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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PE, mergers, and AI: Professional services faces its most pivotal moment for 20 years

November 18, 2025

The professional services industry is arguably going through its most critical time in the last 20 years. As it sits on its train to the future, where it jumps off will seal its fate, as each move firms take will be critical to what the industry may look like in the next 10 years. While [...]
Crinkled paper to fake logos: Businesses face surge in expense scams

November 18, 2025

Businesses are experiencing a sharp rise in fraudulent attempts at expenses, as AI has made it easier to replicate receipts. Over the last three months, Google searches for ‘AI receipts’ have soared by 340 per cent, as employees look to take advantage of AI-generated capabilities to submit fake expenses. A recent study by SAP Concur [...]
Confidence in audit quality surges despite knowledge gaps

November 17, 2025

Confidence in audit quality has increased but many stakeholders have reported only a partial or limited understanding of the scope of auditor responsibilities, according to new findings. A document from the Centre for Public Interest Audit (CPIA) shows that all three stakeholder groups surveyed – finance directors, equity investors and audit committee chairs – reported [...]
Yet another Transatlantic tie-up: Ashurst and Perkins Coie announce $2.7bn merger

November 17, 2025

UK law firm Ashurst has agreed to merge with the US law firm Perkins Coie, the latest move in a series of large transatlantic tie-ups in the legal sector. After a week of speculation about Ashurst being in merger talks, the firm agreed a deal with Settle-based Perkins Coie to become a $2.7bn law firm, [...]
New PE-backed consultancy launches with aim to fix ‘broken” system

November 17, 2025

A new, AI-native consultancy firm has launched to address what its founders call the “broken” model of traditional consultancies, which they argue is costing businesses billions for ineffective AI projects. Backed by $15m (£11.4m) in private equity funding from NY-based Siguler Guff, UK-headquartered Valliance launches its “radical new model” of charging based on value delivered, [...]
LLP U-turn: Law Society demands ‘absolute clarity’ plan is off the table

November 14, 2025

The professional services sector will breathe a sigh of relief as one of her reported rollbacks includes crossing out plans to target limited liability partnerships (LLPs) for tax. The LLP model, used by professional services such as law firms, accountancy, and some doctors (GPs), came into force 25 years ago, which does not pay corporate [...]
High Court finds BHP liable for Brazil’s worst environmental disaster

November 14, 2025

Mining giant BHP has been found liable for a dam disaster under both environmental law and the Brazilian civil code, in a significant ruling handed down by the High Court. The case stems from a deadly dam disaster in Brazil. On 5 November 2015, the Fundao dam in the south-eastern part of Brazil, operated by [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Income tax U-turn throws Budget into chaos

November 14, 2025

Welcome back to the City AM markets liveblog. Government fiascos are the story of the week and each one is sending ripples across markets. Whilst earlier this week it was a Westminister briefing war with Downing Street appearing to turn on its own out of leadership threats, today it is the Treasury in the hot [...]
Rightmove faces £1bn legal action over ‘unfair’ fees to estate agents

November 13, 2025

A legal claim estimated at £1bn is in the works against property portal Rightmove, accusing the company of charging thousands of UK estate agents excessive and unfair prices to list properties. The legal action, led by former Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) panel member Jeremy Newman, along with a team of lawyers at Scott+Scott UK [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Economy grows 0.1 per cent; Rolls-Royce eyes profit jump

November 13, 2025

Good morning from the City AM liveblog team. The FTSE 100 is inching a step closer to the magic 10,000 mark after almost a year of outperforming counterparts across the Atlantic. London’s blue-chip index managed to rally to a 0.12 per cent gain in yesterday’s session closing at 9,911.42p. In the afternoon, it inched to a [...]

Claridge’s swings to £10m loss as luxury hotel warns on ‘adverse impact’ of tax hikes

Manchester United deny financial motive behind nearly 700 season ticket bans

London hotels call on GLA to halt overnight visitor levy plans

By: Maria Ward-Brennan

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