Business Law and Corporate Law

Agentic AI is poised to revolutionise employee share trading by autonomously executing transactions based on broad financial mandates. But when an algorithm exercises investment judgement rather than simply following fixed instructions, UK market abuse rules, dealing codes and financial services regulations create complex new compliance challenges that companies must address before automation becomes standard practice.

The European Parliament's Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs has adopted its position on the Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation reform, establishing key divergences with the European Commission and Council on professional investor exemptions and fossil fuel investment criteria. With trilogue negotiations set to begin in October 2026, private markets managers face critical decisions about how to position their funds under the new three-category framework expected to take effect in early 2029.

A recent High Court decision has confirmed that the Solicitors Regulation Authority cannot compel law firms to produce documents protected by legal professional privilege, even during regulatory investigations. The ruling addresses a fundamental tension between the regulator's investigatory powers and one of English law's most fiercely guarded protections, with significant implications for how solicitors respond to statutory notices.