Press and Media
News, views and comment - RPC in the media.
Six major global trends in insurance in 2020: RPC’s Annual Insurance Review
The fallout from protests such as Extinction Rebellion and the increasing popularity of ‘telemedicine’ – medicine over the internet – are just two of the major trends that are set to impact insurers in 2020, according to RPC, the City-headquartered law firm.
Read more48% rise in the value of fines issued to audit firms by the FRC – nearly £25m in 2019
There has been a 48% increase in the value of fines issued by the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) to audit firms in 2019. Fines issued to auditors have risen to £24.9m in 2019 (year to December 31) from £16.8m in 2018*, says RPC, the City-headquartered law firm.
Read moreWorrying decline in use of HMRC mediation to settle tax disputes
HMRC figures show a worrying decline in use of mediation to settle tax disputes in the past year, with the number of cases entering mediation falling 25% from 553 in 2017/18 to just 417 in 2018/19*, says City-headquartered law firm RPC.
Read moreWhy we need a super regulator
The high street is experiencing a rash of administrations, but could regulators fix the mess?
Read moreRPC appoints Director of Information Technology
City-headquartered law firm RPC is pleased to announce the appointment of Ben Denison as Director of Information Technology, starting work at the law firm on 6 January 2020.
Read moreBeer trademarks hit record high of 2,500 in a year
The number of trademarks registered for beer in the UK has hit a record high in 2018, jumping 6% to 2,519, up from 2,372 in 2017*, says RPC, the City-headquartered law firm.
Read moreArrests made by HMRC fall to five-year low
The number of arrests of taxpayers made by HMRC for suspected tax evasion has fallen to a five-year low of just 782 in the last year*, says RPC, the City-headquartered law firm.
Read moreRPC refreshes partnership structure to offer greater choice for lawyers and depth for clients
City-headquartered law firm RPC is introducing a number of new senior level roles for lawyers to reflect the changing expectations of its people, the market, and client demand.
Read moreCity law firm RPC comments on Labour cyberattack
Earlier today media reported that the UK Labour Party became victim of a sophisticated Cyber attack.
Read moreCity law firm RPC comments on Saracens fine
Yesterday, the Premiership Rubgy fined UK Rugby champions Saracens with a 35 point deduction and £5.36 million for breaching salary cap rules.
Read moreRPC advises Ebury on sale of majority stake to Santander for £350m
RPC advised UK based fintech Ebury on sale of a majority stake to Banco Santander, a leading retail and commercial bank, founded in 1857 and headquartered in Spain. Ebury is a UK-based fintech company specialising in trade and foreign exchange facilitation for SMEs, operating in 19 countries and across 140 currencies.
Read moreNo let-up in retail sector insolvencies – 1,252 last year
New data published today shows that there has been no let-up in the number of retail businesses entering insolvency, with 1,252 insolvencies in the sector in the last year, up from 1,232 the year before says RPC, the City-headquartered law firm.
Read moreE-retailer takeovers rise as high street decline increases pressure to grow online sales
The number of M&A deals for UK e-retailers has risen to 12 in the past year*, up from eight last year, says City-headquartered law firm RPC.
Read more‘Craft’ spirits boom continues, driving new trade mark registrations to a record high
The expansion of the UK craft spirits industry shows no sign of abating, with the industry filing a record number of trade mark registrations in the last year, says RPC, the City-headquartered law firm. The number of new trade marks registered for spirits jumped 12% in the past year, with 2,482 filed in 2018, up from 2,210 in the previous 12 months.
Read moreRPC commits to Mindful Business Charter
We are proud to report that last night RPC signed the Mindful Business Charter, an initiative developed to mitigate unnecessary stress in the workplace. The Charter is a commitment by the firm to seek to change avoidable working practices which can have a negative effect on mental health and wellbeing. It aims to build trust and effective communication between colleagues, clients and contacts.
Read moreUK allergy-related food recalls jump 20% in a year to 5-year high
Food recalls relating to allergens have jumped 20% in the past year, as concerns rise over the dangers of poorly labelled foods, says RPC, the City-headquartered law firm. 122 food products were withdrawn from the market in 2018/19, compared to 102 in 2017/18.
