Jamie Macleod

Delighted to have worked with Alexandra Rogers, Sabine Holinde and Sebastian Gerber of Norton Rose to produce two Practice Notes on the EU’s new FSR regime governing M&A transactions and public procurement. The new Practice Notes provide an excellent overview of the key elements of the regime, including the mandatory notification and approval requirements and the Commission’s ability to conduct its own investigations into potentially problematic foreign subsidies. Links below (subscription required): Notification of Concentrations under the EU Foreign Subsidy Regulation https://lnkd.in/eU4_yTug Public Procurement Filings under the EU Foreign Subsidy Regulation https://lnkd.in/ehz-iaYA #competitionlaw #antitrust #foreignsubsidycontrol #mergercontrol #publicprocurement

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AI is having a profound impact on many sectors, and yesterday I chaired a session on behalf of SCL - Society for Computers and Law to consider how large language models can be optimised in the public sector and legal profession through the art of prompt writing. Joined by experts including Rachel McKoy from the London Borough of Newham, Amanda C. from PwC, Roch Glowacki from Lewis Silkin and Charlotte Clayson from Trowers & Hamlins, we discussed: - how GenAI can optimise legal applications such as contract analysis and drafting; - the regulatory regime and risks around privacy and data sharing; - best practices for creating effective prompts and see examples focussed on the work of the public sector; and - engaged in hands-on practice with common prompt writing techniques and approaches. #AI #PublicSector #LLMs #PromptWriting

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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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Another great new practice note to promote, written in partnership with Fiona Garside and Duncan Liddell at Ashurst: 'The Competition Act 1998 (Research and Development Agreements Block Exemption) Order 2022' Very much self explanatory, this practice note provides a breakdown of the key elements of the block exemption and complements our other horizontals practice notes and checklists published recently. Link below (subscription required): https://lnkd.in/eHAgCcjn #researchanddevelopment #blockexemptions #lexis #lexisplus #antitrust #competitionlaw

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Following the launch of PwC's Global AI Jobs Barometer, Alastair Wood analyses the upbeat results for the UK - which show AI could be the key to unlocking the 'productivity puzzle' and supporting economic growth. In his blog Alastair highlights five key priorities for organisations to consider in readying their workforce for the age of AI. Read his blog below. #AI #Transformation #AIJobs

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I was not aware that a quarter of lawyer moves in Southeast UK are driven by need for better tech. A recent article by Legal IT Insider talks about over 25% say that the technology is unsatisfactory in their current company. It goes on to say that hybrid working just doesn’t work particularly well because again, because many firms still haven’t got the technology in place that’s reliable. This does highlight the fact that law firms need to make sure that are keeping up to-date with their technology, not just because they may lose lawyers but because that could likely lose essential  employees from their technical teams who could be lured away to join other law firms who  are updating older or implementing better systems (new sparkly whistles & bells). I regularly speak to law firms, not just regarding replacing IT staff who are leaving but also providing support to keep existing staff through research about salary benchmarking, internal training and career progression. Retaining top employees can be essential to growth and I am always open to discussing how this could be achieved with law firms and legal tech companies. Click on the link below to look at some ideas on how to Retain Top Talent. https://lnkd.in/dFikfcS6

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Firms have for years be able to retain interest earned on client account monies, so why is it only recently that the SRA CEO has taken issue with it not being in clients' best interests, especially when he has been in post for the last ten years? Is talk of banning the retention of interest just a knee-jerk reaction after the Axiom Ince scandal, or has the CEO only just recognised that retaining client interest was never in the best interests of clients in the first place? As with its decision around not carrying out due diligence on Axiom Ince because of the risk of stymying M&A in the legal sector, has the SRA been allowing firms to retain interest up to this point due to not wanting to negatively impact their financial positions? Any thoughts? See page 3, 6 and 9.

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I haven't posted about AI for at least two days, so it was about time for another post! I've written a blog for the Building Societies Association with some tips on how to take advantage of the exciting opportunities that #AI brings, whilst innovating responsibly and within the bounds of existing and emerging regulation. My four top tips to help strike this balance are: 🌟 Be needs-led, not tech-led (always our key message at TLT LLP!) 🌟 Implement robust AI governance 🌟 Assign accountability 🌟 Carry out thorough risk assessments Have a read of the full blog below for more 👇 #ResponsibleAI #AIRegulation #AIAct

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The broad definition of AI in national security laws could impact the sale of even low-risk, digital businesses.  Read more in my colleague, Glafkos Tombolis's latest blog

