United Kingdom: English law requires leases to have a term certain i.e. that the maximum duration of the letting is ascertainable at the outset. While this may seem a rather technical requirement, the commercial consequences of not satisfying it can be significant, as demonstrated by the recent Court of Appeal decision in AP Wireless II (UK) Limited v. On Tower (UK) Limited.

United Kingdom: In the second challenge against the UK's national security investment screening laws, FTDI Holding Limited (FTDI HL) has lost its High Court appeal to overturn an order requiring a full divestment of its shareholding in a Scottish semiconductor company. 

United Kingdom: Our latest round-up of developments on building safety regulation and news in Wales.

New Zealand: The New Zealand Privacy Commissioner has now issued the Biometric Processing Privacy Code, which will come into force on 3 November 2025 for new biometric processing activities. Agencies already undertaking biometric processing activities will have until 3 August 2026 to comply with the Code.

United Kingdom: London International Disputes Week's programme offered an array of excellent panels. Here is a summary of the expertise and insights on the relative advantages and disadvantages of arbitration and litigation shared by the panellists in Shifting Sands of Construction Disputes: is litigation back in fashion.

Singapore: On 26 June 2025, MAS issued a circular (IID 04/2025) on governance and management of Variable Capital Companies (VCCs), following its thematic review of VCCs (the Circular). This article will set out the key regulatory requirements highlighted in the Circular, observations by the MAS and next steps for fund managers.

Slovak Republic: We are pleased to present you with a new issue of the Life Sciences Newsletter with interesting events and key news from the decision-making practice of the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic and legislation.

United Kingdom: A significant element of the building safety reform proposed by the Welsh Government (WG) is focused on the safety of existing buildings and their occupiers. After considerable consultation, WG published its draft Building Safety (Wales) Bill (the Bill) on 7 July 2025.

United Kingdom: The press now features news of innovation on a daily basis. Examples include: Garfield AI obtaining regulatory approval to use AI in its practice to deliver small debt recovery services; “Consult”, part of the Humphrey suite, the government-developed AI tool being used to review public consultation responses; and 92% of students using AI tools in their studies (according to HEPI).

United Kingdom: The Building Safety Act 2022 (the Act) represents a significant overhaul of the regulatory framework governing building safety in England. Central to the Act's new regime are the requirements for mandatory occurrence reporting (MOR) and voluntary occurrence reporting (VOR), both of which aim to foster a culture of transparency and proactive risk management within the built environment. 

Dentons, Canada’s Global Law Firm, congratulates Justice McKenzie, the recipient of the 2025 Dentons-Canadian Association of Urban Financial Professionals (CAUFP) Scholarship. Justice, a second-year Juris Doctor candidate at Western University and founder of a successful computer-building startup, is committed to supporting fellow entrepreneurs and underrepresented founders to help strengthen the business landscape.

United Kingdom: Constructive dismissal continues to be an evolving and sometimes complex area of UK employment law. We examine two recent cases that provide valuable insight into the key principles underpinning the law and suggest steps employers can take to minimise the risk of this type of claim.

New Zealand: This article explores the subject of plausibility including what it is, how did it arise, who should care, how to demonstrate plausibility, when does plausibility arise and the nature and amount of data required.

South Korea: On July 17, 2025, the Supreme Court of Korea ruled that when an employee requests annual leave after the deadline stipulated in a collective bargaining agreement (CBA), the employer may lawfully reject or postpone the leave.

United Kingdom: In a special episode following release of the Supreme Court judgment in the Motor Finance cases of Hopcraft, Wrench and Johnson, our regulatory experts are joined by experts in litigation and restructuring to discuss the implications of the judgment.

United Kingdom: The rise in illegal occupation of private land, particularly by travellers taking over vacant car parks and derelict sites and camping there, has become a pressing concern for landowners across Scotland. With occupiers often aware that a court order is required for eviction, many simply remain in place until formal legal action is taken.

United Kingdom: The Outer House of the Court of Session has delivered a significant judgment reaffirming the strength of Scotland's anti-rates-avoidance regime under the Non-Domestic Rates (Miscellaneous Anti-Avoidance Measures) (Scotland) Regulations 2023, dismissing a judicial review brought by Bridgeport Estates Ltd against Highland Council's decision to treat it as liable for non-domestic rates on a property in Inverness.

Dentons has advised funds managed by Apollo Global Management on the sale of an eight property UK Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) portfolio to QuadReal Property Group for consideration in excess of £500 million.

Global law firm Dentons advised real estate developer and investor Breevast on the financing agreements with Rabobank and NIBC Bank to support the development of Nobu Residences Park Meadows Amsterdam. This project marks the debut of the internationally renowned branded residences in the Dutch market.

Berlin (DAV). Im Rahmen eines neuen „Sicherheitspakets“ will Bundesinnenminister Dobrindt Software für biometrische Gesichtserkennung und das umstrittene Datenanalyseprogramm „Gotham“ von Palantir für die Polizei verfügbar machen. Das Bundeskabinett soll den Entwurf heute auf den Weg bringen. Der Deutsche Anwaltverein (DAV) warnt eindringlich.

„Biometrische Gesichtserkennung ist ein schwerer Eingriff in das Recht auf informationelle Selbstbestimmung“, erklärt Rechtsanwältin Lea Voigt, Vorsitzende des Ausschusses Recht der Inneren Sicherheit des Deutschen Anwaltvereins (DAV). Die Kameras würden nicht nur gesuchte Personen erfassen, sondern alle, die den Aufnahmebereich betreten. „Wir haben schon in der Vergangenheit vor solchen Maßnahmen gewarnt. Mit ihnen wird die Möglichkeit, sich anonym im öffentlichen Raum zu bewegen, in Frage gestellt. Und zwar für alle Bürgerinnen und Bürger“, erinnert Voigt. Gesichtserkennung werde bereits in einigen Bundesländern wie Sachsen verwendet. Mangels Statistiken zum Erfolg der Technik sei der tatsächliche Nutzen jedoch kaum zu beurteilen.

Bedenken hat die Rechtsanwältin auch beim geplanten Einsatz der Analysesoftware „Gotham“ des Anbieters Palantir: „Mit den Daten, die Palantir erfasst, könnten ‚auf Knopfdruck‘ Persönlichkeitsprofile von Bürgerinnen und Bürger erstellt werden.“ Das berge erhebliche grundrechtliche Problematiken. „Noch dazu ist die Funktionsweise der Algorithmen völlig intransparent“, bemängelt Lea Voigt. Es sei kaum nachvollziehbar, auf welchen Wegen die gigantischen Datenmengen miteinander verknüpft würden.

„Immer neue Überwachungsmaßnahmen unter dem Label der ‚Sicherheit‘ zu bewerben, macht sie nicht zu sinnvollen und verhältnismäßigen Instrumenten im Rechtsstaat“, so Anwältin Voigt. Sie gibt außerdem zu bedenken, dass viele Maßnahmen sich kaum rückgängig machen lassen. Es bedürfe daher einer sorgfältigen Abwägung, bevor Befugnisse immer weiter ausgeweitet werden.