<p>Filter Knowledge</p>

A regular briefing for the alternative asset management industry. 

ESG and sustainability issues continue to be a priority for policy makers and regulators globally. The impact of the Ukraine conflict on energy policy and the recent publication of the IPCC's (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) "state of the union" report on the slender window we have to take action in order to meet our climate targets both highlight the scale of the global challenge we face on climate issues.

In the recent decision in MUR Shipping BV v RTI Ltd [2022] EWHC 467 (Comm), the court found that a force majeure clause applied, even though the affected party had offered alternative performance. The case also contains some useful lessons about the limits of arbitral appeals and obligations to pay in a particular currency against the background of sanctions.

With claimants around the globe continuing to bring novel and ambitious climate change-related cases before common law Courts, some judges are hesitant to be drawn into what may be perceived as a political debate.

The UK Government has announced that new border controls on imports from the EU scheduled for July 2022 are being postponed. In the short term, many (but not all) businesses are likely to welcome this move, as it reduces the risk of disruption to supply chains and will ease cost pressures.

The European Commission published a draft Data Act on 23 February 2022 ("Data Act"), as part of the implementation of its February 2020 strategy for data. This proposed regulation, which will have direct effect in members states, is intended to set standards at an EU-wide level to facilitate and create a fairer, more competitive digital environment for the sharing and re-use of data (both personal and non-personal). This briefing looks at who the Data Act impacts, what it does and how it fits into the EU's vision for a single European market for data.

Funds Partner Sam Kay and Tax Partner Elena Rowlands have featured in the latest edition of Private Equity International discussing the increasing disclosure and transparency requirements fund managers are having to comply with.

As we emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic, the importance of responsible business and sustainability has never been so clear. From the growing efforts worldwide to avert the climate emergency to public action on racial injustice, society at large is increasingly focused on confronting a broad range of environmental and social issues.

In pursuit of its commitment to prevent all avoidable plastic waste by the end of 2042, the UK Government has recently begun to impose a tax on the manufacture and import of significant volumes of plastic packaging which does not contain a minimum amount of recycled content. The aim of the tax is to increase demand for recycled plastics, creating an incentive to collect and recycle plastic waste and divert it away from landfill and incineration.

In the recent case of SK Shipping Europe Ltd v Capital VLCC 3 Corp (C Challenger) [2022] EWCA Civ 231, the Court of Appeal clarified several points in the law of misrepresentation, including the circumstances in which a representation of fact will be implied from the offer of a contractual term, the effect of a reservation of rights on an alleged affirmation, and the operation of section 2(2) of the Misrepresentation Act 1967 concerning damages in lieu of rescission.

We recently released our update on the Commercial Rents (Coronavirus) Bill and the changes to Covid-19 restrictions on landlord enforcement options that came into effect in March 2022.

Meet the people who make up our Dispute Resolution practice and learn more about the market-leading work we do. Containing a host of thought leadership pieces on trending topics and current developments in the UK litigation market and insights into what matters to us as a team.

Welcome to our Travelling. Seamlessly. global mobility podcast series.

Travelling. Seamlessly. podcast series

In the seventh episode of the series, Associate Hannah McCullagh provides an overview on the key affects that Brexit has had on "services" and "data".

If you had an employee share plan or arrangement in the 2021/22 tax year, now is the time to start thinking about your annual reporting obligations.

In this case, the High Court rejected the defendant's application for its expert and factual witnesses, who were both based in Kenya, to give evidence via video link, or for there to be a hybrid trial which the witnesses could attend remotely. 

Following lengthy debate, the Government has published details of the way in which it will reform the UK competition law landscape. However, with many aspects requiring legislative change, it is as yet unclear when these will be given teeth. Our briefing discusses the key changes to the merger, markets and competition law regimes. We will comment separately on the overhaul of the consumer law regime.

Welcome to our series of podcasts focusing on international employment law.

At the end of March 2022, the UK Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) announced the unconditional clearance at Phase 1 of Freshways group's (Freshways) acquisition of the Medina group (Medina).