Legal updates | Simmons & Simmons

Vittorio Casamento – Partner, Norton Rose Fulbright AustraliaRussell Afifi – Senior Lawyer, navigator Simmons & SimmonsJohn Paul Zammit – Managing Associate Simmons & SimmonsAustralia's New Licensing Regime for Foreign Financial Service Providers – What You Need to KnowWith draft legislation reintroduced to the Australian Parliament and transitional reliefs extended until 31 March 2027, now is the time for foreign financial service providers to understand what lies ahead. In this episode, Russell Afifi and JP Zammit of Simmons & Simmons are joined by Vittorio Casamento of Norton Rose Fulbright to discuss the proposed reforms, including the new Comparable Regulator Exemption and expanded Professional Investor Exemption, and what firms should be doing now to prepare. Topics covered include:The current regime and extension of existing reliefsKey changes under the proposed legislationEligibility and application requirementsPractical steps to prepare and likely timeline for implementationEssential listening for asset managers and institutions exploring or currently operating in the Australian market.

With Amrit Mclean Global Head of De-risking Simmons & Simmons and Special Guest Shreyas Sridhar, Managing Director at Canada Life.

With Amrit Mclean Global Head of De-risking Simmons & Simmons and Special Guest Joe Wren Partner at Simmons & Simmons

Welcome to the Simmons & Simmons podcast series on the European Commission's Market Integration Package. In this series, we explore the Commission's latest legislative proposals aimed at facilitating greater integration of EU financial markets under the Savings and Investment Union strategy. Each episode breaks down the key elements of the package and examines what these changes mean in practice for market participants across the EU. Join our experts as we discuss the legal, regulatory, and strategic implications of these reforms, and provide practical insights to help you navigate the evolving landscape of EU financial markets.In the first episode, our regulatory lawyers Betül Kohlhäufl and Noujan Akbari provide a high-level overview of the European Commission's Market Integration Package, its strategic aims and role within the Savings and Investment Union as well as the main legislative proposals. Listeners will gain insight into why market integration matters for the EU financial sector, what's changing, and what these reforms mean for different market participants.

A Human-AI Partnership – Rethinking the Future of Work The future of work doesn't arrive with a bang. It slips in quietly—an AI tool summarising your emails, a junior lawyer collaborating with a data scientist. The headlines warn of job losses, but the real story is more nuanced, more human, and far more exciting. What if the future isn't about humans versus machines, but about a powerful partnership? We go beyond the headlines to reveal how AI is reshaping not just what we do, but how we do it. Sarah James, Partner and Head of Adaptive, puts it plainly: “It's not just about efficiency and automation. It's about creating workplaces where innovation and human potential thrive side by side.” Ali Chaudhry, Legal Engineer, sees the shift from the ground up: “AI is both a productivity tool and a cultural shift.” The future belongs to those who can reallocate their time, master new tools, and—crucially—think critically about what AI delivers. The challenge now? To lead with care, build trust, and ensure that as we automate the routine, we elevate the meaningful. The future is multidisciplinary, human-centred, and—if we get it right—brilliantly bright. Join Sarah and Ali as they unpack the messy, exciting reality of AI in the legal world. Introduction authored by Percy, our Simmons internal AI colleague. Hear more from Ali by following his blog on the Simmons website or follow on LinkedIn 

Episode 14 - Barry Gros is joined by Ashley Thomas, Head of Structured Finance (UK) at ARC Ratings, to discuss the fundamentals of securitisation, focusing on its growing relevance in the data centre industry due to increasing capital requirements and the limitations of traditional bank financing.

Barry Gross and Andy Hartwill, Client Insights Lead at Simmons & Simmons discuss the current status of US tariffs, the hotly anticipated US Supreme Court decision on their legality and what happens next if SCOTUS rules against the Trump administration.

