Stuart Alford KC

The Crime and Policing Act 2026 (CPA) received Royal Assent on 29 April 2026. With effect from 29 June 2026, companies have become liable for any criminal offence committed by a senior manager acting within their actual or apparent authority. The legislation significantly extends corporate criminal liability in the UK and pushes further the already important change introduced under the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act 2023 (ECCTA) just three years ago.

Episode 12 explores the important Supreme Court decision concerning limitation periods for unfair prejudice petitions. The episode examines the court’s analysis of the Limitation Act 1980, including why claims under Section 994 of the Companies Act are not automatically subject to six- or 12-year limitation periods, and the significance of the court’s broad discretionary powers under Section 996.

[co-author: Jumana Rahman]schi On Sept. 17, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued a Policy Statement stating that the SEC would henceforth declare effective registration statements of companies that provide for mandatory arbitration of disputes between investors and that company arising under the federal securities laws. This is a clear shift from the SEC’s stated position over many years that such mandatory arbitration provisions violate federal securities laws.