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 was previously a litigation reporter at The Lawyer. Contact her via email at maria.ward-brennan@cityam.com or X (Twitter) @MariaW_B.

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Exclusive: London law firm used by Wagner boss Yevgeniy Prigozhin has folded

December 15, 2023

London-based law firm Discreet Law - used by the Wagner boss - has ceased its practice after it was under investigation for allegedly breaching rules to protect free speech
UK criminal court backlog hits record levels

December 14, 2023

The UK Crown Court backlogs have grown to its highest level on record, as cases have more than doubled in under four years. According to criminal court statistics published today, there are currently 352,945 outstanding cases in the magistrates’ courts, up 3 per cent on the previous quarter. The backlog is spiralling upwards each quarter [...]
University of Exeter’s WWII bomb insurance claim dismissed

December 14, 2023

The Court of Appeal today dismissed University of Exeter appeal over damage caused to student halls after the discovery of a WWII bomb during construction work. In February 2021 contractors working across from the University’s campus discovered an unexploded WWII bomb, it was believed to have been dropped by German forces in 1942. It was [...]
Federal Reserve hold rates for third time but hints at future cuts

December 13, 2023

The US Federal Reserve has kept interest rates on hold for a third time in a row, as “inflation has eased over the past year but remains elevated”. The announcement from the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) today sees the federal funds rate remain between 5.25 per cent and 5.50 per cent, its highest level [...]
Russian director of UK payment company departs after FCA probe

December 13, 2023

The director of a UK payment company that was recently put under notice by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has left the firm. Mikhail Nadel’s position as director of Dzing Finance was terminated on 20 November, according to Companies House documents. Nadel (also known as Michael Strogonov), a Russian citizen, was once the chairman of [...]
Boots could return to London market after 16-year hiatus as US owner considers listing

December 13, 2023

The American owner of Boots is reviving discussions on selling off the UK pharmacy chain, nearly 18 months after a sale process was shelved. According to Bloomberg, Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) has been holding talks about ways to separate the UK-based pharmacy Boots, in a deal that could be valued at about £7bn. Back in [...]
MoD slapped with fine over data breach during Afghanistan evacuation

December 13, 2023

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has slapped the Ministry of Defence (MoD) with a hefty fine for a data breach during the 2021 Afghanistan evacuation. The MoD has been fined £350,000 for disclosing personal information of people seeking relocation to the UK after the Taliban took control of Afghanistan. Shortly after the Taliban took control [...]
EY to slash over 100 US jobs as part of ‘long-term’ transformation for Big Four firm

December 12, 2023

EY is cutting over a hundred more jobs in the US as the firm in the midst of “transforming” its business, following split fail earlier this year. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that the job cuts are largely concentrated on the advisory side of its US operations. It is reported that 10 per cent [...]
EY set to close yet another legal arm of its business

December 12, 2023

EY is shuttering its legal arm in Hong Kong in January, which makes it the second closure action the firm has taken against its legal services. On 23 January, the Big Four firm will close its Hong Kong law member firm, LC Lawyers, according to Bloomberg News. LC Lawyers advised on Hong Kong IPO and [...]
Begbies Traynor acquires midlands firm of property auctioneers

December 12, 2023

Professional services that act as a restructuring specialist, Begbies Traynor Group has completed the acquisition of a national firm of property auctioneers.

Questions raised over FCA’s new short-selling rules

Did this World Cup have too much of Sir David Beckham?

Renault 5 E-Tech 2025 three month review – first impressions

By: Maria Ward-Brennan

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