In this session, we examined the growing sophistication and complexity of major IP and tech disputes facing businesses and how the courts have been addressing them (e.g. Getty Images v Stability AI, IBM v LzLabs, and patent FRAND litigation). We discussed the strategies businesses should adopt to manage these risks, present their strongest position, and ensure appropriate governance and oversight.

In this session, we explored how businesses can navigate and thrive in an increasingly tech-regulated world. Drawing on real-world experiences from financial services regulation and past implementations of tech and data regulations, we shared valuable insights for companies facing the next wave of digital regulation.

This webinar will explore the GDPR's provisions on automated decision-making and profiling, including the right to human intervention and the requirement for transparency and fairness.

This session will discuss the rights of individuals under the GDPR in the context of AI, including the right to access, rectification, erasure, and data portability.

This session provides an overview of the data privacy requirements under AI laws, standards and regulatory guidelines in key APAC jurisdictions including China, Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, etc.

This session provides an overview of the Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) process and its relevance to AI-related projects, including the identification and mitigation of data protection risks.

This session will explore data privacy considerations that arise during the AI model training process, including the collection, use and sharing of data.This session explores data privacy considerations that arise during the AI model training process, including the collection, use and sharing of data.

This session will explore data privacy considerations that arise during the AI model training process, including the collection, use and sharing of data.This session explores data privacy considerations that arise during the AI model training process, including the collection, use and sharing of data.

The UK Supreme Court handed down its judgment on Friday 1 August in the motor finance commission case of Johnson, Wrench and Hopcraft. The decision might have significant implications for a wide range of businesses, beyond the motor finance sector.We hosted a concise, high-level webinar where our team explained what this ruling could mean for your business, including:What is the immediate impact on motor finance?Read-across risk: What impact is the judgment likely to have on:other intermediated lending business models; andother sectors including insurance, asset management and funds?Are there other sectors which could be impacted by the judgment?

As technology evolves, so do the challenges of product liability. This session will address the unique issues faced by businesses in the digital age, including cybersecurity risks and the liability of AI-driven products.Speakers: Olivier Mignolet, Minesh Tanna and Martin Binder

Learn from recent class-action cases in the healthcare and life sciences sector. Our speakers will provide insights into the strategies and outcomes of these cases, offering valuable lessons for businesses across industries. Speakers: Jacques-Antoine Robert, Machteld Hiemstra and Mauro Teresi

Delve into the global environmental challenges posed by PFAS and microplastics. This session will cover the legal and regulatory responses to these issues and their impact on product liability.Speakers: Ingrid Hobbs, Tim McCaw and Pierre-Alexis Maingon

With strong consumer protectionist measures and enhanced regulatory obligations for businesses in a range of product sectors, we provide practical guidance and strategy on how to protect business, mitigate civil liability and regulatory exposure, and safeguard innovation. Speakers: David Kidman, Olivia Delagrange and Udo Pickartz

In our latest podcast episode, "Developments in the German Regulatory Law Landscape”, host Betül Kohlhäufl and guest Bastian Kaufhold from our Frankfurt team take a look at the recent proposed update of the German shareholder control regulation

In this episode, we explore the proposed changes to the defined benefit (DB) pension surplus regime. With new rules on the horizon, DB schemes could soon gain greater flexibility to unlock and make use of surplus funds. Join us as we break down what these developments could mean for both existing and potential clients.

In our latest podcast episode, "Developments in the German Regulatory Law Landscape”, hosts Betül Kohlhäufl and Noujan Akbari from our Frankfurt team delve into the recent consultations by the German regulator BaFin.  In this brief episode, we touch on the following consultations: Consultation on investor influence on investment decisions for investment fundsConsultation on fit-and-proper requirements of managing directors of banks and financial services institutionsConsultation on changes regarding the Shareholder Control Regulation

Episode 12 - Barry Gross is joined by Anthony McDermott and Ronan Tynan from Mitchell McDermott, to discuss the evolution of data centres, cost and project management, contractor engagement and procurement strategies, and future-proofing data centres.