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R (Greyhound Board of Great Britain Ltd) v Welsh Ministers [2026] EWHC 670 (Admin) What are the practical implications of this case? The ruling reinforces the constitutional divide between the courts and the legislature. It explains that the scheme and framework of the Government of Wales Act 2006 (GWA 2006) embody that separation of powers, and that any judicial attempt to recognise and enforce a common law obligation on Welsh Ministers to consult prior to introducing legislation in the Senedd would trespass upon that boundary. This is not a departure from established principle; case law has already upheld comparable rules for lawmakers in Scotland and at Westminster. However, this is the first express confirmation of the position for Welsh lawmakers, and the first time this dimension of the GWA 2006 has been analysed in such depth. The court examined earlier
The solution arrived through the United Nations Compensation Commission (UNCC), a quasi‑judicial body handling mass claims, created under UN Security Council Resolution 687. By addressing environmental harm—most notably via its ‘F4’ claim class—the UNCC set a seminal benchmark shaping how international law and contemporary arbitral panels allocate financial responsibility for wartime ecological devastation. With present-day wars in areas such as Eastern Europe and the Middle East bringing dam breaches, strikes on chemical facilities, and the burning of farmland, the UNCC’s legacy endures as an essential reference point for states, global investors, and companies engaged in post‑conflict arbitration. The F4 claims: Quantifying the unquantifiable Prior to the 1990s, mechanisms in international law for war reparations overwhelmingly favoured property loss, foregone earnings, and bodily injury. The natural world was commonly treated as a mute, non-compensable victim of armed hostilities...
Understanding the farming business as a business Many farms still use long-standing structures that arose by habit, not strategy. Sole traders, informal partnerships and outdated partnership deeds are common. While once effective, such setups can cause major issues around succession, tax planning and involving the next generation. A corporate team can take a fresh, business-led view of the farm, asking: Who owns the land and other critical assets? Who manages daily operations? Who carries the risk and who enjoys the return? What is the enduring plan for succession? From this review, the team can confirm whether the current setup is fit for purpose or if an alternative — for example an updated partnership agreement, a company, a limited liability partnership, or a blended model — would better meet the family’s aims. Tax efficiency through joined-up advice Tax sits at the centre of most
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Market studies CMA publishes final report on market investigation into veterinary services for household pets The CMA has released the final report of its market investigation into veterinary services for household pets across the UK. It identified competition issues in this sector and proposed a suite of remedies to tackle them. Background In May 2024, the CMA made a market investigation reference under section 131 of the Enterprise Act 2002 concerning the provision of veterinary services for household pets in the UK, covering prescribed veterinary medicines. Its July 2024 issues statement outlined six principal theories of harm: worries that pet owners may not readily choose providers or treatments because of limited information; that concentration in local areas and consolidation might suppress rivalry; that vertical integration in groups could narrow choice; and that people may pay too much for medicines, prescriptions and cremation services. The CMA also...
Siniakovich v Hassan- Soudey and others [2026] EWCA Civ 215 What are the practical implications of this case? Disputes about limitation and the point at which proceedings are ‘brought’ despite payment of an incorrect court fee can now be conclusively resolved by adhering to the Court of Appeal’s guidance: The issue of when an action is ‘brought’ under the Limitation Act 1980 is one of substance rather than form; it does not depend on interpreting the civil procedure rules or practice directions. For limitation, proceedings are brought when a claim form, stated with sufficient clarity, is first delivered to the court office and a fee is tendered or paid, or a help with fees form is filed. That is sufficient. Proceedings are still treated as brought (for limitation) even if the court issue fee paid is the wrong amount......
Pension Schemes Bill On 19 March 2026, the House of Lords voted 217 to 113 to excise the reserve power from the Pension Schemes Bill. The provision would have permitted the government to mandate a defined level of investment in Britain by pension funds where voluntary promises were not fulfilled. The change was put forward by Liberal Democrat peer Sarah Bowles after criticism from the sector of the government’s approach. During the debate, Bowles pressed, ' Why should the government override trustees?'......
