Business Law and Corporate Law

Arthur Cox unveils its refreshed 2026-2028 Equity, Diversity and Inclusion strategy, building on established foundations through four key pillars focused on gender, sexual orientation, race and ethnicity, and disability and neurodiversity. The firm emphasizes practical approaches to recognizing and supporting difference while maintaining transparency and accountability in delivering on its inclusion ambitions.

Arthur Cox's sixth annual Sustainable Business Impact Report details the firm's progress across Community, Workplace, Environment and Marketplace initiatives during the 2025/26 financial year. The report reveals increased volunteering hours, substantial pro bono contributions, new charity partnerships, and mixed results in carbon reduction efforts as the firm expands its environmental measurement scope.

Two young women launched an Instagram account to foster inclusion and understanding of marginalized groups in German society, quickly attracting corporate attention for diversity workshops. As their platform grew to over 75,000 followers, they sought to transform their social media presence into an official nonprofit organization. McDermott's legal team provided pro bono counsel to guide them through the complex startup formation process in Germany.

The Irish High Court has clarified the scope of statutory exemptions under the Data Protection Act 2018, ruling that organisations can legitimately refuse data subject access requests when legal privilege, client confidentiality, or litigation interests are at stake. This landmark decision establishes clear boundaries between different exemption provisions and confirms their compatibility with GDPR Article 23, providing much-needed guidance for organisations navigating complex disclosure obligations.

The Irish High Court has addressed a fundamental question about legal advice privilege in corporate law: can a company assert privilege against its own shareholders? This decision examines the controversial 'shareholder rule' and its compatibility with the principle of separate legal personality established in Salomon v Salomon, following the Privy Council's recent rejection of this rule in England and Wales.

France has enacted Law No. 2026-122, establishing a groundbreaking confidentiality regime for in-house legal counsel opinions, addressing a longstanding competitive disadvantage faced by French companies in cross-border disputes.

The Higher Regional Court of Düsseldorf has issued a comprehensive ruling on director liability under § 15b InsO in corporate cash pool structures. The decision clarifies critical questions regarding the payment concept, cessation of payments in group structures, and the standard of care after expiration of the grace period, confirming the continued applicability of principles developed by the Federal Court of Justice under former § 64 GmbHG.

As artificial intelligence becomes embedded in corporate decision-making and operations, companies face critical questions about governance, accountability, and control.

Malta's Companies Act prohibits companies from providing financial assistance for the acquisition of their own shares or those of their parent company, but private companies can circumvent this restriction through a 'whitewash procedure.' This article examines the scope of the prohibition, the rationale behind capital maintenance rules, and the practical steps required to lawfully provide financial assistance in M&A transactions.

France's updated military programming law adds €36 billion to defence spending through 2030, creating significant investment opportunities in munitions, drones, space, AI, and electronic warfare systems. However, US and non-EU investors face complex regulatory hurdles including French foreign investment screening, European eligibility requirements, export controls, and ITAR-free design mandates that fundamentally reshape how transatlantic defence investments must be structured.

La Regione Liguria ha stanziato 10 milioni di euro attraverso Ligurcapital S.p.A per sostenere startup e PMI liguri mediante un innovativo meccanismo di coinvestimento pubblico-privato.

Liguria has allocated €10 million through the POR FESR 2021-2027 program to support startups and MSMEs via equity and quasi-equity investments. The Fund operates through two distinct lines targeting different enterprise categories, requiring mandatory public-private co-investment with specific participation thresholds. Applications open September 22, 2026, and will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis until resources are exhausted.