Artificial Intelligence (AI) is increasingly becoming part of our everyday lives. Ranging from speech-to-text recognition, translation software, chatbots to automated stock trading, AI is helping us with decision-making.

The Libralex Global Conference took place week in Central London where Managing Partner and arbitrator, John Abbott and Partner, Paddy Kelly gave talks at the working session on Ukraine.

On Friday 6 May London’s Christie’s hosted the second Libralex Art Law Conference in collaboration with The International Art Market Studies Association (TIAMSA) and Christie’s Education: “Blockchain and the Art Market: Hype or Revolution?” with a Keynote Speech from, Christie’s Deputy Chairman of 20th & 21st Century Art EMEA, Dirk Boll.

The number of listed companies in the UK has fallen by approximately 40% since the peak in 2008. During the past 5 years, the UK has only accounted for roughly 5% of global IPOs. It is clear that there has been a need to make the UK more attractive for listing fast-growing companies.

On 2 December 2021, the FCA published Policy Statement PS21/22 which sets out a series of changes to the Listing Rules to remove barriers to listing in London. The changes seek to reduce barriers to companies listing in the UK and encourage private companies to consider listing at an earlier stage, while still retaining high standards for investors.

The Supreme Court has today confirmed that Uber drivers are workers. Tribunals should look at the reality of the relationship and look past what the documentation says and in this case Uber drivers were not self-employed.

In a landmark ruling in “Schrems II” by the European Court of Justice on 16 July 2020, it was declared that the EU-US Privacy Shield is no longer valid when transferring personal data from the EU to the US on the basis that it does not fully protect EU citizens given the surveillance by US agencies.

Although the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has been extended to 31 October 2020, businesses would be well advised to shift their focus to what their workforce and their terms of employment might look like following a return to more normal working patterns. 

We are very pleased to announce that the latest, 2020 edition of Legal 500 has recognised Laytons LLP for a range of expertise across London, Manchester and Guildford.

The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act (the “Act”) has introduced a number of reforms to Companies House in March this year. One of the Act’s aims is to improve corporate transparency and enhance the role of Companies House.

In our latest review we reflect on some notable developments and trends in UK corporate and commercial law.

It is very likely that you will have heard of such terms as ‘crypto-currency’, ‘blockchain’ and ‘bitcoin’. Despite a growing awareness of the sector, there are many who do not understand what crypto-assets entail or, perhaps more pertinently, its applications and implications.