header-logo header-logo

Biting the bullet

23 September 2010 / John Benstead
Issue: 7434 / Categories: Features , Bribery , Practice areas , Commercial
printer mail-detail

John Benstead explains why industry needs to be armed & ready for the Bribery Act

The Ministry of Justice has announced that the Bribery Act 2010 will come into force in April 2011, one year after receiving royal assent. The Act overhauls the UK’s archaic corruption laws. A new corporate offence of failing to prevent bribery is created. The Act is certain to have a profound effect on how commercial organisations conduct their operations.

Corruption is currently governed by the Prevention of Corruption Acts 1889 to 1916. Legislation passed in a different era had, by the beginning of the 21st century, become inadequate and it was generally accepted that reform was necessary. The matter was brought to a head by the Serious Fraud Office’s (SFO) controversial decision to drop its criminal investigation into BAE Saudi arms deals. That decision resulted in widespread anger and indignation throughout the global anti-corruption community. This persuaded the government to bite the bullet and reform the law. The Bribery Act 2010, now generally regarded as being one of

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content
If you are already a subscriber sign in
...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

MOVERS & SHAKERS

DWF—19 appointments

DWF—19 appointments

Belfast team bolstered by three senior hires and 16 further appointments

Cadwalader—Andro Atlaga

Cadwalader—Andro Atlaga

Firm strengthens leveraged finance team with London partner hire

Knights—Ella Dodgson & Rebecca Laffan

Knights—Ella Dodgson & Rebecca Laffan

Double hire marks launch of family team in Leeds

NEWS
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve reports on Haynes v Thomson, the first judicial application of the Supreme Court’s For Women Scotland ruling in a discrimination claim, in this week's NLJ
Charlie Mercer and Astrid Gillam of Stewarts crunch the numbers on civil fraud claims in the English courts, in this week's NLJ. New data shows civil fraud claims rising steadily since 2014, with the King’s Bench Division overtaking the Commercial Court as the forum of choice for lower-value disputes
The Supreme Court issued a landmark judgment in July that overturned the convictions of Tom Hayes and Carlo Palombo, once poster boys of the Libor and Euribor scandal. In NLJ this week, Neil Swift of Peters & Peters considers what the ruling means for financial law enforcement
Small law firms want to embrace technology but feel lost in a maze of jargon, costs and compliance fears, writes Aisling O’Connell of the Solicitors Regulation Authority in this week's NLJ
Artificial intelligence may be revolutionising the law, but its misuse could wreck cases and careers, warns Clare Arthurs of Penningtons Manches Cooper in this week's NLJ
back-to-top-scroll