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In the final instalment of our weekly Q&A series with LexisNexis UK exploring the top 10 questions asked by lawyers looking to move in-house from Private Practice; Karolina Mikulicz-Church and I are considering: 💥 Can you return to private practice after moving in-house? 💥 ❇ Having made the move in-house does not preclude you from returning to private practice although it is not a frequently trodden path.   ❇ Many lawyers we work with have successfully made this move, and the experience gained whilst in-house can be invaluable when returning to private practice. ❇ It is important to recognise that transitioning from in-house to private practice may involve a different set of challenges compared to your initial move. Be ready and prepared to effectively articulate the rationale for your move and how your in-house experience adds value to private practice clients. ❇ Some lawyers find that their in-house experience enhances their marketability, while others may need to strategically position their skills and experiences to align with the expectations of law firms.   ❇ Emphasise any commercial knowledge and practical experience gained during your time in-house. Clients often value lawyers who not only understand the law but can also provide strategic advice aligned with business objectives. ❇ Be proactive, maintain a strong professional network with solid relationships, and highlight the value you bring because of your in-house experience. ❇ Recognise that every career path is unique, and the process of returning to private practice may take time.   If you’re thinking about making the move and would like a confidential discussion, we'd love to hear from you. Drop us a line: 📧 [email protected] 📧 [email protected]

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Is the pressure building for clients to be paid ALL interest on the money held in client accounts? Regulators and government clearly think law firms shouldn't benefit from client interest, with the Ministry of Justice UK saying it should be used to pay for free legal advice, and the CEO of the Solicitors Regulation Authority saying it "did not feel right" for solicitors to profit from interest on client money; if it doesn't feel right for firms to keep interest, why should the MoJ keep it when this would not be in the best interests of the individual clients? If the legal aid system was working properly the MoJ wouldn't need to think about using client interest to pay for free legal advice! Any thoughts?

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Online safety and Ofcom are big news today - with Ofcom confirming the next steps in its regulation of online service providers. Here's our TLT take on the subject and some suggestions on how to develop a compliance plan for the Online Safety Act. #december2024 #getready with Alastair Edmondson and Oluwagbemiga O.!

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OPEN BOOK: Our Senior Counsel David Heasley recently encountered a book with a statement from the author prohibiting its use for training AI technology, raising some intriguing questions about AI and ownership in literature. In our latest blog for Attune Legal, David explores how AI is challenging the book publishing industry and what this means from a legal perspective. Dive into his blog here: 🔗 https://bit.ly/3yePjDP #AttuneLegal #GetYourBusinessHumming

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Listen to the latest episode in our #DataAsAnAsset podcast series for an overview of the #competition and #disputes issues relating to #data. Philip James, Daniel von Brevern, Matthew Howse, James Hyde and Aisling O'Hare discuss EU and UK data and competition regulations that businesses need to be aware of, including the EU Digital Markets Act, contractual disputes, and trends in #DataPrivacy litigation.   Listen now: https://lnkd.in/emmQRDxK

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Listen to the latest episode in our #DataAsAnAsset podcast series for an overview of the #competition and #disputes issues relating to #data. Philip James, Daniel von Brevern, Matthew Howse, James Hyde and Aisling O'Hare discuss EU and UK data and competition regulations that businesses need to be aware of, including the EU Digital Markets Act, contractual disputes, and trends in #DataPrivacy litigation.   Listen now: https://lnkd.in/emmQRDxK

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Our take on how the UPC is approaching issues of language in UPC proceedings. In particular, if you are sued for infringement of an English language European patent, but the proceedings are not in English, how likely is it that the UPC will agree to switch the language of proceedings into English? #UnifiedPatentCourt #UPCWeekly #UPCnugget #patentlitigation #MewburnEllis

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I totally agree with Richard Moorhead, there have been so many recent examples where lawyers have been shown to have acted unethically, the Post Office scandal being at the forefront of these! The assumption that all lawyers will act ethically purely based on their professional status needs to be revisited, with more training on ethics being provided; do all lawyers meet the SRA competence requirements around ethics, namely: A1 - Act honestly and with integrity, in accordance with legal and regulatory requirements and the SRA Standards and Regulations, including: 1. Recognising ethical issues and exercising effective judgment in addressing them 2. Understanding and applying the ethical concepts which govern their role and behaviour as a lawyer 3. Identifying the relevant SRA principles and rules of professional conduct and following them 4. Resisting pressure to condone, ignore or commit unethical behaviour 5. Respecting diversity and acting fairly and inclusively I wonder if the Post Office lawyers were honest when making the required competence declarations on their practising certificate renewal applications?

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We surveyed 1,000+ lawyers across the UK for our report, ‘Generative AI and the future of the legal profession’, nearly ALL respondents believe generative AI will have a noticeable impact on the law. Will this be for the better? Delve into the depths of the possibilities for the legal market and discover our insights. https://ow.ly/YCSM50PPhQ6

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