Corporate Crime: The Year Ahead

Many significant developments took place in 2023 across the landscape of corporate crime, and we can expect to see more in 2024. In particular, we expect three areas to come under increased scrutiny: sanctions, deferred prosecution agreements ("DPA") and commercial corporate liability.

As the war in Ukraine enters its third year, we expect that sanctions will continue to spearhead the international political and legal agenda with enforcement likely to ramp up, assisted by expanding resources, new disclosure requirements and improved international cooperation. An increase in activity can also be expected in relation to DPAs, with the end of 2023 seeing the Crown Prosecution Service ("CPS") concluding its first DPA. With 2024 also marking the 10^th anniversary of the legislation introducing DPAs, we expect to see an increase in companies monitoring and updating their financial crime compliance procedures, in response to the CPS's newfound recognition of the