Dan Marcus

See below our thoughts on the latest proposed changes to the UK Takeover Panel’s jurisdiction

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Congratulations to LegalTechnology Hub Hub on joining forces with Legal Tech Consultants and expanding into full-service consulting! This strategic move will undoubtedly enhance their service offerings and provide greater value to the legal tech community. Exciting times ahead for the industry! #LegalTech #LegalInnovation

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Great flow chart here (for people who like their content visual) of what a UK venture capital funding round looks like, what documents are involved, and as regards the order of play generally... #VC #venturecapital #HLaw

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An update on the 🤖 Microsoft / Inflection 🤖 saga from me and the team... #MergerControl #AIRegulation #ArtificialIntelligence #BigTech #CompetitionLaw #Antitrust #AI #Competition #DigitalMarkets

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📃 Re UKCloud Ltd (in liquidation) is another first instance case which considers whether security is fixed or floating, following closely after Re Avanti Communications Ltd (in administration). In the context of Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, it helpfully confirms the process for characterising security as fixed/floating and provides further colour on the factors relevant to the analysis. In this briefing note, we consider the key points and takeaways from the case. Read the full briefing 👇

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Since the CMA's decision in Microsoft / Inflection was published earlier this month, the Commission has withdrawn its invitation to Member States to refer the deal to it under Article 22 (following the Court of Justice's decision in relation to Illumina / Grail) 📩. The Commission also gave the deal a specific mention in its Policy Brief on Competition in Generative AI and Virtual Worlds published this week, reiterating that it considers that the deal would constitute a "concentration" for the purposes of the EUMR, as a "structural change in the market" 🤖. Seems it is not just the CMA that wants to flex its jurisdictional muscles in the AI space...! 💪 Please check out the below for the Travers Competition team's thoughts on the CMA decision 💭. #MergerControl #AIRegulation #ArtificialIntelligence #BigTech #CompetitionLaw #Antitrust #AI #Competition

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The Jurisdiction Taskforce of LawTech UK (UKJT) have recently published a comprehensive Legal statement on Digital assets and English insolvency law. One of the most pressing concerns of mainstream investors considering a digital investment strategy is uncertainty surrounding recovery of digital assets within an insolvent estate. The report addresses the ways in which English insolvency law applies to digital assets. The Legal Statement concludes, amongst other things, that digital assets fall within the definition of property in the English Insolvency Act 1986, and that proprietary rights can be retained to digital assets held by insolvent estates. It is amazing to be part of a generation where innovations and their regulations are evolving hand in hand to facilitate #ResponsibleInnovations #digitalassets #regulations #distributedledgertechnology #emergingtechnologies

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Overview of the main proposals from the FCA’s consultation paper (CP 24/12) on the new Prospectus regime. In particular, the proposal to raise the threshold for triggering the requirement to publish a prospectus for further issuances of listed equity securities to 75% of existing share capital (currently 20%) is a significant and positive one.

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It was really great to have a chat with Ben Martin to discuss, amongst other things, the data protection challenges that in-house legal face. Ben breaks things down and gives some great tips on how to get buy in from the rest of the business. We concluded that, with the right approach, data protection is in fact cool!

