Gender pay gap reporting: What the latest data tells us about law firm equality
The debate about fairness and transparency in law firms gained fresh urgency this summer with the release of Law360 UK’s first gender pay gap review. Based on mandatory disclosures and voluntary reports from over 100 of the UK’s biggest firms, the review shows that men earned on average 26% more than women in 2024. […]
Navigating data protection and DUAA: Your questions answered
Data protection continues to evolve, and with the UK’s new Data (Use and Access) Act (DUAA) now in force, many organisations are reassessing how they handle personal data. From marketing opportunities and vendor management to breach reporting and court cases, the questions often sit at the intersection of compliance, practicality and reputational risk. In […]
ESG’s slow fade: From corporate gospel to cautionary tale
For years, ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) was hailed as the future of business. It promised a framework where finance and corporate behavior aligned with climate action, human rights and ethical governance. Regulators embraced it, investors poured trillions into ESG-labelled funds, and CEOs pledged allegiance in glossy annual reports. For a while, it seemed unstoppable. […]
When employees go rogue: Data privacy risks, the new era of accountability and what this all means under the DUAA
A former British Gas employee is facing prison after admitting to stealing and selling customer data worth around £45K. Over a six-month period, he accessed the details of around 1,700 customers, including names, addresses, dates of birth and energy usage, and sold them to a marketing company. The case is significant not only because […]
First-ever AI-powered ransomware discovered. What does it mean for compliance and cybersecurity?
This past August, researchers at ESET revealed something cybersecurity experts have long anticipated: The first-ever AI-powered ransomware, dubbed PromptLock. Unlike traditional ransomware, which relies on pre-written code, PromptLock uses a large language model (LLM) to dynamically generate scripts for scanning files, stealing data, encrypting systems and even drafting ransom notes. What makes PromptLock especially […]
Proliferation financing in Australia: A new era for AML/CTF compliance
As Australia edges closer to the commencement of the Tranche 2 Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorist Financing (AML/CTF) reforms, regulated businesses including legal and professional service providers, face a significant new compliance obligation of proliferation financing (PF), alongside traditional money laundering (ML) and terrorism financing (TF) risks. This is the first time the AML/CTF Act explicitly […]
FCA’s crackdown on non-financial misconduct: What it means for businesses
On July 2, 2025, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) published its latest package of measures on non-financial misconduct (NFM), a landmark step in turning workplace behaviour into a regulatory matter. The paper combines a policy statement, confirming changes to the FCA’s Code of Conduct (COCON) and a consultation on additional guidance for both COCON and […]
UK corporate prosecutions: What the new guidance means for businesses
The UK’s corporate crime landscape is undergoing its most significant shift in years. On August 18, 2025, the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) and Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) jointly announced an overhaul of their Corporate Prosecutions Guidance, marking a decisive moment for organisations operating in the UK. With the failure to prevent fraud offence under […]
Seatrium’s settlement: The high cost of corruption and the long shadow of operation car wash
In what may be Singapore’s largest corruption-related settlement to date, offshore and marine engineering giant Seatrium has agreed to pay a huge, multi-million dollar settlement to resolve bribery allegations stemming from Brazil’s sweeping Operation Car Wash investigation. The deal involves $110m payable to Singapore under a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) and a further $131m to […]
Sanctions compliance in 2025: What OFSI’s proposed enforcement reforms mean for UK businesses
The UK government is signalling a sharper, more assertive approach to sanctions enforcement. Businesses need to pay attention On July 22, 2025, the Office of Financial Sanctions Implementation (OFSI) published a major consultation paper proposing reforms that could transform how civil breaches of financial sanctions are investigated and penalised in the UK. The changes […]