LLPs remain under watchful eye – especially from the taxman June 18, 2026 Despite dodging Budget day taxes, the UK’s limited liability partnership (LLP) model is still facing intense scrutiny, this time from HMRC, which just had a good result from the top court this week, writes Maria Ward-Brennan. The LLP model, used by professional services such as law firms and accountancy firms, came into force 25 years [...]
City law firms ‘sleepwalking into a crisis’ over AI overreliance June 18, 2026 As legal tech valuations skyrocket, and AI dominates the airwaves, City law firms have been warned they are ‘sleepwalking into a crisis of judgment’ by treating AI as a definitive authority rather than a collaborative tool. A report by Positive Group, exclusively shared with City AM, stated that the legal sector faces a potential crisis [...]
HMRC secures £190m VAT appeal win against Bolt June 17, 2026 HMRC has won an appeal against ride hailing platform Bolt over how it calculates and pays its VAT, overturning previous decisions that had ruled in favour of Bolt. This follows an appeal hearing last month brought by the tax authority, which had questioned whether Bolt could use the tour operators’ margin scheme (TOMS). Under this [...]
From bathroom to courtroom: Lush chief’s squabble set to fizz in £6m trial June 17, 2026 The former chief executive of cosmetics giant Lush is set to face off against the current chief executive in a 19-day trial that spans more than 30 years of the company’s history and may cost over £6m in legal fees. The dispute stems from former chief executive Andrew Gerrie’s 2014 exit from the company, after [...]
Ex-Lush chief’s lawyers hike costs to ensure their AI model isn’t trained by juniors June 16, 2026 Lawyers for the former chief executive of cosmetics giant Lush, Andrew Gerrie, have hiked their fees ahead of a trial this month, partly as they will not allow junior staff to train their AI model, City AM can reveal. A court heard this morning that Gerrie’s legal team from Brown Rudnick have pushed up a [...]
Social media ban may push children to ‘darker corners of the internet,’ lawyers warn June 15, 2026 Sir Kier Starmer’s announcement to ban social media for under-16s on Monday morning may create privacy issues for children and encourage them to use less regulated platforms, legal experts have warned. Speaking at Downing Street on Monday, the Prime Minister said social media platforms are harming children’s wellbeing and making it easier for their mental [...]
Mayer Brown defends ‘do not disturb’ policy despite criticism from rivals June 15, 2026 When the US law firm Mayer Brown, based in the City, implemented a policy that partners should not disturb associates during their holidays, its London office managing partner said some rival partners criticised the move. Speaking to City AM, Dominic Griffiths said: “When I introduced that policy [three years ago], there were one or two [...]
Keeping up with the cash: SKIMS’ law firm hits record revenue June 15, 2026 UK law firm Browne Jacobson has hit record revenue of nearly £150m, partly driven by high-stakes projects, including advising Kim Kardashian’s clothing brand SKIMS on its flagship Regent Street store. The firm said it raked in £148.8m in revenue for the year, up 9 per cent from last year, driven by growth across the core [...]
‘Bogus claim’: Ryanair hits back at watchdog probe into family seating policy June 11, 2026 Ryanair is under investigation by the British competition watchdog over its policy that parents must pay to sit with their children. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched a probe into Ryanair’s terms and conditions (T&Cs), which require at least one parent to sit with their children aged 2-11 when they fly and make [...]
Rising salaries for junior lawyers put pressure on senior associates’ pay packages June 11, 2026 US law firms continue to drive a fierce salary war in London, leaving UK firms scrambling to keep up with soaring pay for junior lawyers, but as starting salaries rise, growing pay gaps threaten to unsettle senior associates, writes Maria Ward-Brennan. As of next month, London associates at Quinn Emanuel will see their salaries increase [...]