This podcast episode examines the UK Government's comprehensive pensions reform roadmap, focusing on the new value for money framework that will require trustees to collect extensive data and conduct detailed assessments.

The FCA has amended its COBS 11A rules governing information flows during UK equity IPOs, reversing most of the 2018 reforms that required syndicate banks to offer unconnected analysts equal access to issuers. Under the new rules effective August 2026, connected research can now be disseminated immediately after a registration document is published, potentially shortening IPO timelines by seven days.

For the first time, PRC courts have asserted jurisdiction over securities fraud claims brought by Mainland investors against offshore-incorporated, Hong Kong-listed companies. The Beijing Financial Court's landmark ruling establishes that harm to domestic investors alone can trigger extraterritorial application of PRC Securities Law, even when securities transactions occur outside Mainland China.

Earlier this week the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade published the long awaited Modernising Corporate Reporting consultation, seeking views on how the corporate reporting framework in the UK could be modernised to better meet the needs of companies, investors and the wider economy.

Europe's Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation has transformed ESG fund classification through its Article 6, 8, and 9 categories, but the recent SpaceX IPO has exposed critical ambiguities in the "good governance" requirement. With over 60% of EU funds potentially restricted from participating in the largest IPO ever due to concerns about Elon Musk's concentrated control and governance structure, the question arises: can fund managers reconcile SpaceX's unique corporate governance with SFDR's green inv

The Hong Kong High Court has clarified the scope of powers available to foreign liquidators seeking recognition and assistance in Hong Kong, establishing that the extent of assistance depends critically...

Regulatory fines from UK and Spanish data protection authorities reveal divergent approaches to penalising the same 2023 cyber incident at genetic research company 23andMe.

The Supreme Court has confirmed that English courts can determine whether licensing terms offered by patent pools for standard essential patents (SEPs) are fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory (FRAND), even when the pool operator made no FRAND commitment and owns no SEPs. This landmark decision in Tesla v InterDigital opens the door to judicial scrutiny of patent pool rates and raises important questions about how SEP owners and implementers navigate collective licensing arrangements.

The European Commission's draft revised merger guidelines introduce sustainability as a recognized parameter of competition for the first time, alongside other non-price factors. While this acknowledges the growing importance of environmental considerations in merger reviews, the guidelines adopt a restrictive approach to how sustainability-related benefits can offset competitive harms...

The Upper Tribunal has rejected TikTok's appeal regarding the ICO's authority to impose fines without court approval for processing children's data. This landmark decision clarifies critical boundaries around...

The High Court has rejected the CMA's proposed fixed volume requirement for reference pricing in retail discounting, ruling that a mandatory 1:2 ratio between full-price and discounted sales was unworkable and failed to account for the average consumer's perspective. This landmark judgment in the Emma Sleep case provides crucial guidance for all businesses using "was/now" pricing strategies and reference pricing in their promotional activities.

Slaughter and May's Corporate Update bulletin covers recent regulatory changes affecting UK companies, including London Stock Exchange updates to AIM Rules, FCA modifications to IPO research rules, and Companies House's revised timetable for implementing Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act provisions. The bulletin also examines a significant High Court ruling on creating company registers of members from scratch.

The Grantham Research Institute's 2026 annual snapshot report reveals that climate litigation continues to expand globally, with 249 new cases filed in 2025 targeting an increasingly diverse range of defendants...

The saga that is the case of DCC Holdings (UK) Limited v HMRC Commissioners has finally reached its conclusion in the form of a single judgment delivered on 15 December by Lord Walker on behalf of all of the Supreme Court Judges.

The London Stock Exchange has implemented significant changes to its AIM Rules for Companies and Nominated Advisers, effective August 2026, fundamentally reshaping admission requirements and ongoing...

This fortnightly bulletin examines recent developments in corporate law, including new FRC guidance on materiality in corporate reporting, governmental restructuring affecting the National Security and Investment...

China's market regulator has imposed a record 7.5% turnover fine on Trip.com for algorithmic price manipulation and exclusivity requirements that restricted hotel operators' commercial freedom.

Ofgem's proposed data centre connection reforms introduce substantial upfront commitment fees ranging from £237,500 to £712,500 per MW and stringent queue management milestones for projects seeking grid connections. Will these measures successfully eliminate speculative projects while preserving viable data centre developments, or will they drive investment away from the UK entirely?

The UK Government is consulting on sweeping reforms to equal pay law that would introduce mandatory pay transparency in job adverts, reinstate statutory questionnaires for discrimination disputes, and create a new enforcement unit with investigative powers. These proposals, alongside recent tribunal decisions on union inducements, restrictive covenants, and discrimination protections, signal a fundamental shift in how employers must approach pay equity and workforce management.

The UK government's Leeds Reforms, announced over a year ago, aimed to transform financial services regulation through banking reform, pension liberalization, and capital markets modernization. As Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Chancellor John Healey inherit this substantial reform pipeline, key measures affecting corporate treasury operations are progressing toward implementation, from Basel 3.1 capital requirements to stablecoin regulation and dematerialized share certificates. This comprehensive analysi