Mergers Notifications were submitted to the Commission in: BCI/ Brookfield/ NBIM/ Mustang AIV JV ( M.12346) (simplified merger procedure) Advent/ AFK/ TA/ Volue ( M.12386) (simplified merger procedure) Sirius/ Brookfield/ Paradise JV ( M.12345) (simplified merger procedure) Kohlberg/ Montagu/ Teleflex OEM Business ( M.12301) (simplified merger procedure) Note— For all live merger investigations before the Commission, consult the EU mergers—ongoing cases tracker. Upcoming dates For dates of upcoming EU competition developments, see the EU Competition calendar......
K1 v B [2026] EWCA Civ 261 What are the practical implications of this case? This judgment reinforces the tight constraints under English law on appeals from decisions addressing challenges to arbitral awards, including ‘serious irregularity’ claims. Section 68(4) of the Act is one of 17 provisions that restrict the authority to grant permission to appeal to the first instance judge. These statutory curbs advance the Act’s aims of speed and finality, cannot be displaced by party agreement or judicial order, and allow only very limited exceptions. Separately, the judgment reiterates that an arbitral award will not be set aside simply because the proceedings concerned a claim to enforce an illegal or unenforceable contract. Section 68(2)(g) of the Act permits a challenge where an award was procured by fraud (or offends public policy). The Applicant maintained that the award should be set aside on that...
DRL v DRK [2026] SGHC 32 What are the practical implications of this case? This ruling offers significant direction on how Article 32(2)(c) of the Model Law—incorporated into Singapore law via section 3 of the International Arbitration Act 1994 ( IAA)—operates amid international sanctions. Article 32(2)(c) contemplates ending arbitral proceedings when further conduct is impossible. The court’s reasoning distils several core principles: Impossibility under Article 32(2)(c) is a factual, objective, binary assessment. If a tribunal concludes continuation is impossible, the mandatory ‘shall’ in Article 32(2) compels termination Once impossibility is shown, Article 32(2)(c) allows no assessment of prejudice to either side, nor any attribution of fault for the impossibility. This contrasts with Article 32(2)(a), which expressly gives the tribunal discretion to weigh a respondent’s legitimate interests when a claimant wishes to withdraw its claim The parties’ entitlement to a hearing on the merits under Article 24(1) of the Model Law is...
In a brief public statement, the FCA stated that MFS has the status of an Annex 1 business, a category only subject to limited FCA oversight. For MFS, this relates to compliance with anti-money laundering ( AML), counter-terrorist financing, and rules governing the movement of funds. The FCA said Annex 1 firms are not authorised and do not fall under wider FCA regulation. The regulator offered no additional specific detail about the focus of its inquiry. A spokesperson for Alix Partners LLP, administrators to MFS, said it is aware of the FCA’s investigation and will not be making any further comment. MFS issued loans and other mortgage-like financial products. The......
Financial services developments FCA to announce approach to motor finance redress 30 March 2026 The Financial Conduct Authority ( FCA) has confirmed it will outline its approach to motor finance redress shortly after markets close on Monday 30 March 2026, following an October 2025 consultation on a compensation scheme. Source: Timing of the FCA’s motor finance announcement. Related digest: FCA publishes CP25/27 Motor Finance Consumer Redress Scheme, LNB News 08/10/2025 16 PRA fines Bank of London and its parent company Oplyse Holdings Limited £2m The Prudential Regulation Authority ( PRA) has imposed a £2m penalty on The Bank of London Group Limited and Oplyse Holdings Limited (formerly The Bank of London Group Holdings Limited) for misleading the regulator about their capital positions, failing to act with integrity, lacking openness and co-operation with the regulator, and not maintaining adequate financial resources. This marks the first occasion the PRA has fined a...
On 23 March 2026, the Department for Work and Pensions confirmed that a technical working group has assembled 13 specialists drawn from across the pensions and investment sectors. The team, led by High Court Judge Robin Knowles, has already begun supporting the government to create clear, practical investment guidance for trustees. The resulting framework will set out how trustees should take account of climate change, as well as periods of market volatility and wider geopolitical events, when forming their investment decisions......
EU financial services developments ECB’s Piero Cipollone discusses potential launch of a digital euro The European Central Bank ( ECB) has released a speech from executive board member Piero Cipollone outlining preparations for a possible digital euro. Cipollone described the ECB’s continuing programme for the project, highlighting key plans to embed inclusion and accessibility from the outset, initiatives to drive innovation, measures to integrate the digital euro within the wider European payments landscape, and the progress of pilot activities currently under way......
