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09 September 2016 / Frank Maher
Issue: 7713 / Categories: Features , Brexit
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Brexit: a risky business?

What does Brexit mean for law firm risk, asks Frank Maher

Already there are press reports that some leading law firms are battening down the hatches in anticipation of either a full recession, or at least a downturn in activity in particular sectors such as real estate, following the UK’s referendum decision on 23 June 2016 to leave the European Union.

The risks to business and the wider economy have been widely explored in the press, and law firms can expect, to some extent, to follow the fortunes of their clients, but what are the professional liability risks which law firms may face? As we enter uncharted waters, this article attempts to explore some preliminary thoughts on where those risks may lie.

Cream of the crop

Many of the lawyers advising on Brexit issues will be among the cream of the profession and will doubtless have a thorough grounding in the area of law in which they practise. Errors of law were an infrequent source of claims in the past, but this is

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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Walkers—Muriel Marseille

Walkers—Muriel Marseille

Ashurst's Chief Risk Officer joins Walkers

Excello Law—John Osborne

Excello Law—John Osborne

Northern family lawyer John Osborne joins Excello

mfg Solicitors—Rebecca Rogers, Kennedy Langley & Victoria Griffiths

mfg Solicitors—Rebecca Rogers, Kennedy Langley & Victoria Griffiths

Trio of promotions announced at Kidderminster law firm mfg Solicitors

NEWS
A sole director can conspire with their own company for the purposes of the tort of unlawful means conspiracy, the High Court has ruled in a judgment with potentially wide implications for business disputes
The Court of Appeal has reinforced that domicile depends on intention rather than residence alone, in a significant post-Brexit ruling on cross-border financial remedy claims
The Chancery Division's long history comes to an end this autumn as it is reborn as the Business and Property Division, prompting questions over whether the shake-up is really necessary
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) continues to show that failing to disclose regulatory issues can attract harsher consequences than the original misconduct itself
Rejecting a generous settlement can prove an expensive mistake, as two recent high-profile cases demonstrate
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