Canada: Construction contracts often include arbitration clauses, providing parties with an alternative path to dispute outside of court. In a recent BC Supreme Court decision, the Court ordered a stay of a lawsuit filed by an owner in favour of arbitration, concluding that although the owner was not technically a signatory to the construction contract containing the arbitration clause, there was an arguable case the owner could be bound by the arbitration clause.

Australia: A recent decision of the Supreme Court of Western Australia considered an application under Section 444GA of the Act where Administrators of a Deed of Company Arrangement sought leave to transfer the shares of an insolvent company to in circumstances where that transfer of shares would result in a return to shareholders of the insolvent company which the court referred to as “unique”.

With the release of Canada's first “Defence Industrial Strategy” (officially titled Security, Sovereignty, and Prosperity: Canada's Defence Industrial Strategy) in February 2026 and the announcement of significant government-backed investment vehicles, the Canadian defence ecosystem now presents a compelling landscape for institutional and private capital deployment.

When a judge is seized of an application for authorization to bring a class action in Québec, must they analyze all of the legal grounds invoked by the plaintiff in support of a given claim, or is it sufficient that just one of those grounds is arguable?

United States: Iowa House File 571, which is likely to be signed by the governor, amends Iowa Code Chapter 135S to enact the “Medical Ethics Defense Act.” This law is intended to protect the ethical, moral, or religious beliefs/principles held by a healthcare provider or healthcare institution and directs how those principles are supported in the workplace.

Poland: The EU is tightening chemicals regulation by integrating hazardous substances, including certain PFAS, into industrial emissions rules under the amended IED Directive. Businesses must now identify, assess, and manage these substances within permits and environmental systems, aligning with evolving REACH requirements and increasing transparency expectations.

Poland: New EU rules on greenwashing are raising the bar for environmental marketing. From September 27, 2026, businesses must ensure all sustainability claims are clear, specific, and backed by evidence, or face penalties.

Indonesia: The article highlights what has changed, what remains the same, and the practical implications for compliance.

United Kingdom: The Supreme Court's decision in Kession Capital Ltd (in Liquidation) v KVB Consultants and others is a significant development for FCA-authorised firms managing appointed representatives (ARs). The judgment, given on 1 April 2026, confirms that the categorisation of clients as retail or wholesale/professional/eligible counterparty is "part" of the business for which a principal firm agrees to accept responsibility.

Australia: Autonomous vehicles are edging closer to large‑scale deployment in Australia, with fleet operators expected to lead early adoption. While the technology is advancing quickly, Australia’s tax rules have not changed, meaning existing income tax, GST, and employment tax frameworks will apply in new and sometimes unexpected ways.

In this article, we unpack the key tax considerations for autonomous vehicle fleet operators, from software and IP structuring to depreciation, withholding tax and cross‑border operating models. We also highlight where early decisions can reduce tax risk and improve returns. As AV fleets move from trial to reality, tax planning may prove just as important as technology strategy.

Dentons is pleased to announce our continued contribution to the latest edition of the Corporate M&A Global Practice Guide, published by Chambers and Partners.

Australia: The recent Court of Appeal decision in Joseph v Spencer [2026] NSWCA 46 provides an important reminder of the purpose of conciliation conferences and explains the role of Commissioners of the Land and Environment Court in making orders giving effect to agreements reached by parties during conciliation conferences. In short, objectors do not have a right to be a “party” to without prejudice discussions between the parties and there are very limited grounds for an objector to bring a successful judicial review challenge against a consent granted by the Court pursuant an agreement reached in the context of a conciliation conference,

New Zealand: The Employment Relations Amendment Act 2026 took effect on 21 February 2026. One of the many significant changes introduced was the new Gateway Test. Designed to bring legal certainty to the contractor and employee distinction, the Gateway Test sets out five criteria which, if satisfied, confirm that the arrangement will automatically be treated as a lawful contractor arrangement. Importantly, this new test functions alongside the existing common law test, it does not replace it.

United Kingdom: Not for the first time, it seems that too great a volume of battery energy storage system (BESS) projects have the right to connect to the GB transmission and distribution grids. And once again, a proposed solution to a problem "caused" by BESS projects has emerged through the mechanisms that allow market participants to advance their own regulatory solutions in the form of industry code modifications.

United Kingdom: The FCA and PRA have issued policy statements outlining changes that have been or will be made to the Senior Managers & Certification Regime (SMCR). The changes aim to make the SMCR regime more efficient and proportionate whilst maintaining strong individual accountability and clarifying the regulators' rules and expectations. The changes will be made sequentially over the next few months, with further changes to follow if the required legislative changes are made.

Australia: Hugo Morgan, Solicitor sits down with Bethany McKnight, National Talent Acquisition Advisor, to introduce the new podcast series and discuss what it takes to land a clerkship or graduate role at Dentons. This episode will discuss the key elements of the application process, from resumes to networking events to interviews and what an applicant can expect to experience as a clerk or graduate at Dentons.

Australia: Even with careful planning, disputes remain a real possibility in complex projects. In this article, Partners Ryan Cable and Matt Coleman explore how well designed dispute resolution clauses can help contain risk rather than compound it. They unpack practical drafting considerations, including the need for clear escalation pathways, the dangers of ambiguity in process selection, and the particular challenges posed by multi party, multi contract energy projects. The article ultimately underscores why boilerplate provisions deserve close attention at the start of any project.

Indonesia: This article highlights what has changed, what it means in practice, and the steps businesses should consider moving forward—providing a clear starting point for those evaluating opportunities under the new regime.

Welcome to the April edition of the Political Law Playbook. This month, we highlight SCOTUS' long-awaited Voting Rights Act decision, potential legal trouble for online fundraising organization ActBlue, and the announcement of the US Treasury Department’s plans to amend the Form 990 information returns filed by most nonprofit organizations.

In early 2025, President Trump signaled his intent to end diversity, equity, and inclusion (“DEI”) programs in the federal government. As part of that policy, President Trump signed Executive Order (“EO”) 14173, which took aim at “illegal DEI” in federal contracting. Since then, contractors have sought to understand what constitutes illegal DEI. The Department of Justice (“DOJ”) recently provided the first concrete example of practices that it alleges to be illegal DEI.