UT overturns case management directions relating to witness evidence ( L Rowland & Co ( Retail) Ltd v HMRC) L Rowland & Co ( Retail) Ltd v HMRC [2026] UKUT 130 ( TCC) The substantive appeal centres on whether roughly 1,400 locum pharmacists engaged by the taxpayer were self-employed or employees for PAYE and NICs purposes, with the taxpayer maintaining that the locums were self-employed and HMRC asserting that they were employees. The taxpayer refused HMRC access to the locums as witnesses and indicated it would seek judicial review of any approach made to them by HMRC. In case management, the FTT issued directions requiring the identification of ten further locums as witnesses of fact whose evidence could be relied upon at the substantive hearing, as the taxpayer had produced only two locum witness statements. If the taxpayer chose not to call these...
News Analysis Lexis+® UK ( Kathy Stones) collaborated with INSOL Europe ( Ph D. Dr. Myriam Mailly) on a joint initiative to gather updates from selected INSOL Europe members and Country Co-ordinators, reflecting on how the new restructuring procedures introduced by EU Member States to implement Directive ( EU) 2019/1023 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on preventive restructuring frameworks, on discharge of debt and disqualifications, and on measures to improve the efficiency of procedures concerning restructuring, insolvency and discharge of debt, and amending Directive ( EU) 2017/1132 (the EU Directive), are being used in practice, what is operating effectively, and whether further enhancements could be made. This News Analysis provides only a concise overview of the findings. Practitioners should review this News Analysis alongside the original articles prepared by certain INSOL Europe members and Country...
Regulatory & Supervisory Outlook Report 2026 ( RSO) On 26 February 2026, the Central Bank of Ireland ( CBI) released the third edition of its Regulatory & Supervisory Outlook Report 2026, outlining its view of risks across the financial system and its supervisory plans for the year ahead. Building on the CBI Governor’s January letter to the Minister for Finance, the report confirms that governance, risk management and operational resilience will stay key priorities in 2026. Supervision will take place at firm level for entities subject to close and continuous oversight, and at sector level, with firm-specific engagement where appropriate. For an overview of these focus areas please see below. governance and risk management operational and cyber resilience asset valuation and market risks liquidity and leverage risks product costs and disclosures data and artificial intelligence climate and ESG risk The CBI points to a rapidly evolving Irish funds sector shaped by...
' Suitability Package' The European Banking Authority ( EBA) and the European Securities and Markets Authority ( ESMA) have opened a consultation on draft revised joint guidelines concerning the evaluation of the suitability of members of the management body and key function holders ( Draft Revised Guidelines). In tandem, the EBA is consulting on draft regulatory technical standards that set out the documentation and information ‘large institutions’ must include with their ‘suitability application’ so that competent authorities can assess members of the management body and specified key function holders ( Draft RTS). Together, these proposals comprise a ‘ Suitability Package’ designed to harmonise suitability assessments and foster supervisory convergence across the EU. Consultation window: until 25 May 2026 EBA to deliver the Draft RTS to the European Commission by 10 July 2026 Final Guidelines to be published by 10 July...
Federal Republic of Nigeria v VR Global Partners LP and others [2026] EWCA Civ 25 What are the practical implications of this case? For costs practitioners, this judgment offers vital direction on the interplay between detailed assessment and third-party costs applications. First, it confirms there is no legal hierarchy between these processes—contrary to arguments that a judgment creditor enjoys a presumptive right to chase third parties straightaway. The ruling empowers costs judges and Commercial Court judges to stay third-party applications where the sum ultimately payable is genuinely uncertain, particularly where a substantial payment on account has been made and the costs are to be assessed on the standard basis with its proportionality filter. Second, and more significantly, the Court of Appeal issued a stark warning against disproportionate conduct of detailed assessments. The court was dismayed by the prospect of a 50-day assessment hearing...
On 19 March 2026, João Negrão, who leads the EUIPO, suggested that the rise of AI and a rapidly evolving digital environment may necessitate a more adaptable trade mark and copyright framework, enabling companies to secure protections that are more appropriately tailored. Potential measures might involve a lower-cost five-year trade mark term instead of the current ten-year period, and even considering extending copyright safeguards to cover business names as well......
