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What "winning on a technicality" really means in disputes with HMRC and why technical points are very important
In the latest episode of the Taxing Matters podcast, Harry Smith gives a crash course in procedural arguments in the context of a dispute with HMRC.
Read moreThe risks of going large (again)
In our July 2020 article , we looked at the case of Hart and Hart v Large, which concerned a survey undertaken by Mr Large for the Harts.
Read moreProject Blue (No 2): HMRC must refund overpaid SDLT
In Project Blue Ltd v HMRC [2020] UKFTT 475 (TC), the First-tier Tribunal (FTT) held that the taxpayer was entitled to repayment of SDLT, as part of the consideration for the property in question was contingent, within the meaning of section 51, Finance Act 2003 (FA 2003) and was never paid.
Read morePart 1: Top 5 corporate crime enforcement trends for the year ahead
As we commence a new year in the midst of unprecedented global challenges, here is our take on the key financial crime risks and trends you need to be aware of in 2021.
Read moreFinancial CrimeCast: Fidelis Omozuapo
Welcome to Financial CrimeCast. In this series, the Centre for Legal Leadership, supported by RPC, talks to leaders in the field of financial crime, compliance and ethics. Guests discuss their career journey, what they have learnt along the way and the financial crime issues they see on the horizon.
Read moreSports Ticker (15th Jan 2021) - Ice skating body infringed competition law, Sport in England will not be banned under the new national lockdown, British Boxing Board of Control suspend all tournaments
Welcome to the latest edition of the RPC Sports Ticker - providing fortnightly bite-size updates from around the sports industry.
Read moreCorporate Tax Update - January 2021
Welcome to the latest edition of our Corporate Tax Update, written by members of RPC’s tax team. This month’s update reports on some of the key developments from December 2020. Included in this update are summaries of an unexpected twist in the DAC6 saga, a call for evidence on VAT and the ‘sharing economy’, and the Court of Appeal decision in the Development Securities case. As ever we hope you, your family and friends are all staying safe.
Read moreSnapshots Winter 2020
A roundup of key legal developments for the modern commercial lawyer.
Read moreA holistic assessment of the fairness of penalty terms in consumer contracts
Case C-738/19 A v B EU:C:2020:687 (10 September 2020)
Read moreAnnual Insurance Review 2021
Welcome to RPC's 2021 annual insurance review. No prizes for guessing what we will be talking about this year.
Read moreA look at cyber insurance
Welcome to Insurance Covered! The podcast that looks at the inner workings of the insurance industry with the help of expert guests. This episode we are joined by Dania Rifaat, Speciality Claims Manager at Hiscox, and we will be looking at cyber insurance.
Read moreWhat if the CEO asks me about... protecting our supply chain?
The interlinked and complex nature of modern global supply chains make them vulnerable to a range of risks, including multiple potential points of failure and slimmer margins of error to account for delays or disruptions. The COVID-19 pandemic, coupled with Brexit, have created a once-in-a-generation test of supply chain planning, agility and flexibility for retailers and their suppliers. While these circumstances may lead to a revisiting of supply chain strategy and optimisation in the long term, short-term actions will need to be taken to meet the immediate challenge.
Read moreThe new corporate criminal offence of failure to prevent tax evasion
In this episode, we are joined by Sam Dean, who spearheads HMRC's campaign to raise awareness of the corporate criminal offence of failure to prevent tax evasion.
Read moreLondon Clubs Management - non-negotiable chips and promotional vouchers not part of casino's "banker's profits" for the purpose of calculating gaming duty
In HMRC v London Clubs Management Ltd [2020] UKSC 49, the Supreme Court held that where casinos provide gamblers with non-negotiable chips and/or promotional vouchers (Non-negs) which could be used for gaming but not encashed or exchanged for goods or services, they do not form part of the casino's "banker's profits" for the purpose of calculating its liability to gaming duty.
Read moreBeware of trying to address gaps in your evidence during trial: High Court refuses permission to rely on a new witness statement prepared part-way through trial
The "inherent unreliability" in evidence prepared during trial, and the high risk that the evidence had been tailored to fit the current state of the claimant's case, caused the High Court to refuse the claimant permission to rely on a witness statement of one its in-house lawyers, prepared during an ongoing trial, and to call that witness to give oral evidence during the trial. (1)
Read moreCovid-19 vaccines: an injection of politics
A legacy of the pandemic will be greater debate, amongst politicians and the public, about how life sciences products are brought to the market.
