Columbia Law School
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Brexit Fools’ Day
March 29 was meant to be Brexit Day, marking the UK’s departure from the EU. Instead, it was yet another day of Brexit high drama as Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit deal was voted down for a third time, leaving …
How Workers As Directors Affect Tax Aggressiveness, Earnings Management
Employee participation in corporate decision-making is a trending issue for politicians on both sides of the pond. In the U.S. and the UK, politicians and the popular press are debating whether assigning board seats to workers by law could be …
The Brexit Twilight Zone
More Brexit chaos unfolded last week as the UK Parliament voted (1) for a second time to reject Theresa May’s Brexit deal, (2) to reject a no-deal Brexit and (3) in favor of Brexit delay. Yet these actions seem to …
Skadden Discusses UK Antitrust Authority’s Proposals for More Scrutiny and Weaker Judicial Review
On February 21, 2019, the U.K. Competition and Markets Authority (CMA), at the U.K. government’s request, set out “wide-ranging and radical” proposals to reshape U.K. competition enforcement and consumer protection regime.1
These are proposals at the very earliest stage, …
March Madness – Brexit Edition
The countdown to Brexit on March 29 brings new twists and turns every day. On Wednesday, the UK’s House of Commons voted on amendments to the Brexit process, establishing a March timetable for decisions on whether to seek a deal, …
Debevoise & Plimpton Discusses Responsible Investment as an Opportunity for European Funds
European private equity fund managers are well aware that demonstrating a commitment to responsible investment is becoming an essential component of a smooth and successful fundraising. Regulation is only one of the drivers for that change, but it is an …
Debevoise & Plimpton Discusses UK Financial Conduct Authority’s Proposal for Heads of Legal
In a long-awaited but widely-expected development, the UK Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) has issued a new consultation paper[1] proposing that Heads of Legal do not need to be designated as Senior Managers under the Senior Managers Regime (“SMR”). Ever …
The Faulty Governance of Ring-Fenced Banks in the UK
A key policy of UK financial regulation since the financial crisis has been the ring-fencing of retail banks into separate and independently operated entities, so-called “ring-fenced bodies” (RFBs), distinct from entities that carry on other, and especially investment, banking activities …
Institutional Investors, Voting Power, and Voting Patterns
Institutional shareholders’ role in corporate governance and their effect on firm value have been explored, both theoretically and empirically, mainly in the context of dispersed-ownership environments like the United States or the United Kingdom. In these common law countries, institutional …
Gibson Dunn Discusses Draft Divorce Deal on Brexit
Negotiators for the European Union and the United Kingdom have agreed a 585-page draft withdrawal agreement (the “Withdrawal Agreement”). A copy of the Withdrawal Agreement can be found here.
The draft Withdrawal Agreement sets out how and …
Skadden Discusses Merger Reviews and Antitrust Inquiries in Case of “No-Deal” Brexit
As the U.K.’s March 29, 2019, exit date from the European Union approaches, companies involved in merger reviews or antitrust investigations should pre-emptively address the risk of a “no-deal” Brexit.
Both the U.K. and EU have antitrust laws that can …
Debevoise Discusses UK’s Proposed National Security Review for M&A
Many countries have been looking again at their ability to block acquisitions when they threaten national security. For example, we reported on a change to German law in July last year, and a European Commission proposal (which would cover all …
Debevoise Discusses the UK’s Proposed National Security Review for M&A Deals
Many countries have been looking again at their ability to block acquisitions when they threaten national security. For example, we reported on a change to German law in July last year, and a European Commission proposal (which would cover all …
Gibson Dunn on Why the UK Is Heading for a “Soft Brexit”
Our discussions with politicians, civil servants, journalists and other commentators lead us to believe that the most likely outcome of the Brexit negotiations is that a deal will be agreed at the “softer” end of the spectrum, that the Conservative …
Addleshaw Goddard Discusses a “Hard” Brexit’s Implications and Practical Solutions
At 11 pm on March 29, 2019, the United Kingdom will leave the European Union. In the absence of a material change of trajectory in the Brexit negotiations, it is likely that the investment management industry will find itself grappling …
The Sky’s the Limit as Comcast and Fox Prepare for Battle at the Auction Block
For the last year, a heated ownership battle has been unfolding between Comcast and 20th Century Fox in their contest to acquire Sky PLC. Sky is Europe’s leading media company and the largest pay-TV broadcaster in the UK, with …
How to Achieve Equivalence of Financial Regulation in the EU and UK Post-Brexit
As the March 29, 2019 deadline approaches, the United Kingdom prepares its withdrawal from the European Union amidst political turbulence that would suit a television drama.[1] Center stage is what to do about the financial services industry. For the …
Wachtell Lipton Discusses UK Corporate Governance Code
The Financial Reporting Council on July 16 issued a revised corporate governance code and announced that a revised investor stewardship code will be issued before year-end. The code and related materials are available at www.frc.org.uk.
The revised code contains …
SEC Chief Accountant Talks Financial Reporting and Innovation
Thank you, Robert [Hodgkinson] for the kind introduction. Thank you, also, to the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (“ICAEW”) for sponsoring this event. I am delighted to be in London and with you this afternoon. London continues …