HMRC v Brzezicki [2026] UKUT 125 ( TCC) The taxpayer acquired a dwelling with six acres of land in total. Two acres ran alongside the River Meon and were cut off from the remainder by an artificially engineered carrier stream used to support the breeding of wild brown trout. Access over the water was by two modest timber foot bridges. He bought the property intending to launch a commercial fly‑fishing enterprise, which he proceeded to establish in the months immediately after completion. An amended SDLT return was then submitted applying the non‑residential bands on the footing that the property was of mixed use. HMRC subsequently issued a closure notice asserting the holding was residential, prompting an appeal. The FTT ultimately upheld that appeal, deciding that the two‑acre ‘island’ and the stream did not form part of the house’s garden or grounds. The UT,...
INTA The European Parliament’s International Trade Committee has granted the go-ahead to the EU– US trade accord, having previously suspended its work on the file due to serious concerns the Trump administration would not honour the deal, after fresh tariffs and investigations directed at the EU had raised doubts......
Financial services developments FCA urges firms to prepare for non-financial misconduct rules The Financial Conduct Authority ( FCA) has outlined on a new webpage the actions firms should take before the non-financial misconduct ( NFM) rules and guidance take effect on 1 September 2026. Under COCON 1.1.7FR, the conduct rules for non-banking firms will be widened to include bullying, harassment, or violence towards colleagues, where connected to an individual’s role. The FCA advises firms to consider updating their approach to: staff policies; conduct breach reporting; fit and proper assessments; and regulatory references. In December 2025, the FCA published policy statement PS25/23, which sets out the boundary between work and private life; how NFM may breach the conduct rules; reasonable steps for managers; and fitness and propriety assessments, including matters relating to private life, social media, and unproven allegations. Source:...
Antitrust The application has appeared in Case C-780/25 Desch- Drexler II, a national reference from Austria seeking clarification as to whether, amongst other things, domestic fixed book price regimes—covering limits on discounts and advertising—are consistent with EU competition law, in particular Article 101 TFEU, where such regimes may in effect impose or bolster price alignment amongst market participants—see further, application NOTE— For details of all live national references before the Court of Justice, see also, Court of Justice national references—ongoing cases......
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When evaluating a general damages claim, the practitioner ought initially to refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG)...
This Practice Note This Practice Note reviews mechanisms used in settling litigation. A Tomlin order consists of a consent order paired with a schedule. It operates to stay proceedings on terms that have been agreed. The provisions contained in the schedule may remain confidential. This Practice Note describes the scope of confidentiality attaching to the schedule and sets out how it differs from a standard consent order. Sample wording for a Tomlin order is included, alongside links to precedents, as well as guidance on court approval. It also addresses varying, setting aside and enforcing a Tomlin order, including the considerations the court will take into account when handling applications for each. Further guidance is provided on interpreting and applying the relevant provisions of the CPR; however, some courts and divisions impose very specific requirements for both drafting and approval, and for approaching the schedule and confidentiality issues. Accordingly, you must consider the particular rules and court guide provisions in the forum where your claim is proceeding when drawing up the Tomlin order...
Date [ date ] Parties [ name of Landlord ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Landlord) [ name of Tenant ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Tenant) [ [ name of Guarantor ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Guarantor) ] [ [ name of Mortgagee ] [ of OR incorporated in England and Wales (company registration number [ number ]) with its registered office at ] [ address ] (Mortgagee) ] Definitions Within this Deed, the terms below shall be interpreted as follows: [ Annual Rent • the annual sum reserved under the Lease; ] [ Insurance Rent • the Tenant’s share of the Landlord’s costs of insuring the Property (as set out in the Lease); ] Lease • the lease of the Property dated [ date ], entered into between (1) [ the Landlord OR [ name ...
I, [ name ], of [ address ], solemnly and sincerely state that: [ Matters to be verified, set out in numbered paragraphs ] I make this solemn statement in good conscience, believing it to be true, and pursuant to the provisions of the Statutory Declarations Act 1835. DECLARED at [ details ] this [ day ] day of [ month and year ] Before me ................................................................................ [ signature of the person before whom the declaration is made ] A [ commissioner for oaths OR [ solicitor OR [ insert other qualification ] ] authorised to administer oaths ]...
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