Search
Cyber bytes - Issue 16
Welcome to Cyber_Bytes, our bi-weekly roundup of key developments in cyber, tech and evolving risks.
Read moreBeyond the fruit and yoga: surviving or thriving?
Last week the RPC Mental Health Work Stream (our internal network) hosted an interactive session with over 60 colleagues and clients.
Read moreTales from COVID: Insurance in the time of coronavirus - Bad faith
In conjunction with our US alliance partners, Hinshaw and Culbertson LLP, we have produced a series of 'informal chats' with the title 'Tales from Covid: Insurance in the Time of Coronavirus'.
Read moreThe curse of COVID strikes again – implementation of the Home Survey Standard delayed
As a result of the lockdown imposed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the new RICS Home Survey Standard, which was due to be implemented next month has now been delayed until December 2020. Whilst this will allow practitioners more time to become familiar with the new standard, it causes an unwelcome disruption to the introduction of a measure that should provide greater clarity for both surveyors and consumers of what is expected when commissioning and conducting a home survey.
Read moreLoan covenant disputes likely to impact almost all industry sectors unless lenders and investors work to find resolution
Loan covenant disputes caused by the coronavirus crisis are likely to impact almost all industry sectors in the coming year, unless lenders and investors work together to resolve problems caused by covenant breaches.
Read moreFCA advice checker – FCA statement on what customers should look out for in DB transfer advice
Wrapping up the documents published by the FCA on 5 June 2020 on the issue of defined benefit pension transfers (DB transfers), we address in this blog the FCA's "advice checker".
Read moreThe future of DB transfer advice - the FCA's policy statement
In part 3 of our blog series on defined benefit pension transfers (DB transfers) we look at the FCA's policy statement on changes to the DB transfer rules. The change that has attracted most press attention is the ban on contingent charging but there are other parts to the policy statement that are likely to have a much more substantive impact on the DB transfer market going forward.
Read moreCK Hutchison wins in the ECJ – better late than never?
CK Hutchison wins its appeal against the EC's decision to block Three UK’s 2016 merger with O2.
Read moreRPC Bites #10
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.
Read more"Always look on the bright side of life" - even when life has been turned upside down
Seeing the coronavirus in a positive light
Read moreNo room for error – The decision in Mahoney v Royal Mail
In a decision reported by Crown Office Chambers, the claim of Mahoney v Royal Mail had been proceeding through the online claims portal uneventfully and in the usual manner. Liability had been admitted by the Defendant at stage 1 and the parties had been negotiating settlement at stage 2.
Read morePartners and closure notices: making amends
In R (on the application of Amrolia) v HMRC; R (on the application of Ranjit-Singh) v HMRC [2020] EWCA Civ 488, the Court of Appeal held that notices amending individual partners’ tax returns under section 28B(4), Taxes Management Act 1970 (TMA), were not closure notices and therefore did not need to specify the final amounts of tax due.
Read moreDB Transfers – the FCA's views on good and bad practice
Continuing our blog series, one of the documents produced by the FCA on Friday was a guidance consultation document intended to meet requests from the industry to help advisers understand the FCA's expectations when advising on pension transfers and conversions. The document includes examples of the FCA's views of good and bad practice in the area of defined benefit pension transfers (DB transfers). The stated aim is to "improve the suitability of DB transfer advice" and "to give advisers confidence to give good advice". The FCA expects firms providing DB transfer advice to read the document and once finalised it is intended that firms use it to identify any weaknesses in their existing processes.
Read moreSports Ticker 14 – PRO14, World TeamTennis and Man United v Football Manager
Welcome to the latest edition of the RPC Sports Ticker - providing fortnightly bite-size updates from around the sports industry.
Read moreDB transfers – further findings from the FCA's supervisory review
The FCA produced four documents on Friday addressing defined benefit pension transfers – an update on their supervisory work, a guidance consultation setting out examples of good and bad practice, an "advice checker" for consumers (including helping them consider if they should make a complaint) and a policy statement setting out changes to the defined benefit pension transfer rules which are to largely come into force from 1 October 2020. All are essential reading for an area the FCA continues to fixate on and where it has focussed since the April 2015 pension freedoms.
Read moreV@ update - May 2020
Welcome to the first edition of RPC's V@, an update on developments in the VAT world that may impact your business.
Read moreProduct Law bulletin – June 2020
Welcome to the latest edition of our product law update, this month we focus on how COVID-19 is impacting product liability regulation.
Read moreMinority shareholder oppression and the proper plaintiff rule – it gets personal
Section 216 of the Companies Act (Cap. 50) affords protection for minority shareholders where their interests are oppressed by the manner in which the company’s affairs are being conducted or by how the directors’ powers are being exercised.
Read moreTax Bites - June 2020
Welcome to the latest edition of RPC's Tax Bites - providing monthly bite-sized updates from the tax world.
