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Briefing Notes
Disputes
California Attorney General leads coalition of 12 US state attorneys general in lawsuit to block the planned $110 billion Paramount Skydance and Warner Bros. Discovery merger
Parallel US state AG litigation and a live EC review means this $110 billion deal faces two distinct competition tests simultaneously.
Capital Markets
AS Watson considers delaying its planned £1.5 billion London IPO until 2027, citing regulatory complications in Asia
Every deferred London IPO tightens the ECM pipeline and sharpens the competitive pressure on firms chasing the next flotation mandate.
M&A
Andy Burnham takes office as UK Prime Minister on 20 July, signalling a shift in public-sector tech contracting that will reshape government M&A and procurement deals
A new PM's tech procurement stance can redraw the competitive landscape for billion-pound public contracts faster than any merger.
Regulation
Australia's ASIC (Australian Securities and Investments Commission) records a landmark A$830 million civil penalty year against banks and financial firms, with HSBC, Westpac, and Macquarie among those fined
Record enforcement totals mean little if the largest penalty targets an entity already in liquidation for six years.
Energy & Tech
EU charging infrastructure law delivers ahead of schedule as all but one member state meet EV (electric vehicle) fleet-based charging targets, signalling strong regulatory compliance across the bloc
AFIR's strong compliance record de-risks EU charging infrastructure investment and accelerates project finance deal flow across the bloc.
International
Watson Farley and Williams (WFW) adds debt capital markets partner from White and Case Hong Kong as Magic Circle and international firms continue building out Asia finance and infrastructure practices
Asia energy infrastructure deal flow is pulling DCM specialists out of US firm offices and into sector-focused international practices.
AI & Law
Law.com analysis argues Big Law firms are pursuing the wrong AI strategy as Global 200 data reveals accelerating power concentration among the largest firms
AI is not levelling the legal market: it is compressing competitive advantage into the hands of the very largest firms, faster than rivals can respond.
Banking & Finance
Redwood Bank expands its UK specialist commercial lending push by hiring a regional development manager to grow its North-East and Yorkshire broker network
Regional specialist lenders building broker networks are creating a steady pipeline of mid-market facility and security work for banking teams.