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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The growing cost of cyber attacks: Why cyber insurance matters

September 26, 2025

This year, headlines have been dominated by cyber attacks against prominent business names, causing disruptions and financial losses. But many of these businesses lacked a major tool: cyber insurance coverage. Marks & Spencer dominated the news in April and May after it was hit by a cyber attack, which forced the retail giant to suspend [...]
Trump slaps 100 per cent tariff on imported drugs

September 26, 2025

US President Donald Trump announced a new round of tariffs on Thursday evening, with the pharmaceutical industry expected to be the hardest hit. Trump revealed that the US will impose a 100 per cent tariff on imported branded drugs, a 25 per cent tariff on all heavy-duty truck imports, a 50 per cent tariff on [...]
One in seven women endure unwanted sexual behaviour at work, survey finds

September 25, 2025

New data reveals that more than a quarter of women have faced harassment at work, and one in seven have been subjected to unwanted sexual behaviour, highlighting a persistent problem across UK workplaces. WalkSafe, a safety platform founded after the tragic murder of Sarah Everard, has released statistics highlighting a worrying trend of threatening behaviour [...]
Manufacturing sector warned: Employment claims set to soar under new Rights Bill

September 25, 2025

Manufacturing businesses are grappling with a rising tide of Employment Tribunal claims, driven by economic pressures, which are set to become even more challenging under the Employment Rights Bill. A new report from law firm Birketts, shared exclusively with City AM, reveals that manufacturing businesses faced an average of 39.44 tribunal claims over the past [...]
Big name, big pay, even bigger hours: Welcome to City law firms

September 25, 2025

The salaries of junior lawyers is a topic that sparks headlines, adding even bigger sparks to debates over 20-something-year-olds pocketing hefty wage packages. However, considering the hours they work and what is expected of them, the money is earned. US firms, many of which now dominate London, not only compete over lawyer rates but also [...]
Ministry of Justice sacks 849 staff over misconduct in three years

September 24, 2025

The Ministry of Justice (MoJ) has dismissed 849 staff members over the last three years for alleged misconduct. A Freedom of Information Request, shared with City AM, revealed there has been an increase in the number of individuals receiving a penalty as a result of the conduct and discipline process at the MoJ, with a [...]
Wages soar to £1.5bn as HMRC ramps up on compliance staff

September 24, 2025

HMRC has allocated over £1.5bn for 2024-25 to support staff in compliance, preventing and detecting fraud cases and collecting taxes, representing a 23 per cent increase on its 2021-22 staff bill. According to a freedom of information (FOI) shared with City AM by think tank Parliament Street, over the past fiscal year as part of [...]
Cyber attacks cost European businesses over €300bn as insurance uptake lags

September 24, 2025

Almost half of businesses in four of the largest European economies reported at least one cyber attack over the last five years, resulting in costs exceeding €300bn (£261bn). According to a new report by British insurance broker Howden, the cyber attacks on businesses in France, Germany, Italy, and Spain over the past five years equated [...]
Trump’s culture war turns Europe into a ‘Truman Show’ spectacle

September 23, 2025

US President Donald Trump and the American MAGA movement have launched a ‘culture war’ on Europe, says a new think tank report, warning that this transatlantic clash is reshaping European politics. The European Council on Foreign Relations (ECFR) and the European Cultural Foundation (ECF) report, published on Tuesday, claims the US is waging its ‘culture [...]
Junior lawyers earn £44 an hour for 13-hour days

September 23, 2025

Junior lawyers at leading City law firms are regularly working well beyond standard hours, with many firms reporting their youngest staff routinely putting in over 12-hour days. According to research by Legal Cheek on over 2,000 trainees and junior lawyers, the London offices of top US law firms are leading the table, which is consistent [...]

Trade sanctions on Israeli settlements attacked as ‘performative’

RFU left waiting on Twickenham gig planning meeting after NIMBY opposition

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

By: Maria Ward-Brennan

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