Insurance payouts for Covid business interruption near £1bn August 17, 2021 Insurers have paid out almost £1bn in claims to businesses that were forced shut during nationwide lockdowns, according to the latest figures released by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) this week. Insurance companies paid out £637m in full settlements to policyholders with cover for business interruption since January as well as over £309m in interim payments, brining the total to £946m. But the total payments for claims could be higher still, as more than 38 [...]
Travers Smith moving London HQ next door to Deloitte and Goldman Sachs August 17, 2021 Law firm Travers Smith will relocate its City of London headquarters in 2025 and neighbour Goldman Sachs and Deloitte offices. Its new headquarters will be based at Stonecutter Court, a 13-storey office in Farringdon which is a short distance from its current location on Snow Hill in the same area. The silver circle firm signed a [...]
Divorce enquiries jump 136 per cent as lockdown restrictions ease August 13, 2021 The number of people seeking divorce related advice has soared by 136 per cent in June, compared to January, as lockdown restrictions ease, according to a law firm. Law practice Stewarts said the figures follow the busiest 18 months it has seen in the history of its divorce and family practice as the number [...]
German MPs fail in bid to publish ‘dynamite’ report on EY’s Wirecard audits August 13, 2021 Germany’s highest court has rejected an attempt by MPs to force the publication of an unredacted report into EY’s audits of Wirecard, according to reports. The lawsuit was filed by MPs who had investigated the Wirecard fraud, one of the biggest corporate scandals, according to the Financial Times. The Federal High Court of Justice has [...]
PwC profit up 25 per cent to £1.2bn as private sector demand drove growth August 12, 2021 PwC has today reported that its total group profit for the financial year rose by 25 per cent to £1.2bn, as the firm saw renewed private sector demand drive growth for audit, deals and transformation services. The big four accountant also saw its gross revenue increase slightly by two per cent to £4.4bn for the [...]
Home working win: HR software firm Gusto hits $10bn valuation and mulls IPO August 10, 2021 HR software firm Gusto has hit a $10bn valuation following its latest funding round, amid work-from-home measures in which it thrived. The company secured $175m in a funding round in recent weeks, its CEO Josh Reeves told Forbes, after bagging $200m in capital last year. The capital rally was led by T. Rowe Price and [...]
Fine dining restaurant planned for the top of Lloyd’s of London August 10, 2021 Lloyd’s of London is considering adding a Michelin-starred restaurant to the top of its headquarters as part of a revamp of the insurance marketplace’s iconic building spaces. The creation of a high-end restaurant with enviable views of London is being considered as a way to create ‘destination style’ experiences, and attract more clients and members of [...]
Travers Smith partner profits soar 21 per cent to £1.2m August 10, 2021 Travers Smith partner profits have soared by over a fifth to £1.2m, following investment in asset management, M&A and dispute resolution. Profit per equity partner rose by 21.5 per cent to £1.2m while turnover was up 15 per cent at £186m according to provisional figures for the year ended 30 June 2021. “None of us [...]
Half a million UK partners in law firms and accountancies face tax hike in 2022 August 9, 2021 Over half a million sole traders and partners may face higher tax bills than expected next year if a government proposal to change the date businesses report their profits is approved. Experts have said it would generate billions of pounds for the Treasury years ahead of the existing schedule for payments, according to a report [...]
London law firms launch first global crypto fraud network August 9, 2021 A network for crypto-related fraud has been launched by a group of law firms, including Grant Thornton, in a bid to make the UK a global centre for crypto dispute resolution, amid a rise in scams. The ‘Crypto Fraud and Asset Recovery’ (CFAAR) network has been created with the aim of becoming a “known body [...]