Shareholder Influence On M&A (Podcast)

The Charity Commission policy team has recently published a blog discussing the pros and cons of charities engaging with cryptoassets, such as cryptocurrencies.

An independent Premier League Commission has found Manchester City in breach of financial rules spanning nine seasons, with findings that the club artificially inflated revenues and reduced costs by over £900 million. The decision marks what the Premier League describes as the most significant case in its history, though Manchester City strongly disputes the findings and intends to appeal, setting the stage for further proceedings that could reshape English football's regulatory landscape.

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.

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.

Oxfam and Carillion show the need for more rigour and vigour around donations and contracts

The European Parliament's Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs has adopted its position on the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation reform, establishing key divergences with the European Commission and Council on professional investor exemptions and fossil fuel investment criteria. With trilogue negotiations set to begin in October 2026, private markets managers face critical decisions about how to position their funds under the new three-category framework expected to take effect in early 2029.

Sexual misconduct allegations make the case that burying problems only makes them worse in the long run.

Fieldfisher's international legal experts share cutting-edge insights across multiple practice areas, from regulatory developments and franchise law to intellectual property, construction disputes, and corporate crisis management. This curated collection showcases thought leadership on emerging legal trends, regulatory changes, and strategic considerations affecting businesses globally in 2026 and beyond.

In September 2026, there were six Rule 2.7 announcements made across the UK public M&A market and eight further possible offers announced.

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.

As a result of operational constraints related to the enhanced social media vetting of H-1B and H-4 visa applicants that will go into effect on December 15, 2025, U.S. consulates in India have begun automatically...

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...

President Trump issued an executive order implementing the Graham Act, which establishes substantial new tariffs on Russian goods and countries purchasing Russian energy, but simultaneously waives their application. The order creates a monitoring framework that leaves open the possibility of future enforcement while maintaining existing Russia sanctions regimes.

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...

The US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) today issued Russia-related General License 135 (GL 135), “Authorizing Transactions Related to the Sale, Delivery...

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security published a final rule that will shift the H-1B cap registration selection process from a random lottery to a weighted selection process...

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

On August 25, 2026, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) published a proposed rule that would impose a $103,265 fee on all cap-subject H-1B petitions.

Last month, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued an order granting a five-year exemption from registration as a national securities exchange under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934...

The U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control has implemented sweeping changes to Cuba sanctions, establishing a new regulatory framework that targets foreign persons and financial institutions while significantly restricting previously authorized activities. These measures create potential sanctions exposure for non-U.S. businesses and banks conducting Cuba-related transactions, fundamentally altering the compliance landscape for international financial intermediaries.