Rapid legal and regulatory responses to COVID-19; ASIC consults on pre-IPO relief for voluntary escrow and pre-disclosure communications; ASX compliance update; FIRB flags potential fee refunds for COVID-19 application withdrawals; and ACCC outlines enforcement priorities for 2020 and permits coordination to respond to COVID-19. ...

It is critical that listed entities understand how COVID-19 is likely to impact their businesses and are prepared to make necessary disclosures to the ASX. To date, the majority of ASX-listed entities have not made any disclosure in relation to COVID-19. In this update we have set out a number of scenarios that should be considered by listed clients as part of the proper and ongoing assessment of the need for disclosure under the ASX Listing Rules. ...

According to the report, more than 40% of the class actions filed in 2019 were filed on behalf of consumers. This result is a change from recent years in which being an ASX-listed company was the ...

This latest guide looks at developments at the end of last year and the beginning of 2020. It covers: Brexit and the transition, final-form recommendations for audit and auditor reform, new stewardship obligations for investors, tougher new anti-money laundering rules, FRC guidance for this year's annual reports and Section 172 statements, the extension of the FCA's Senior Manager regime, market abuse, ESG and climate, private equity reporting, transparency of ownership of UK real estate and late payment. ...

The United Kingdom High Court (the Court) recently handed down its judgment in Amey Highways Ltd v West Sussex County Council, which considered the abandonment of a government procurement process following a breach of relevant procurement regulations by a public agency. For government departments and agencies in particular, this case clarifies when a public agency can abandon a procurement process and what remedies may be available to bidders in these circumstances. ...

A parliamentary inquiry has been announced into whether Australia should introduce a legislation authorising the government to impose sanctions against gross human right abusers. ...

Australia's modern slavery reporting regime was introduced one year ago, and 2020 will see the first set of modern slavery statements published by reporting entities. ...

The Australian Government has tabled the Crimes Amendment (Combatting Corporate Crime) Bill 2019 (the 2019 Bill) in the Senate, and the Attorney-General's Department has released Draft Guidance on the steps a body corporate can take to prevent an associate from bribing foreign public officials for public consultation (the Draft Guidance). Like the 2017 version of the Bill that lapsed earlier this year (the 2017 Bill), if passed, the 2019 Bill will strengthen Australia's foreign bribery laws, including by introducing a new corporate offence of failure to prevent bribery by an associate, and will introduce a Deferred Prosecution Agreement (DPA) scheme for resolving serious corporate criminal matters. Partner Rachel Nicolson, Senior Associate Andrew Wilcock and Associate Lewis Winter report on the key differences between the 2017 and 2019 Bills, and the content of the Draft Guidance. ...

The Equator Principles Association unveiled the finalised fourth version of the Equator Principles (EP4) on 18 November 2019. Set for an effective date of 1 July 2020, EP4 heightens requirements for designated OECD countries and tightens due diligence assessments with a greater focus on human rights, climate change and biodiversity. While there are many improvements and refinements from the draft we reviewed in June, the only potentially material change is a compromise on the 'free prior and informed consent' requirement for affected Indigenous communities. ...

The Australian Law Reform Commission released for consultation today a set of proposals aimed at overhauling the federal corporate criminal responsibility regime. This comes in the wake of criticisms that the current system is ineffective in preventing, deterring and prosecuting serious corporate crime. Whilst the reforms offer a clearer, consistent and more rational framework for addressing corporate misconduct in Australia, some elements (such as the adoption of a general 'associate' model for criminal attribution) will no doubt raise concern given their capacity to significantly extend corporate liability. We examine some of the key proposals and their likely impact. Partner Christopher Kerrigan and Senior Overseas Practitioner Cindy McNair report. ...