The High Court has struck out the most recent claim to engage the so-called “reflective loss” principle, in proceedings brought by a parent company and its subsidiary against advisers that prepared the parent company for its IPO on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM): Naibu Global International Company plc & Anor v Daniel Stewart & Company … Read more

This month, there have been some significant regulatory announcements in relation to climate-related disclosures. These announcements are a result of the increasing focus on climate change and sustainability risks across governments, regulators and industry and a continued move towards corporate compliance with the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures’ (TCFD) recommendations. While not launching new … Read more

The Journal of International Banking Law and Regulation (JIBLR) has published an article written by members of our securities class action practice: Capital Raisings and Opportunistic M&A in a Covid-19 Environment—Lessons Learned from the Global Financial Crisis. Covid-19 will make it inevitable that some companies will need to bolster their capital positions, which will lead … Read more

One of the key features of the commercial litigation landscape in England and Wales is that costs generally follow the event, creating a disincentive for claimants to commence unmeritorious claims given their exposure to the defendant’s legal costs if the claim ultimately fails. This is also true (indeed, potentially even more so) if, as is … Read more

In the first decision to consider the so-called “reflective loss” principle since the Supreme Court’s judgment in Sevilleja v Marex Financial Ltd [2020] UKSC 31 earlier this year, the High Court has emphasised the newly narrowed scope of the rule: Broadcasting Investment Group Ltd & Ors v Smith & Ors [2020] EWHC 2501 (Ch). As a … Read more

Herbert Smith Freehills LLP have published an article in Butterworths Journal of International Banking and Financial Law on the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA)’s proposals for regulating climate-related disclosures and the litigation risks which may arise for issuers from such proposals. Climate change has been part of the political and regulatory discourse for years. However, it … Read more

Herbert Smith Freehills LLP have published an article in Butterworths Journal of International Banking and Financial Law on the principal characteristics of third party litigation funding in the securities class action markets in Australia and England and Wales. In Australia, the rise of securities class actions over the last decade has been driven in part … Read more

The Court of Appeal has recently had the opportunity to consider, once again, the so-called “SAAMCO” principle in AssetCo plc v Grant Thornton UK LLP [2020] EWCA Civ 1151. While many reported decisions considering the SAAMCO principle arise in the audit and accountancy sector (including the present case), it is often a key and difficult issue … Read more