 2 August 2021, new pre-marketing rules in respect of alternative investment funds (“AIFs“) will come into force in the European Union (“EU“), via the EU Regulation 2019/1156 and the EU Directive 2019/1160 (the “Revised Rules”). The Revised Rules amend the existing directive on alternative investment fund managers (2011/61 / EU) (“AIFMD”) (as well as […]

Leela28 April 2021

Our Thinking · Regulatory & Compliance · Europe

Case Law: High court holds firm accountable for providing advice without authorisation

At the end of March 2021, the FCA brought their case forward to the High Court against 24HR Trading Limited and Mr Maricar (the “Defendants”) in the case of Financial Conduct Authority v 24Hr Trading Academy Ltd [2021] EWHC648. The FCA’s claims arose from two activities that the Defendants engaged in: the Company or Mr Maricar have, since […]

Leela23 April 2021

Our Thinking · Regulatory & Compliance · Europe

Government consultation on reforming the UK’s audit and corporate governance regime

The UK Government is launching a major overhaul of the UK’s audit regime to avoid company failures and safeguard British jobs. The Business Secretary is launching a consultation on wide-ranging reforms to modernise the UK’s audit and corporate governance regime (the “Consultation”) to improve corporate transparency. The reforms aim to strengthen the UK’s position as […]

Leela20 April 2021

Our Thinking · Investments & Capital Markets · Europe

Case Law: The high court sets a higher threshold for LIBOR claims

In prior English LIBOR cases, claimants have alleged that banks proposing financing products indexed to LIBOR or EURIBOR made representations (typically, implied) to the effect that they were not manipulating, and did not intend to manipulate, those rates. Misrepresentation claims of this sort have been a feature of the English litigation landscape for a number […]

Leela16 April 2021

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