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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HMRC seeks more audit files from EY in property tycoon’s tax dispute

December 11, 2023

Counsel for HMRC asked the court this morning to see more of EY’s audit files in relation to the property tycoon’s tax affairs dispute. HMRC filed a claim to the High Court against the Big Four firm over allegations it misrepresented its client tax affairs to the HMRC. The client was the British property investor [...]
Here are the five partners on the ballot to be the next managing partner of A&O Shearman

December 11, 2023

Allen & Overy will host an election for the firm’s next senior partner and managing partner in February, for a new senior team to take over post-merger.
Lawyers warn regulator will want to send a strong message over non-financial misconduct

December 11, 2023

There has been an uptick in firms facing scrutiny over non-financial misconduct, say lawyers, and this won’t be slowing down anytime soon they have warned. James Alleyne, legal director at Kingsley Napley noted, “non-financial misconduct is clearly a priority for the FCA.” He added: “regulated firms are certainly more conscious than ever about staff behaviour [...]
PwC to challenge staff business trips in move to reach net zero target

December 9, 2023

PwC has introduced a programme that will challenge the type of travel staff will take for business trips, in a move to reduce its carbon footprint. According to the Financial Times, senior UK staff were informed that only people travelling on long-haul night flights or those flying for business-critical reasons would be allowed to sit [...]
Major UK mobile networks hit with £3bn competition class action

December 8, 2023

Four of the UK’s largest mobile network operators have been hit with a class action lawsuit, over allegations they used market dominance to overcharge customers. The class action was filed to the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) against Vodafone, EE, Three, and O2. The case alleges that the companies have been abusing their dominant positions in [...]
UK court grants injunction against Russian pipeline firm in $14bn lawsuit

December 7, 2023

Russian state-owned oil pipeline company Transneft has had its ability to move funds restricted after a UK court granted an injunction against the firm as part of a $14bn lawsuit.
Octopus Group enters legal services market after buying divorce business

December 7, 2023

Octopus Group has acquired a majority stake in a legal service business that focuses on helping customers navigate legal issues surrounding divorce. The group, which is the parent company to energy giant Octopus Energy, has dived into the legal services market by acquiring Amicable. Amicable was was founded in 2015 to serve as a legal [...]
Big Four: KPMG set to merge UK and Swiss businesses to chase down rivals

December 7, 2023

KPMG UK has begun exploratory discussions with its partners over a plan to merge its business with KPMG Switzerland.
Government faces court challenge after failing to hike legal aid fees

December 7, 2023

The UK government faces a High Court challenge next week over its failure to increase criminal barristers' legal aid fees despite agreeing to do so in September last year.
Entain’s £585m fine shows flourishing ‘maturity’ of Crown Prosecution Service

December 6, 2023

Corporations need to be wise to the fact that a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) can come from all prosecuting bodies, not just the Serious Fraud Office (SFO), warns lawyer. News broke that the company behind Coral and Ladbrokes will pay £585m after a probe into alleged bribery at a former Turkish subsidiary. The DPA action [...]

Healey launches £150m northern scale-up fund

Women’s rugby can teach the men’s game exactly what it needs right now

Electra/Persona at the National Theatre review: A dull mash-up of Sophocles and Bergman

By: Maria Ward-Brennan

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