Corporate Crime analysis: The report on part one of Sir Brian Leveson’s independent review into the criminal courts earlier this year (‘the report’) recommended that ‘serious, complex’ fraud cases be adjudicated by a judge alone. Now, the Justice Secretary, David Lammy MP, has not only adopted that recommendation, but has expanded the suggested replacement of juries with single judges to virtually all cases. The few exceptions do not appear to envisage the use of juries for any fraud trials. The proposals have caused consternation among criminal practitioners and industry bodies. While many have welcomed Sir Brian and Mr Lammy’s recognition of the pressures impeding the administration of justice in the criminal courts, there is a widespread view that the removal of the jury from trials would have serious adverse consequences for those who come into contact with the justice system (and, for society in general). Though less commented upon, the proposals would have serious impacts for corporate defendants and may herald greater risks for corporates in criminal-regulatory matters. Written by John Binns and Amelia Clegg of BCL Solicitors LLP.

Bocconi University will host the 4th International Arbitration Conference on 21-22 May 2026 in Milan, focusing on ethics in international arbitration. The conference, organised by Prof Catherine Rogers, will feature keynote speakers including Toby Landau KC and former Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb) President Mohamed S. Abdel Wahab. Sessions will cover ethical self-regulation, counsel and arbitrator ethics rules, and emerging ethical issues for expert witnesses, tribunal secretaries, and third-party funders.

TMT analysis: Every industry is affected by advances in technology including artificial intelligence, robotics and the Internet of Things. The medical and healthcare sectors are no exception, and digital health innovation is progressing at a rapid pace. The growing market of the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT)) and BodyTech/wearable devices is likely to have a significant impact on the product liability regime. Katie Chandler of Taylor Wessing considers the legal implications of the new technology in relation to product liability

Law360, London: Boehringer Ingelheim cannot keep its three-dimensional trade mark over a lung disease inhaler because its shape is functional rather than decorative, an EU court held on 13 November 2024.

Law360: Boeing has agreed to settle two wrongful death cases over the Ethiopian Airlines 737 Max crash just before a damages trial was scheduled to start in Chicago federal court on 7 April 2025.

Law360: The Boeing Co, the multinational aerospace, defence and commercial airplane company, has agreed in principle to a deal with the US Department of Justice (DOJ) to plead guilty to a single criminal charge of conspiracy to defraud the government.

Law360, London: An Illinois federal jury awarded more than US$28m on 19 November 2025 to the estate of a UN environmental scientist who died in the 2019 crash of a Boeing jet flying Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302, even though the parties reached a settlement ahead of closing arguments.

Law360, London: Breach of contract claims related to a 787 Dreamliner sale should be severed from litigation brought by Norwegian Air subsidiaries that also accuses the company of fraudulently misrepresenting its 737 Max aircraft, Boeing told a Washington federal judge.

CASE HUB Archived—This archived case hub reflects the position at the date of the abandonment of the transaction on 25 April 2020; it is no longer maintained. See further, timeline and commentary. Case facts Outline European Commission merger investigation into the proposed acquisition by Boeing Compnay of Embrace SA's commercial aviation business and related operations and engineering capability, as well as joint control of a joint venture company, EB Defence LC (Case M.9097). The transaction involves horizontal overlaps in markets for commercial aircraft manufacturing. Latest developments On 25 April 2020, Boeing Company announced that it had abandoned the transaction.On 8 May 2020, the notification to the Commission was abandoned and withdrawn. Parties Boeing Company (Boeing): Boeing is an American aerospace and defence company based in Chicago, Illinois. Boeing designs, manufactures, and markets commercial aeroplanes, military aeroplanes, and spacecraft, as well as defence, space, and security systems. Boeing also provides aftermarket services for the aerospace market including performance-based logistics and training. Boeing is one of the two leading globally active manufacturers of commercial aircraft. Embraer SA

Boiler room describes an operation in which high‑pressure, often misleading sales tactics are used (usually by telephone or online) to induce investors to buy worthless or high‑risk investments, frequently involving shares, bonds, carbon credits, cryptoassets or other speculative products. The term is descriptive rather than a defined statutory concept in the UK or Ireland, but such schemes typically involve investment fraud, market abuse, unauthorised investment business and breaches of financial promotions rules. In England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, boiler room activity commonly engages offences under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, the Fraud Act 2006 and related regulatory regimes enforced by the Financial Conduct Authority and criminal authorities. In Ireland, similar conduct may breach the Investment Intermediaries Act 1995, the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences) Act 2001 and Central Bank rules on authorised investment firms and investment advice. For legal practitioners, the concept is relevant in advising on financial services regulation, cross‑border enforcement, asset recovery, investor redress, director disqualification and professional negligence claims arising from failure to detect or warn about boiler room scams. Usage is broadly consistent across all four jurisdictions.

What is a boiler room fraud? Boiler rooms are a term used to describe high pressure sales environments. The idea is that the sales environment creates the pressure of a boiler room, with sales staff deploying high pressure sales tactics to incite, cajole and pressurise investors into parting with their money in exchange for investments. The terms 'boiler room fraud' or 'boiler room scam' are used to describe a particular type of fraud perpetrated using boiler rooms. In other words, a fraud carried on by means of distance selling, telemarketing and telesales, by which victims are pressurised into buying products or investments on a false premise. The goods or investments purchased are usually worthless or worth substantially less than the consideration given. The sales staff operating within the boiler room often use dishonesty and/or deception to make the sales and the victims are usually specifically targeted for their naïvety or vulnerability. The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulates the activity of companies operating in the UK financial sector, including banks, stockbrokers, financial advisers and spread-betting agents. Companies

A term used to describe high pressure selling techniques to persuade investors to buy shares which are usually worthless.