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Forward (agreement) meaning

What does Forward (agreement) mean?
A forward (forward contract) is a private, over-the-counter agreement by which one party agrees to buy, and the other to sell, a specified underlying (for example, currency, a commodity or securities) on a future date at a price agreed today. Unlike a futures contract, it is not exchange-traded and its terms (quantity, delivery date, settlement and collateral) are bespoke. Settlement can be by physical delivery or cash (including non-deliverable forwards). Forwards are widely used for hedging and pricing certainty by corporates and financial institutions, notably FX forwards and commodity forwards. Key legal features include bilateral credit/counterparty risk, performance risk and close-out exposure; documentation commonly uses an ISDA Master Agreement with a Credit Support Annex, or bespoke sale/supply terms. ‘Forward’ is a descriptive market term rather than a defined legal concept, though UK and Irish financial regulation (onshored MiFID II/MiFIR and EMIR in the UK; MiFID II/MiFIR and EMIR in Ireland) classify many forwards as derivatives. Regulatory treatment depends on the underlying and settlement method; some physically settled commodity forwards entered into for commercial purposes may fall outside the regulated perimeter. Usage and enforceability are broadly consistent across England & Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Ireland.
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View the related Checklists about Forward (agreement)

CHECKLISTS
Employment settlement agreements for employers: drafting checklist covering statutory validity, tax (PENP/£30,000), pensions, shares/options, directors, public sector controls, covenants, confidentiality, references and adviser requirements

The employer and its advisers ought to reflect on the following matters: Preparatory steps From the employer, gather: a copy of the departing employee’s latest employment contract and any other documents setting out contractual terms (note: these might sit within a staff handbook) particulars of the employee’s contractual benefits pertinent details about the employee’s pension entitlements information on any shares/share options held by the employee; review the Articles of Association, any relevant shareholder agreement, and share scheme documentation. See also Shares and share options below Status of negotiations Will discussions occur directly between the parties, or via their respective legal advisers? How robust is the employer’s bargaining position? How credible are the employee’s existing or potential claims? For any dismissal, is there a fair reason and has a fair procedure been followed? Is the employer in repudiatory breach? What is the employer initially...

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CHECKLISTS
Contaminated land: due diligence, searches, risk management, and liability allocation under Environmental Protection Act 1990 Part IIA and contract (England and Wales) — checklist for property lawyers

It is important to establish whether or not the land is or may be contaminated: to comply with the Law Society’s practice note on contaminated land—see Practice Note: Land contamination—Law Society practice note on contaminated land; because it could present a risk to human health; and because a buyer may face a statutory requirement to remediate under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, Pt IIA. While Pt IIA is intended as a last-resort mechanism (with remediation far more often secured through planning conditions when contaminated land is brought forward for (re)development), if liability under Pt IIA is imposed the cost of necessary clean-up can be very significant. The Law Society’s practice note advises that, when acting for a buyer, mortgagee or tenant, a solicitor should—unless instructed otherwise—undertake a CON 29 ‘Enquiries of local authority’ and an LLC1 ‘Requisition for local land charges search’ to establish whether the local authority has designated the land as contaminated. The acting solicitor should also ensure that...

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CHECKLISTS
Multicurrency LMA-based checklist for drafting compounded-in-arrears RFR loan agreements: SONIA, SOFR and euro RFRs; methodologies, lookbacks, credit adjustment spreads, floors, fallbacks, market disruption and break costs

This Checklist This Checklist presents, in a tabular format, the matters to address when preparing a loan that references a compounded risk-free rate (RFR) such as the Sterling Overnight Interbank Average Rate (SONIA), calculated in arrears. It explains the purpose of the key provisions, highlights issues to weigh up, and offers drafting pointers and practical guidance for practitioners. For further analysis, see Practice Note: Interest provisions in risk-free rate based loan agreements. The Checklist draws on provisions contained in the Multicurrency Term and Revolving Facilities Agreement incorporating backward-looking compound rates and forward looking term rates (lookback without observation shift) issued by the LMA (the LMA Compounded RFR Facilities Agreement). The LMA’s recommended form documentation, with accompanying user guides and commentary, is accessible to LMA members on its website. While the Checklist is prepared on the basis of LMA-style documentation, the guidance will also be relevant to bilateral transactions and agreements using other loan forms. Practice Note: Interest provisions in risk-free rate based loan agreements provides a fuller discussion and...