Read moreHold your horses: Raceday data dispute likely to head to Supreme Court
In a dispute, between suppliers of live betting and raceday data from racecourses, the Court of Appeal was asked to consider whether a duty of confidence could be applied to live sports data between its creation and broadcast when that information was available in real time. We look at the Court's decision, and the reasons for it, in more detail below.
Read moreHalliburton v Chubb
Repeat arbitrator appointments in the context of trade credit and political risk insurance arbitration
Read moreEurochoice: Company and its director held jointly and severally liable for HMRC's costs
In Eurochoice Ltd v HMRC [2020] UKFTT 449 (TC), the First-tier Tribunal (FTT) has held that a company and its director are jointly and severally liable for HMRC's costs in circumstances where only the company was party to the appeal proceedings.
Read moreTotal – Court of Appeal considers meaning of "just and reasonable" apportionment of profits
In Total E&P North Sea UK Ltd and Another v HMRC [2020] EWCA Civ 1419, the Court of Appeal (CoA) allowed the appellant companies' appeal and decided that the basis of the companies' apportionment of adjusted ring-fence profits was just and reasonable, for the purposes of an election under section 7(5), Finance Act 2011 (FA 2011).
Read moreBuy Now Pay…after Christmas? The ASA's new guidance on BNPL advertising
The ASA has published detailed guidance to retailers when advertising delayed payment services (Guidance), often called Buy Now Pay Later products (BNPL).
Read moreRecruitment in the insurance industry
Welcome to Insurance Covered! The podcast that looks at the inner workings of the insurance industry with the help of expert guests. Our guest this week is Paul Miller, Senior Consultant at HFG Insurance Recruitment, and our topic for discussion will be recruitment in the insurance industry.
Read moreSports Ticker (21st Dec 2020) - post-Brexit football signings, claim against Rugby Unions’ governing bodies for brain damage and the provision of free-to-air coverage of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics
Welcome to the latest edition of the RPC Sports Ticker - providing fortnightly bite-size updates from around the sports industry.
Read moreUpcoming changes to data protection legislation in Asia
The data privacy landscape in Asia is varied, complex and evolving. We are already seeing the wheels of change in motion as the data privacy laws of several Asian jurisdictions are being updated to reflect more closely the European data protection regime. This article summarises some of those changes.
Read moreCumEx - probably the biggest tax scandal you've never heard of
In this episode, we are joined by Bloomberg finance reporter Donal Griffin. For the past 18 months Donal has been following the development of the multi-billion tax trading scandal known as CumEx.
Read moreDie Hard and the importance of insurance
Insurance is at the heart of modern life; and what better way to remind ourselves of this fact, at this festive time of year, than to consider the film Die Hard and all its many insurance claims.
Read moreRegulatory update - December 2020
Welcome to the December edition of the Regulatory update, which pulls together recent developments from across the UK’s regulators – to help you navigate the regulatory maze.
Read moreRPC Bites #23 - Northern Ireland Protocol breakthrough, victory for the UK organics sector and eco faux pas for Gousto
Welcome to RPC Bites. Our aim in the next 2 minutes is to provide you with a flavour of some key legal, regulatory and commercial developments in the Food & Drink sector over the last fortnight… with the occasional bit of industry gossip thrown in for good measure. Enjoy!!
Read moreThe Court of Appeal provides useful reminder of the force of the "subject to contract" label in the context of settlement negotiations
A Part 36 offer does not alter the status of "subject to contract" protection in solicitors' correspondence settling a dispute.
Read moreLate service of evidence requires relief from sanctions
An application to admit witness evidence outside the directions timetable should be treated like an application for relief from sanctions under CPR 3.9 according to the High Court in Wolf Rock (Cornwall) Ltd v Langhelle
Read moreMcCabe: HMRC not required to disclose documents relating to discussions with the Belgian tax authority
In Kevin McCabe v HMRC [2020] UKUT 266 (TC), the Upper Tribunal (UT) has held that the First-tier Tribunal (FTT) had been correct not to order HMRC to disclose documents relating to discussions it had with the Belgian tax authority, as the documents had no probative value and the tax authorities had raised confidentiality issues.