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VIRTUAL ROUND TABLES FOR TECH FOUNDERS The topics are: - Fundraising and Share Options - Selling Your Technology Company for Maximum Value - Scaling and Grooming for Exit - Choosing the right Directors for Success To attend any, please email [email protected] and she will send you a link Fundraising and Share Options 2024 – 17th October Key topics covered will be • Advanced Subscription Agreements and their interaction with fundraises • What will be needed in terms of deck/pitch to reflect market uncertainty • What to expect from the process, transaction and documents • What mistakes to avoid while fundraising • The key points to consider when setting up an option scheme Selling Your Technology Company for Maximum Value 2024 – 14th November Our guest presenter will be Robert Lees, , Managing Partner of Strata, Corporate Finance House, focused particularly on software, IT services and e-commerce sectors. SMB will input on some of the key legal issues. Key topics covered will be • When to start thinking about selling • Strategy for sale • Choosing advisors • Preparing for the sale process • Value Estimation, Price Setting and Negotiation • Running an Auction • Negotiating and Signing Heads of Terms • Due Diligence • Share Purchase Agreement Scaling and Grooming for Exit 2024 - 30th October and 11th December Our guest presenter will be Rob Wirszycz, Serial Entrepreneur Key topics will include: • When, how and from whom to fund raise • Scaling for growth • Building the right team to attract the right investment • How to identify and get noticed by potential acquirers • Grooming for exit • Key legal issues associated with exit In each of these sessions, Rob will draw on his experience of setting up, scaling and exiting multiple companies and provide some tips on how to succeed. SMB will input on some of the key legal issues. Choosing the right Directors for Success 2024 - 16th October and 4th December Our panellists will be Alex Arnot (MyNonExec) and David Martin (Simons Muirhead) Key topics will include: • Why founders often hire the wrong directors • When is the right time to hire directors • Board Evolution to reflect growth • What are the common mistakes to avoid • The importance of top board advisors • Legal considerations when appointing directors

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Looks to be a busy 2025 and beyond from a cryptoasset regulation perspective in the UK. Just as well there are no other major regulatory implementations rapidly approaching down the track at the end of this year/early next year to worry about.... This article covers that FCA's roadmap for the development and introduction of the UK’s cryptoasset regime, its latest research on cryptoasset holdings in the UK and consumers’ understanding, attitudes and behavioural patterns towards them, and highlights of a series of roundtables held by the FCA with industry, government officials, academics and other regulatory authorities. Great reading to put everyone in the festive spirits for next year. #digitalassets #crypto #FCA

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◼ What's in store for UK dealmakers? ◼ If you are keeping a keen eye on the UK M&A market, why not join us for Critcaleye's Growth Company Forum on 26 September 2024? We'll be talking about the outlook for the rest of the year and into 2025, covering: ▶ key issues for boards approaching a transaction; ▶ routes to exit; ▶ what sectors are hot; ▶ changes in store for PE; ▶ and much more! Criticaleye is an excellent peer-to-peer community for board members to connect with their peers across their industry and further. Huge thanks to Jacob Ambrose Willson and Sinead Lack for hosting this event! If you can't make the session, look out for the follow-up articles and feel free to DM me if you'd like to discuss anything M&A related. Link in the comments to find out more about Criticaleye.

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There are ZERO top 50 law firms in the UK who haven't trialled some sort of AI tool.   Is this surprising? Perhaps not - AI is everywhere. But we'd wager that no other technology has ever seen such swift penetration into the traditionally risk-averse legal market. Having said that, only a few of the biggest firms claim to have translated this through anything which has been 'monetised'.   Later in the pwc survey it also suggests that the bigger the firm, the more positive they feel about AI's impact on their bottom line - this may be because they're more likely to have tried it, so they can see the potential - but is also likely because bigger IT and tech teams mean integration feels less of a challenge. That, and embedded client relationships may be even more important in the future. 