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NEWS
UK and EU competition law update: mergers, antitrust, subsidy control, CMA Annual Report, EU procedural reform, State aid GBER review, online payments study (17 July 2025)

In this issue: UK mergers UK antitrust UK subsidy control UK competition policy EU antitrust EU mergers EU State aid EU market studies New and updated content Daily and weekly news alerts Caselex UK mergers Government consults on further changes to the draft Enterprise Act 2002 (Mergers Involving Newspaper Enterprises and Foreign Powers) (No 2) Regulations The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has published a consultation on proposed further amendments to the Enterprise Act 2002 (Mergers Involving Newspaper Enterprises and Foreign Powers) Regulations 2025 (the Regulations). Through changes to the Enterprise Act 2002, the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 introduced a foreign state intervention (FSI) regime for newspapers and periodic news magazines, preventing foreign state ownership, control, or influence over these publications. The Regulations carry forward the government’s decision to provide narrow exemptions to the FSI framework. Under the proposals, defined state-owned investors (SOIs) could hold up to...

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NEWS
Weekly UK and EU legal practice compliance highlights: sanctions, AML/CTF, corporate crime, data protection, cyber, SRA sanctions guidance, sexual harassment duty—25 January 2024

In this issue: Financial sanctions AML, CTF & counter-proliferation financing Other financial crime Data protection Cybersecurity Other Practice Compliance updates this week Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Latest Q&A Financial sanctions ECJU revises General Trade Licence Russia Sanctions - Vessels The Department for Business and Trade’s Export Control Joint Unit (ECJU) has issued ‘Notice to exporters 2024/02: General Trade Licence Russia Sanctions – Vessels’, indicating that an updated edition of this General Licence takes effect on 18 January 2024. The General Licence sets rules for supplying technical assistance, brokering services, financial services and funds in relation to vessels. See: LNB News 19/01/2024 14. FCDO and OFAC report sanction of Alexander Gennadievich Ermakov The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) have announced that Alexander Gennadievich Ermakov is sanctioned. He played a part in the 2022...

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NEWS
Risk and Compliance: weekly legal and regulatory developments in data protection, sanctions, AML/CTF, economic crime and cybersecurity—25 January 2024

In this issue: Data protection Financial sanctions AML, CTF & counter-proliferation financing Other financial crime Cybersecurity Other Risk & Compliance updates this week Daily and weekly news alerts New and updated content Data protection EDPB adopts report with recommendations to strengthen role of DPOs The European Data Protection Board has approved a report presenting outcomes from its second co‑ordinated enforcement exercise, centred on the appointment and status of Data Protection Officers (DPOs). It highlights barriers DPOs face—such as non‑appointment and inadequate resourcing—and sets out recommendations to reinforce their independence and ensure access to the resources they need. See: LNB News 18/01/2024 22. EDPB publishes case digest on security of processing and data breach notification The European Data Protection Board has issued a one‑stop‑shop case digest on security of processing and data breach notification under Article 32 and Articles 33 and 34 of Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (EU GDPR). The digest sheds light...

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View the related Practice Notes about Forward (agreement)

PRACTICE NOTES
Variation of Deferred Prosecution Agreements in England and Wales: grounds, procedure, publication obligations and key case law

For guidance on what deferred prosecution agreements (DPAs) are and how they work, see Practice Note: Deferred prosecution agreements, which explains their operation. In what circumstances can a DPA be varied? The statutory power to amend a DPA sits squarely in paragraph 10 of Schedule 17 to the Crime and Courts Act 2013 (CCA 2013) itself. A DPA may require alteration in two situations: where the court invites the parties to vary the DPA under CCA 2013, Sch 17 Pt 1, para 9(3)(a), namely where the organisation has breached the agreement and the court wants the parties to put forward proposals to cure the organisation’s non-compliance, by agreement between the parties as invited by the court, accordingly (see Practice Notes: Financial penalties as a term of a DPA—Late payment and breach of a DPA and Breach of a DPA) where a variation is required to prevent the organisation failing to comply with its obligations in circumstances that were not, and could not reasonably...

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PRACTICE NOTES
EU Clean Energy Package: legislative framework, electricity market design, energy efficiency, renewables and consumer rights—overview with Green Deal and 2024 reform updates [Archived]

ARCHIVED : This Practice Note has been archived and is not maintained . Purpose In late November 2016, the European Commission formally issued a Communication titled ‘Clean Energy for All Europeans’ as part of the Energy Union, intended to support and accelerate the shift to a low-carbon economy (see Practice Note: EU 2050 low-carbon economy—snapshot). The Clean Energy Package—also referred to as the EU ‘Winter Package’ or ‘Winter Energy Package’—brought forward eight new legislative measures, designed to comprehensively reshape the electricity market, in practice, bolster security of energy supply, set governance rules and frameworks for the Energy Union, put energy efficiency first, secure global leadership in renewables, on a global stage, and ensure a fair deal for consumers. The Energy Union, one of the Juncker Commission’s ten priorities, long served as the EU’s principal vehicle for, and contribution to, a comprehensive, worldwide move towards a low-carbon economy. Then, as now, indeed, the Commission sought EU leadership of the clean energy transition, viewing the package as a chance to...