Read moreBrexit – a guide to protecting your rights from 1 January 2021
Like many other areas of law, intellectual property (IP) will undergo a raft of changes overnight, when the Brexit transition period expires on December 31 2020.
Read moreRPC Insurtech in brief – December 2020
Welcome to the latest edition from RPC Insurtech in brief providing you with a handful of snappy monthly updates from the industry.
Read moreContentious tax: quarterly review
HMRC is increasingly targeting multinationals, in particular by questioning their transfer pricing arrangements and ensuring that they are not artificially diverting profits away from the UK. Additionally, HMRC has made a number of arrests and begun criminal investigations in relation to suspected fraud concerning the coronavirus job retention scheme.
Read moreFinancial CrimeCast: Lucille Dolor
Welcome to Financial CrimeCast. In this series, the Centre for Legal Leadership, supported by RPC, talks to leaders in the field of financial crime, compliance and ethics. Guests discuss their career journey, what they have learnt along the way and the financial crime issues they see on the horizon.
Read moreCyber_Bytes - Issue 27
Welcome to Cyber_Bytes, our bi-weekly round up of key developments in cyber, tech and evolving risks.
Read moreSpotlight on private wealth - December 2020
Our quarterly update is designed to keep you up to speed with developments in the private wealth world.
Read moreFerrari slams the breaks on trade mark revocation as the CJEU hands down a significant ruling on luxury goods and 'genuine use'
The European Court of Justice (CJEU) recently ruled that the use of an EU trade mark for sales of second-hand goods or spare parts can constitute 'genuine use' for the purposes of European trade mark law. The CJEU also found that where a mark is registered for a broad category of goods (in this case, "vehicles and their parts"), its use in respect of high-priced luxury sports cars and their spare parts only constitutes 'genuine use' for the entire category. The decision will be welcomed by luxury brand owners, in particular, those seeking to protect legacy or discontinued product lines.
Read moreRT Rate: Legitimate expectation rights not engaged
In RT Rate Ltd and Others v HMRC [2020] UKFTT 392 (TC), the First-tier Tribunal (FTT) has held that it does not have jurisdiction to consider claims for repayment of VAT based on the EU law principle of legitimate expectation.
Read moreInsurance Covered Christmas special – A look at Armadillo (With William Boyd)
Welcome to Insurance Covered! The podcast that looks at the inner workings of the insurance industry with the help of expert guests. For this episode we are doing something a bit different.
Read moreTaxing Matters: The impact of the loan charge with Keith Gordon
Welcome to the Taxing Matters podcast. In this episode, Keith Gordon joins Alice Kemp to discuss the Loan Charge; a topic very dear to his heart and one that has had a devastating impact on many who have been victims of schemes.
Read moreSports Ticker (3rd Dec 2020) - EA sports image rights, NFL make history, Nintendo
Welcome to the latest edition of the RPC Sports Ticker - providing fortnightly bite-size updates from around the sports industry.
Read moreRPC Bites #22 - Brexit tips with 30 days to go, ASA rulings and farming subsidy reforms
Welcome to RPC Bites. Our aim in the next 2 minutes is to provide you with a flavour of some key legal, regulatory and commercial developments in the Food & Drink sector over the last fortnight… with the occasional bit of industry gossip thrown in for good measure. Enjoy!!
Read moreLargest 'white elephant' in history of group actions
BHP successfully applies to strike out 200,000 claims as an abuse of process. Had the judge not struck the claims out, he would have stayed proceedings on jurisdictional grounds under Article 34 and the doctrine of forum non conveniens. (1)
Read moreFinancial CrimeCast: Andy McClarron
Welcome to Financial CrimeCast. In this series, the Centre for Legal Leadership, supported by RPC, talks to leaders in the field of financial crime, compliance and ethics. Guests discuss their career journey, what they have learnt along the way and the financial crime issues they see on the horizon.
Read moreTax Bites - December 2020
Welcome to the latest edition of RPC's Tax Bites - providing monthly bite-sized updates from the tax world.
Read moreAMW Estates – Part of HMRC's pleaded case struck out as it had no realistic prospect of success
In AMW Estates Ltd v HMRC [2020] UKFTT 410 (TC), the First-tier Tribunal (FTT) struck out part of HMRC's amended Statement of Case (SoC) alleging that a taxpayer had actual or constructive knowledge of its supplier's fraud as it had no realistic prospect of success.
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