𝙏𝙝𝙪𝙧𝙨𝙙𝙖𝙮 𝙏𝙧𝙚𝙣𝙙𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙇𝙖𝙬 - 𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 (𝗟𝗲𝗴𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵) AI is changing the game for law firms, and the latest Clio Legal Trends Report shows just how big of a shift we’re seeing. From client expectations to operational efficiencies, technology is paving the way for the future of law. Here are some key takeaways... - 𝗔𝗜 𝗔𝗱𝗼𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗲: According to Clio’s findings, 𝟰𝟳% 𝗼𝗳 𝗹𝗮𝘄𝘆𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗺𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗮𝗱𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝘀𝗸𝘀, and AI is helping to lighten that load. Legal professionals are leveraging technology to streamline everything from document review to case management, allowing them to focus more on strategic and client-facing activities. - 𝗖𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗘𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴: 𝟲𝟲% 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 now prefer firms that use technology to improve communication. They want real-time updates, instant responses, and the convenience of digital tools. This isn’t just about speed - it's about staying relevant and responsive to today’s fast-paced world. 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮-𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: AI is also enabling firms to spot trends and optimise their approach with greater precision. It's not just about doing more work - it's about working smarter. Legal professionals who embrace these tools are using data to make informed decisions, improving outcomes for clients and firms alike. AI is no longer a bonus; it’s essential for improving service, streamlining operations, and staying competitive in today’s market. Whether you’re in litigation, corporate law, or private practice, adapting to this tech is becoming non-negotiable. If you're looking for a role where innovation and law meet, let’s connect. I’m partnering with firms at the forefront of this change, and I am keen to connect talented individuals with innovative firms across the UK. 📞: +(44) 7887 217589 📧: [email protected] To read more: https://lnkd.in/et3y-Ch7 #ThursdayTrendsInLaw #AIinLaw #LegalTech #FutureOfLaw #LegalInnovation #ClioTrends #LawandTech

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Should lawyers aspire to more than just efficiency? 🤔 This week on Brief Encounters, Richard chats to TravelPerk GC Andrew (or "Johnny Controversial" as he suggests we call him) about how lawyers can deliver the very best service for their internal customers. But that's not all... Andy shares his hot takes and fresh wisdom on the legal department of the future, and the human-technology partnership that can make it happen, listen here: https://lnkd.in/eSGksU88 #Legalteam #Inhouselegal #BriefEncounters #LegalPodcast

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Our 81st edition of Law Firm Partner Moves in London has now been released! In addition to the 80 partner moves in May and June 2024, this edition includes a summary of the first half of 2024, which saw a total of 265 moves – up on the 257 we saw last year, and 7% higher than the five-year average for the same period – (248). The most prolific hirers in the first half of 2024 were: Simmons & Simmons (12) Kirkland & Ellis (11) Pinsent Masons (9) Charles Russell Speechlys (8) King & Spalding (7) McDermott Will & Emery (7) Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP (7) DLA Piper (6) White & Case LLP (6) Paul Hastings (5) Perkins Coie LLP (5) RPC (5) The firms with the highest partner attrition in the first half of 2024 were: Deloitte Legal (7) Linklaters (7) Paul Hastings (7) Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft LLP (5) EY Law (5) Goodwin (5) Read our full analysis in the latest edition of Law Firm Partner Moves in London here: https://lnkd.in/exTH4zbm #London #lawfirm #legal #partnership #law #recruitment

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This article provides some insights on the direction of travel in the UK in relation to distributed ledger technology (DLT) and digital assets, in light of recent legislative and policy developments that signal the UK’s ambitions for scaling the adoption of DLT technology and facilitating growth in this space. These include: (1) an update on the future regulatory regime for cryptoassets, including stablecoins and staking services, (2) the Bank of England’s remarks at the Tokenisation Summit 2024 on DLT in wholesale markets, and (3) next steps for digital gilts in the UK.

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It was a pleasure to host a number of VCs this week in New York, alongside Lytical Ventures, Steve Berg and Ben Parr and share this spectacular view of New York City over drinks and nibbles. If you're a US VC who invests in the UK, UAE or Germany or your portfolio companies are expanding their operations into these jurisdictions please do get in touch and DM me #USventurecapital #investingintheUK #fintech #fintechinvestments #techinvestors #techlawyers #venturecapitallawyer #venturecapital #vc #venturefunds #UKlawyers #Newyork #primarysummit

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This article provides some insights on the direction of travel in the UK in relation to distributed ledger technology (DLT) and digital assets, in light of recent legislative and policy developments that signal the UK’s ambitions for scaling the adoption of DLT technology and facilitating growth in this space. These include: (1) an update on the future regulatory regime for cryptoassets, including stablecoins and staking services, (2) the Bank of England’s remarks at the Tokenisation Summit 2024 on DLT in wholesale markets, and (3) next steps for digital gilts in the UK.

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