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PRACTICE NOTES
Break fees in UK share purchase transactions: purpose, triggers and legal constraints—ultra vires, directors' duties, financial assistance and penalty rule; public takeovers—Takeover Code prohibition

The nature and purpose of break fees Break fees typically exist to reimburse a party’s legal and professional outlay incurred through due diligence and negotiations when a deal ends. They can also act as a deterrent to behaviour that might unreasonably derail the process, encouraging both sides to keep talking, and discouraging steps that could prevent the transaction from moving forward at all or otherwise cause it to stall. The parties usually enter into a break fee agreement early in the sale process, commonly before the buyer begins its due diligence. Such provisions (also referred to as inducement, termination or broken deal fees) may appear in a stand-alone agreement or be set out within heads of terms. Types of break fees The most prevalent form of break fee arises where the target undertakes to pay the bidder a sum if a specified event happens and the transaction then fails to complete (for instance, where the seller accepts a superior third-party offer or any necessary shareholder consent is...

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PRECEDENTS
Letter proposing exchange-of-lists to appoint a sole arbitrator, with conflict checks, staged strikes, disclosure of prior counsel appointments, and referral to an arbitral institution if no agreement

[ Date ] [ Respondent's Counsel ] [ Address ] Dear [ insert organisation name ] [ Arbitral Institution ] Arbitration [ Arbitration No. ]: [ Claimant ] v. [ Respondent ]—appointment of the sole arbitrator In accordance with clause [ insert clause ] of the [ arbitration agreement ], we hereby write concerning the appointment of the sole arbitrator. To ensure this process is handled promptly and even-handedly, we suggest the most efficient way forward would be for the parties to reach a joint agreement on a suitable candidate...

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PRECEDENTS
Template written resolution for LLP members acting as general partner of a limited partnership, with signing, return, voting threshold and lapse guidance

Registration number: [ insert number ] Written resolution[s] OF [ insert name ] LLP (the LLP) in its role as the general partner of [ insert name of limited partnership ] L.p. Circulated on [ insert circulation date ] Under clause [ insert clause number ] of the limited liability partnership agreement dated [ insert date ], which governs the LLP’s affairs, the following resolution[s] are put forward to be approved as [ a written OR written ] resolutions: [ insert text of resolution(s) ] Please review the explanatory notes at the end of this document before confirming your agreement to the resolution[s]...

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PRECEDENTS
Precedent: Employer letter enclosing draft settlement agreement (without prejudice/subject to contract), setting negotiation deadline, offer lapse, contribution to independent legal advice costs, and confirming no notice of termination

Without prejudice & subject to contract Strictly private & confidential [ Type on employer's letterhead ] [ Insert name and address of employee ] [ Insert date ] Dear [ insert name of employee ] Re: [ insert name of employer ] (the Company) Please find enclosed a draft settlement agreement that outlines the Company’s proposals, put forward on a without prejudice basis, to [ resolving its dispute with you OR terminating your employment ] [ and generally settling all or any claims [ arising in connection with your employment, or its termination, ] which you have or may in the future have against the Company [ and against any...

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View the related Q&As about Forward (agreement)

Q&As
Holiday carry over if leave not prevented: permitted by contract?

Under WTR 1998, workers get 5.6 weeks’ annual leave each year: a basic entitlement of four weeks’ leave (20 days for a standard full‑time worker) implementing article 7 of the Working Time Directive (WTD) an additional 1.6 weeks’ leave (eight days for a standard full‑time worker) created by domestic law only Understanding this distinction is important because: European Court of Justice case law concerns the WTD alone, so it applies only to the basic four weeks’ paid leave holiday pay is calculated differently for: the basic four weeks, and the additional 1.6 weeks The general rules as to the right to carry forward accrued holiday entitlement are that: the basic four weeks must be taken in the leave year earned and cannot be carried over (though an employer may choose to allow it) a relevant agreement may allow the additional 1.6...

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Q&As
Septic tank prescriptive right: treatment plant and contributions

This query asks whether the owner of the land (the servient owner) on which a septic tank currently sits, and across which a neighbour has acquired prescriptive drainage rights, is entitled to replace that tank with a modern treatment unit, and whether the neighbour benefiting from those rights (the dominant owner) can be obliged to contribute to the costs of installing and maintaining the replacement apparatus. Can the servient owner replace the tank? On the basis that the dominant owner holds a prescriptive right to drain into the septic tank (as stated), the initial issue is the servient owner’s entitlement to substitute the existing septic tank with a contemporary equivalent. Provided the works are organised so that the neighbour’s drainage rights are not hindered to an actionable extent, both during installation and thereafter, there is, in principle, no reason to object to the servient owner upgrading their own installation in this manner...

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