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Briefing Notes
M&A
Mega-deals reshape European financial services as Nuveen's £9.9bn acquisition of Schroders headlines a record $47.6bn Q1 consolidation wave
Cost-to-income pressure at 68% is forcing asset managers into scale deals — fee compression leaves no other route.
Banking & Finance
FSB warns the near-$2 trillion private credit market poses systemic risks as rising defaults, retail participation, and bank interconnectedness converge
Retailisation of private credit is the pressure point — Consumer Duty obligations add a layer of liability that institutional-only funds never faced.
Energy & Tech
UK Supreme Court ruling in Ørsted's tax dispute with HMRC reshapes capital allowances framework for offshore wind projects, threatening viability of some developments
When a Supreme Court ruling shifts capital allowances eligibility, every existing project finance model in the sector needs stress-testing.
Capital Markets
Meridian Mining raises £25 million and debuts on London's Main Market, targeting FTSE All-Share and FTSE 250 inclusion on the strength of its Brazilian gold-copper project
FTSE index eligibility turns a listing into a passive-fund magnet — the real value unlocks post-inclusion, not at IPO.
Regulation
US SEC proposes allowing public companies to opt out of quarterly earnings reports in favour of semi-annual reporting, in a significant shift to US disclosure obligations
Optional quarterly reporting creates a two-tier disclosure market — Reg FD compliance becomes dramatically more complex for semi-annual reporters.
International
Australia's Corrs Chambers Westgarth and King & Wood Mallesons advise on an $8 billion gold sector merger in a cross-border deal reflecting the surge in precious metals M&A
At $8 billion, gold M&A at this scale competes directly with Magic Circle mandates — Asia-Pacific firms are capturing work that once defaulted to London.
Disputes
Norton Rose Fulbright bolsters London insurance disputes practice with Clyde & Co partner hire as multi-jurisdictional D&O and financial lines claims intensify
D&O coverage disputes follow regulatory enforcement cycles — firms that can straddle both are winning the most complex mandates.
AI & Law
Law360 Pulse survey reveals a 'notable vibe shift' in legal AI adoption as firms and corporate legal departments push for widespread deployment of AI tools
When 82% of GCs demand AI disclosure, AI governance stops being internal policy and becomes a client retention issue.