Corporate Update – Our Latest Half-yearly Briefing On Developments In UK Corporate Law And Regulation

The National Security and Investment Act 2021 (NSIA) came into force on 4 January 2022, creating a standalone regime giving the UK Government broad powers to scrutinise – and potentially intervene in – acquisitions and investments on the grounds of protecting national security. Nearly five years on, the NSIA regime is well established. It replaced the national security aspects of the UK Government’s intervention powers under the Enterprise Act 2002 and operates alongside the UK merger control regime.

The UK public M&A market in 2026 has already surpassed 2025's total value in just eight months, driven by large-cap deals and a quest for transformational scale. Hostile tactics have become increasingly prominent as bidders appeal directly to shareholders amid persistent valuation gaps, while target boards leverage pre-offer processes to maximize value. This analysis examines the key trends, strategic themes, and tactical developments shaping this remarkable year for UK takeovers.

Most businesses are familiar with the obligation to carry out ‘right to work’ checks on their direct employees, which is a mandatory requirement under section 15 of the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006 (“IANA 2006”).

Directors face renewed scrutiny over their duties when companies trade at a loss, as the Court of Appeal clarifies the boundaries of fiduciary responsibility and the Insolvency Service reports record enforcement actions. Meanwhile, pension trustees grapple with complex affordability tests for inflation-linked increases, and employers confront stricter standards for part-time worker treatment and equal pay transparency.

This Corporate Update bulletin examines the most significant UK legal developments of 2026, from capital markets reform and employment rights legislation to corporate criminal liability expansion and competition regime changes. The analysis covers ten major areas of corporate law evolution, alongside recent FCA guidance on regulatory announcements and a High Court decision on shareholder-director settlements.

Mergers & Acquisitions Comparative Guide for the jurisdiction of UK, check out our comparative guides section to compare across multiple countries

As businesses increasingly deploy agentic AI systems capable of autonomous decision-making and actions, questions arise about supplier liability when AI agents malfunction or produce unexpected results. This article examines the contractual frameworks governing agentic AI relationships, revealing how standard IT contracts may inadequately address the unique risks of autonomous AI systems and exploring strategies for customers to better protect themselves against potential losses from AI agent failures.

The Easiest And Hardest Places To Do Business Around The World

The UK government has proposed a fundamental shift from complex distributable profits calculations to a streamlined solvency-based regime for determining dividend legality. This consultation explores how companies would simply need to demonstrate that dividend payments won't affect their ability to continue as a going concern, potentially replacing decades of intricate accounting guidance with a more practical approach.

An employee share scheme allows a startup to offer team members equity in the company. This can be an employee share scheme that lets a startup grant team members equity in the business, helping attract and retain talent when salaries alone fall short. The Enterprise Management Incentive (EMI) scheme is the most widely used option, offering significant tax advantages for both companies and employees. This article unpacks EMI schemes.

On September 18, 2026, President Donald Trump signed into law the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026 (Act), a significant package of sanctions, trade restrictions and related measures...

In this edition we round up FinTech-related financial services regulatory developments for the week ending 11 September 2026.

The Financial Stability Board (FSB) has published a letter from its Chair and Governor of the Bank of England, Andrew Bailey, to G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors.

On January 12, 2026, President Trump announced via Truth Social: "[e]ffective immediately, any Country doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran will pay...

On 9 September 2026, the European Commission (the “Commission”) presented its proposal for a new Public Procurement Act, a significant reform of the EU public procurement framework...

China has a VAT rebate system that reduces the 13% domestic value-added tax (VAT) on certain exported goods.

In recent years, China's biotech scene has risen in prominence with its innovative R&D and promising pipelines commanding big pharma's attention. In this blog, we take a look at this trend, which sees China-related deals and investment continuing to flow, as well as the recent developments in the US, with draft legislation being proposed that seeks to impose restrictions which would impact transactions between US pharma companies and Chinese biotechs. 

Colombia has elected Abelardo De La Espriella as President, marking a pronounced shift to the right following the administration of Gustavo Petro. De La Espriella defeated left-wing senator Iván Cepeda in the June 2026 runoff by a narrow margin of less than 1%.

In this post we bring you a round-up of recent developments relating to the enforcement of UK trade sanctions breaches, together with news of further Russia-related designations

Following the recent trade talks between China and the US on the sidelines of the APEC summit in South Korea, China has agreed to suspend its earlier proposed export restrictions on key sectors...