By: Maria Ward-Brennan

Professional Services Editor Maria Ward-Brennan is the Professional Services Editor at City AM, focused on law, Big Four, and other management and accounting consulting firms. She edits the Beyond The Billable newsletter and column. She was previously a litigation reporter at The Lawyer. Contact her via email at maria.ward-brennan@cityam.com or on X @MariaW_B.

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Russian tycoon’s ‘anti-anti-suit injunction’ succeeds as Transneft to face $14bn English claim

February 26, 2024

The English High Court has ordered Russian state-owned oil pipeline company Transneft to adjourn its legal proceedings in a Moscow court. The oil company is facing a $14bn lawsuit in London after Russian tycoon Ziyavudin Magomedov launched the case last year against the oil company, DP World and Russian state-owned agencies. Magomedov launched the legal [...]
Begbies Traynor agrees new £25m debt facility with HSBC

February 26, 2024

Professional services restructuring specialist Begbies Traynor agreed to a new debt facility with HSBC, which replaces its existing facility with the same bank. The group’s existing facility was due to mature in August 2025 after it was secured in 2016. The new debt facility with HSBC sees £25m committed to an unsecured revolving credit facility, [...]
Hiring market: Insurance sector outperforms financial services in 2023

February 26, 2024

Job vacancies in the insurance sector fell less than those in the financial services market last year. According to a City A.M.’s exclusive of a report by specialist recruiters Harrison Holgate and market data analytics firm Vacancysoft, vacancies in insurance dropped by 15.1 per cent compared to the fall of 30 per cent for the [...]
Banking APPG calls to create financial services tribunal after scandals ‘eroded public trust’

February 24, 2024

The all-party parliamentary group for fair business banking (APPG) has recommended a creation of a financial services tribunal after a series of high-profile scandals “eroded public trust”. The cross-party group outlined its recommendation on building a framework for compensation and redress in a new report, which stated that the existing landscape of institutional mechanisms for [...]
Largest law firm DLA Piper elects new managing partner to take over in 2025

February 23, 2024

DLA Piper has elected a new managing partner as its current boss and global co-CEO Simon Levine is set to step away after nearly ten years in the role.
Government backs SLAPPs bill to stop gagging of press amid warning it needs more work

February 23, 2024

The UK Government has backed a bill that will crack down on SLAPPs that will prevent wealthy or corrupt people from gagging journalists by using the legal system. Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) is a term given to defamation cases and legal threat that are generally brought against journalists and campaigners as a form [...]
ICO tells Serco Leisure to stop ‘unlawfully’ using facial recognition and fingerprint data to monitor staff

February 23, 2024

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has ordered public service provider Serco Leisure and its trusts to stop using facial recognition technology and fingerprint scanning to monitor employee attendance. Following an investigation, the ICO said Serco Leisure was “unlawfully” processing the biometric data of more than 2,000 employees at 38 leisure facilities. The regulator said the [...]
City of London Investment Group reports drop in profit as investments struggle

February 23, 2024

The City of London Investment Group (CLIG) announced its 2023 half-year results as for the first time, the group reported in US dollars.
Leeds Building Society sees record number of new members as consumers snap up savings deals

February 23, 2024

The building society's total savings balance reached a record of £20.8bn, a 19 per cent jump on its 2022 figure of £17.5 bn.
Addison Lee settles workers’ rights case before landmark hearing

February 22, 2024

The private hire taxi firm Addison Lee has reached a settlement with three drivers who were set to take them to the employment tribunal in a long-running battle over workers’ rights. The claim was originally brought by three drivers who sued Addison Lee to establish that they were in fact employees and not self-employed contractors. [...]

Victoria Beckham’s fashion empire warns on ‘uncertain’ future

England Rugby in first ever back-of-shirt deal with £5m a year Lloyds signing

Open House Festival: The best guided walks in the Square Mile

By: Maria Ward-Brennan

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