Read moreMedical device alerts hit four-year high
The number of alerts issued by the Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has hit a four-year high of 35 in the past year*, up from 32 last year and more than double the 17 alerts issued three years ago, says City-headquartered law firm RPC.
Read moreRussia/CIS disputes Partner to boost global arbitration and litigation capability
Law firm RPC's global dispute resolution capability has received a further boost with the hire of Russia/CIS specialist Tatiana Minaeva. A Russian, English and German speaker, Tatiana joins the firm's London office and will have a particular focus supporting clients across Russia, other CIS states and Eastern Europe, as well as in Israel and Turkey.
Read more65% increase in challenges to rates bills by businesses in the last quarter
There has been a 65% increase in the number of businesses challenging their rates bill in the last quarter, with 4,000 challenges made in the first quarter of 2019, up from 2,430 challenges in Q4 2018, says RPC, the City-headquartered law firm.
Read more65% increase in challenges to rates bills by businesses in the last quarter
There has been a 65% increase in the number of businesses challenging their rates bill in the last quarter, with 4,000 challenges made in the first quarter of 2019, up from 2,430 challenges in Q4 2018*, says RPC, the City-headquartered law firm.
Read moreFCA gives payments and e-commerce industry extra time to implement Strong Customer Authentication
Jeremy Drew, Co-Head of Retail at RPC, the City headquartered law firm comments: “Retailers are going to be delighted that the FCA is taking a pragmatic approach to enforcement of SCA.”
Read moreGovernment must act fast to waive UK competition law for food & drink industry to prepare for no deal Brexit, say lawyers
The Government must act fast to waive competition laws to allow the food & drink industry to prepare for a possible “no deal” Brexit, says City-headquartered law firm RPC.
Read moreSales at UK’s leading online retailers rise 16% in just one year
Sales at the UK’s Top 20 largest online retailers have risen 16% in the last year to £9.5bn, up from £8.2bn the year before*, shows new research from RPC, the City-headquartered law firm.
Read moreRetail insolvencies up 6% in a year to 1,260
There has been a 6% rise in the number of retail businesses entering insolvency, to 1,260 in the past year (year-end June 30 2019) from 1,189 the previous year*, says RPC, the City-headquartered law firm.
Read moreRPC Partner speaks to the Westminster Media Forum on the future of UK online advertising regulation
Olly Bray took to brandishing his Love Island water bottle at the Westminster Media Forum recently, to illustrate the issues raised by influencer marketing regulation.
Read moreTop risks to the retail industry in 2019: RPC’s Retail Compass Summer edition 2019
RPC, the City-headquartered law firm, has launched its Summer 2019 Retail Compass, its guide to the upcoming legal and policy changes affecting the retail industry.
Read moreFCA investigations into individuals double in 2018
FCA investigations into individuals have doubled in the last year, with the number of cases involving individuals being referred to the FCA’s Regulatory Decisions Committee (RDC) rising to 27 in 2018 (year end Dec 31) from 13 the year before*, says RPC, the City-headquartered law firm.
Read moreRPC adds Partner to Restructuring and Insolvency team
RPC has hired restructuring and insolvency partner Paul Bagon to work across its commercial, corporate and disputes practices. Paul has spent the majority of his career practising insolvency and restructuring law in leading international law firms including Weil, Gotshal & Manges. He has worked on some of the largest and most high profile recent global restructurings and insolvencies.
Read moreFootball and music disputes continue to dominate UK High Court
Football and music bodies continue to be the most active users of the UK High Court, as they crack down on businesses breaching copyright law, shows new research from RPC, the City-headquartered law firm.
Read moreRPC digital marketing executive breaks world powerlifting record
Moya Williams – a digital expert in law firm RPC's Brand, Marketing & Sales team – broke the world record for the deadlift* at the recent All England Powerlifting Championship, held in Northampton.
Read moreRoyal accolade for Link, the cross industry LGBT+ network
Link, the LGBT+ network for the insurance industry, which launched in 2013, has received the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the equivalent of an MBE and the highest accolade given to volunteer groups in the UK.
