DLA Piper

A SIPP from the devil’s cup: Adams v Options UK Personal Pensions appeal

In this In Practice article, the authors consider the Court of Appeal decision in Adams v Options UK Personal Pensions¹ in which a regulated firm was found liable because its unregulated introducer “encouraged” clients to enter investments.

Operative and material? Ten years later: setting aside a judgment for fraud

In Balber Kaur Takhar v Gracefield Developments,¹ Steven Gasztowicz QC, sitting in the High Court as a deputy High Court judge, set aside a judgment issued ten years earlier on the basis it had been procured by fraud. The court considered the correct test to apply when setting aside a judgment for fraud – which ultimately turns on whether the fraud is operative and material.

Expectations of privacy for individuals under investigation

The appeal in ZXC v Bloomberg is expected to be heard by the Supreme Court later this year. The outcome of this appeal could diminish the expectation of privacy currently afforded to individuals under investigation by law enforcement agencies. With the law on corporate criminal liability under review by the Law Commission, and a growing appetite for claims against senior executives in the financial services sector, this is a case to watch. This piece provides a refresher on the rights currently conferred on suspects.

The Quincecare duty: 30 years on

In a sign of the times, the first quarter of this year has seen three cases on a bank’s duty to refrain from executing a payment instruction where it has reasonable grounds to suspect the transaction may be an attempt to misappropriate the account-holder’s funds. Until now, in the thirty years since it was first recognised, cases relating to the so-called Quincecare duty have been few and far between. This in itself indicates the narrow circumstances in which the courts have found the duty has not only been breached, but even arisen in the first place.

Section 32 Limitation Act: an evolving yet difficult route for claimants

The “crypto crash”: a catalyst for further crypto litigation?

In recent years, the cryptoasset market has developed rapidly, with market capitalisation for cryptoassets estimated to have been around US$2.6-3trn in 2021.1 The market for decentralised finance (DeFi), although still relatively small, has also expanded quickly from less than US$10bn in 2020 to nearly US$100bn in 2021.2 However, over the last few months the cryptoasset market – specifically cryptocurrencies – has been seeing one of its worst selloffs since a market rally in 2020. This has sparked panic amongst investors, causing substantial financial losses. Inevitably, this has seen a flurry of litigation globally in recent months. This trend is likely to continue. We consider the causes of the crypto crash and the likely litigation risks for financial institutions and advisers.

Climate derivative actions: over before they began?

Earlier this year, environmental law charity ClientEarth announced the first UK climate-based shareholder derivative action, seeking to hold a board of directors accountable for alleged deficiencies in their emissions reduction strategy. The claim fell at the first hurdle, the High Court refusing it permission to proceed on the papers – albeit ClientEarth will now have a second bite at the cherry in an oral hearing. This In Practice article considers the lessons learnt for future climate-related claims and the potential impact for the financial services sector.

Buy-Now Pay-Later Regulation: what’s next for third-party lenders?

HM Treasury’s (HMT) latest consultation on the UK regulation of Buy-Now Pay-Later lending (BNPL) includes welcome clarification regarding the scope of regulation and the application of exemptions, plus proposed draft amendments to the existing legislation. We examine the ambit of future regulation, where further clarification is required and the likely impact on consumer experience.

Corporate climate-related disclosures: what’s next?

The authors look at the progress made to date by the UK government in implementing climate-related disclosure rules and consider the preparatory steps that organisations should take ahead of the inevitable introduction of additional disclosure requirements.

Intra-group loan agreements: what do finance lawyers need to know?

In the current economic landscape, which is plagued with high inflation and interest rates, the legal agreements covering intra-group loan transactions are being reviewed with a fine-tooth comb from an arm’s length perspective. This is because loan agreements are a starting point for any transfer pricing analysis and if done properly (ie are arm’s length) can assist in justifying interest deduction locally ensuring that there is no, to limited, double taxation. The question is however – what does an arm’s length loan agreement entail? In this In Practice article, we explore this question and highlight the key aspects to consider with their potential repercussions.