Insights

London – October 4, 2023: Crowell & Moring U.K. LLP has been recommended in four practice areas in the Legal 500 United Kingdom 2024. In addition, partner Andrew Knight has been named as a leading individual for asset based lending. The firm’s full rankings can be viewed here.

London—December 6, 2021:  Crowell & Moring is expanding its financial services capabilities in London with the arrival of a highly-regarded derivatives team. The team is recognized for their deep experience advising global investment banks and private equity funds on a range of complex structured finance and derivatives transactions in the U.S., UK, and European markets.

On 29 June 2023, the long-awaited Financial Services and Markets Act 2023 (the “Act”) received Royal Assent, clearing the Act’s final hurdle prior to its implementation. The Act is the framework for the UK’s post-Brexit financial legislative and regulatory landscape.  Focusing on the promotion of competition, innovation and investor protections, it hopes to ensure the UK’s continued leadership in the global economy by providing “a smarter financial services framework”. While the Act is 349 pages in length, we have set out some of the key themes and regulations currently making headlines.

Over a decade after Lehman’s insolvency, the English High Court handed down a key judgement in Grant v FR Acquisitions Corporation (Europe) Ltd [1] on 11 October 2022. The judgement provides commentary on when certain Events of Default have occurred and are “continuing”.

On 08 September 2022, the Russian Government issued a Russian Presidential decree which introduced a new vetting procedure regulating situations where “unfriendly” persons take part in transactions involving shareholdings in Russian limited liability companies.  These transactions are now subject to an approval decision by the Government Commission on Control over Foreign Investments before they can be completed.  This is the latest in a growing line of countermeasures being introduced by the Russian President to try to keep liquid assets within Russia and bolster the country’s financial markets.