On 24 April 2025, the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) issued new guidance signalling a notable shift in its approach to corporate criminal enforcement. For the first time, the SFO has stated that if a company self-reports...more
4/25/2025
/ Corporate Counsel ,
Corporate Crimes ,
Corporate Misconduct ,
Deferred Prosecution Agreements ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Fraud ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Self-Reporting ,
Serious Fraud Office (SFO) ,
UK ,
White Collar Crimes
On 1 September 2025, the corporate criminal offence of ‘failure to prevent fraud’ (“the Offence”), created by the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (“ECCTA”), will come into force. On 6 November 2024, the...more
On 27 June 2024, the Court of Appeal handed down judgment in World Uyghur Congress v National Crime Agency [2024] EWCA Civ 715. The challenge of a 2023 decision by the High Court was brought by World Uyghur Congress ("WUC")...more
On 18 April 2024, the SFO announced that it had launched its Strategy 2024-2029, setting out its direction, values, approach and goals over the next five years.
A bold, victims-centred approach The Strategy can be found...more
The UK's whistleblowing framework – although once an example of best practice – is now lagging behind efforts, particularly in Europe, for improved whistleblowing standards and protections. There are various ongoing efforts...more
The Environment Agency has launched a new Economic Crime Unit to enhance its fight against financial crimes in the waste management sector. This move aims to bolster the agency's capabilities in conducting financial...more
It’s certainly true that the UK criminal authorities have been crying out for a shot in the arm in the form of legislative reform, but will changing the law really help the Serious Fraud Office ("SFO") achieve more corporate...more
Companies operating in the UK – whether incorporated in the UK or simply carrying on a business in the UK are entering into a period of significant change in the way corporate crime is going to be investigated and prosecuted....more
On 16 June 2023, the Government announced its proposed reforms to the “identification doctrine” for economic crime offences to be introduced in the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill. The reform will apply only to...more
On 11 April 2023, the UK Government announced the introduction of a new corporate “failure to prevent fraud” offence, which will be brought into legislation through the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Bill (the...more
In a policy paper published on Monday 27 March, the Department for Business and Trade has announced a review into the current UK whistleblowing framework (“the Review”). The Review will assess how the whistleblowing framework...more
In a debate in the House of Commons on Wednesday 26 January 2023, MP Tom Tugendhat indicated that a major reform to corporate criminal liability is imminent. In this article, we take a look at why this reform has been called...more
The Law Commission, on 10 June 2022, published its long-awaited Options Paper on Corporate Criminal Liability, which detailed possible options for the reform of corporate criminal liability in England & Wales (the “Options...more
Observed every 23 June, World Whistleblowers Day was created by a group of non-governmental organisations to raise public awareness of the rights and protections of whistleblowers, and to tackle global corruption....more