Read moreRPC secures highly-regarded commercial disputes Partner in Hong Kong
Charles Allen, former Head of Commercial Litigation and International Arbitration at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe in Hong Kong, joins the team at RPC
Read moreRPC Premier Law secures disputes team from Clyde & Co Clasis
The team is led by Partner Gerald Yee who joins RPC's Singapore office on 1 June.
Read moreAverage ICO fine jumps 14% in a year to £143,000 in the wake of GDPR
The average fine levied by the Information Commissioner’s Office has risen 14% in the year since the introduction of GDPR, rising from £125,000 in 2017/18 to £143,000 in 2018/19*, says City-headquartered law firm RPC.
Read moreFCA investigations into directors of financial services companies jump 29% in a year
The number of investigations opened by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) into directors of financial services companies jumped 29% to 58 in 2018* (year to December 2018), up from 45 in 2017
Read more24% fall in the number of M&A deals in the retail sector last year
The number of UK retail sector M&A deals has fallen by 24% in the last year, to 27 in 2018/19 (year to March 31 2019) from 37 the year before.
Read more65 hacking prosecutions last year, up from 47 – but still too small a percentage of reported cybercrimes
Over 17,900 incidences of computer hacking reported in the UK in 2018. However, despite the rise last year, the number of prosecutions still represents less than 1% of reported cybercrimes in the UK.
Read moreCity law firm RPC advises NYSE-listed Allison Transmission on its acquisition of an electric vehicle technology specialist, Vantage Power
This transaction continues our strong record of advising on significant tech deals
Read moreRPC makes up six new Partners in 2019 round
RPC welcomes Charles Buckworth, Rachel Healey, Ben Mark, Peter Sugden, Robert Waterson and Alan Williams to the Partnership following completion of its annual promotions process.
Read moreHMRC issues another 1400 demands to accountancy and law firms in relation to clients suspected of tax evasion
HMRC issued another 1,414 requests to accountants, lawyers and other professional services firms last year* demanding information on clients that it wants to investigate for suspected tax evasion, says RPC, the City-headquartered law firm.
Read moreRPC seals strategic alliance with US law firm
Our insurance practice has entered into a strategic alliance with US firm, Hinshaw & Culbertson. Headquartered in Chicago Illinois, Hinshaw & Culbertson has 21 offices across the United States including in New York, Massachusetts, Florida and California and has a strong insurance sector focus.
Read moreData breaches reported by financial services firms rise 480% in a year to 145
The number of data breaches reported by UK financial services firms to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) increased 480% in 2018, to 145 up from just 25 in 2017, shows research from RPC, the City-headquartered law firm.
Read moreRecalls of unsafe food jump 40% in a year as concerns rise over allergy deaths
Recalls of unsafe food products in the UK have jumped by 40% from 145 to 203 in the last year as concerns rise over poorly-labelled foods causing allergy-related deaths, says RPC, the City-headquartered law firm.
Read moreGovernment consultation on airport alcohol sales risks unnecessary red tape and costs for retailers
The Government’s potential restriction on sales of alcohol at airports risks adding unnecessary red tape and costs to one of the UK retail and leisure industry’s biggest success stories, says RPC, the City-headquartered law firm.
Read moreRPC Premier Law Partner appointed Senior Counsel at Singapore Bar
Partner Siraj Omar has been appointed Senior Counsel by the Chief Justice of Singapore.
Read moreGDPR introduction sees whistle-blower reports on data breaches rise 165%
The number of whistle-blower reports received by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) about potential data breaches at businesses has increased 165% since the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in May.
Read moreRPC Hong Kong office relocation for future growth plans
RPC is pleased to announce that our Hong Kong team is moving to a brand new office at One Taikoo Place in early January 2019.
Read moreInternational legal network Terralex announces RPC chair
TerraLex has announced that Tim Brown Partner at RPC, the City-headquartered law firm, has been elected as Chair of the global network. Tim replaces Harry P. Trueheart of Nixon Peabody.
Read moreRPC joins forces with diversity organisation Aspiring Solicitors
New partnership will play integral role in opening up access to the law for underrepresented groups
Read more28% rise in number of individuals being banned from financial services by the FCA
There has been a 28% rise in the number of individuals being banned from working in the financial services industry by the FCA last year, increasing to 23 in 2017/18 (September 20), up from just 18 the previous year.
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