Read moreA look at Lloyd's of London
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 look at Lloyd's of London, who they are and why they are such a key part of the global insurance industry. Our guest this week is Elliot Maule, Senior Programme & Marketing Manager at Lloyd's.
Read moreInternational risk team: The potential and perils of offshore wind
A recent report by the IEA(1) has laid bare the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the energy industry. Demand for coal and oil plummeted as entire countries and industries went into lockdown in the first quarter of 2020. Renewable energy, however, bucked the trend and actually saw demand increase, primarily due to larger installed capacity and priority dispatch.
Read moreSnapshots Spring 2020
This is your roundup of all recent legal updates spanning advertising & marketing, commercial cases,technology / digital, data protection and intellectual property.
Read moreInvestec - Court of Appeal confirms partnership contributions not deductible
In Investec Asset Finance Plc and Another v HMRC [2020] EWCA Civ 579, the Court of Appeal has held that partnership contributions were non-deductible, but has upheld the 'no double taxation' principle and prevented HMRC from introducing arguments not previously relied upon.
Read more
Gender stereotyping and the use of one gender in an ad
ASA ruling against PC Specialist
Read moreInfluencer marketing, alcohol and youthful looks
ASA ruling on Sazerac UK Ltd t/a Southern Comfort
Read moreNew CAP/CMA Guidance: #Ad(vice) for Influencers
What should influencers do to avoid falling foul of the Committee of Advertising Practice’s (CAP’s) standards on labelling ads?
Read moreOnline Affiliate Marketing: New CAP advice note
What should brands do to ensure that their affiliate marketing complies with the CAP Code?
Read moreNew EU Consumer Protection Co-operation Regulation comes into force
What does the revised EU Consumer Protection Cooperation Regulation (CPC) mean for traders and consumers?
Read moreEuropean Commission proposal for new Digital Services Act
What’s in the European Commission’s proposal for a new Digital Services Act (DSA)?
Read moreOnline Harms White Paper: consultation response
What has been the Government's response to the initial consultation on the Online Harms White Paper (White Paper)?
Read moreCJEU's CCTV ruling: guidance on legitimate interests processing
Case C-708/18 TK v Asociaţia de Proprietari bloc M5A-ScaraA EU:C:2019:1064
Read moreEPDB guidelines: Data Protection by Design and by Default
How familiar are you with the obligations in the GDPR to protect personal data by design and default (DPbDD)? And what practical measures can you take to help ensure compliance?
Read moreSchrems II - Advocate General's Opinion
Case C-311/18 Data Protection Commissioner v Facebook Ireland Ltd
Read moreICO issues monetary penalty notice against Cathay Pacific for data breach
When is the ICO likely to impose its maximum fine for a data breach?
Read moreICO monetary penalty notice against DSG Retail Ltd for data breach
What factors did the ICO take into account when issuing the maximum £500,000 penalty (under the old Data Protection Act) against DSG for a data security breach relating to its Point of Sale (POS) payment terminals?
Read moreAdtech and the data protection debate - where next?
How has the discussion surrounding the regulation of real-time bidding (RTB) evolved since the publishing of the ICO’s Adtech Update Report last June?
Read moreICO consults on new direct marketing code of practice
What is new about the ICO’s proposed new Direct Marketing Code of Practice (the New Code)?
Read more
Copyright: Works of artistic craftsmanship and Cofemel
Response Clothing Limited v The Edinburgh Woollen Mill Limited
Read moreMinisterial statement in response to Law Commission report on electronic execution of documents
How has the government responded to the Law Commission report on electronic execution of documents?
Read moreLegal advice privilege: dominant purpose
Court of Appeal (Civil Aviation Authority v R Jet2. Com Ltd [2020] EWCA Civ 35)
Read moreAcquisitions: clause in SPA construed as a covenant to pay, not an indemnity
When will a clause be considered a covenant to pay as opposed to an indemnity?
Read moreGood faith; contractual discretion
Morley (t/a Morley Estates) v Royal Bank of Scotland Plc [2020] EWHC 88 (Ch)
Read moreTales from COVID: Insurance in the time of coronavirus - Bankruptcy and insolvency
In conjunction with our US alliance partners, Hinshaw and Culbertson LLP, we have produced a series of 'informal chats' with the title 'Tales from Covid: Insurance in the Time of Coronavirus'.
Read moreLuxury and online marketplaces - the next chapter (Coty v Amazon)
On 2 April 2020, the CJEU ruled that storing infringing goods on behalf of a third-party seller, without knowing that those goods infringe trade mark rights does not constitute infringement, provided that the storing party does not pursue the aim of offering the goods for sale or putting them on the market.
Read moreCyber bytes - Issue 15
Welcome to Cyber_Bytes, our bi-weekly roundup of key developments in cyber, tech and evolving risks.
Read more