A&O Shearman network insights

How is AI, experimentation and smarter delivery transforming legal work?

In this episode, Luxembourg head of Knowledge Bénédicte Kurth welcomes Angela Clist, global head of Advanced Delivery and Solutions, to discuss how AI and advanced delivery are transforming legal work.

Together, they explore the mindset needed to thrive in this new environment, the importance of experimentation and thoughtful change management, and why markets like Luxembourg are well positioned to lead in responsible AI adoption.

With concrete examples—from AI-enabled large-scale review to entity management solutions, they highlight how the right combination of people, processes and technology creates real value for companies.

 

“Marry in haste, repent at leisure” – The importance of Due Diligence in M&A deals

In this episode of our M&A podcast, Victoria Woestmann and Matthieu Tourin discuss the role of due diligence in M&A transactions: why it matters, what can go wrong if it is poorly handled, and how the process can be made, in their words, “a bit less painful.” 

Drawing on real life experiences, they walk through the due diligence process from both a buyer’s and seller’s perspective, explore how findings can influence purchase price, warranties, indemnities and SPA provisions, and share some of the more unexpected discoveries encountered in their careers. 

The conversation also looks ahead, examining how LegalTech and AI tools are transforming due diligence – improving speed, coordination and outcomes in complex, cross border transactions.

The who, when and how of the new UK prospectus and public offer rules from an equity perspective

The UK’s new prospectus and public offer rules overhaul the UK prospectus regime. The Public Offers and Admissions to Trading Regulations 2024, which introduce the Prospectus Rules: Admissions to Trading on a Regulated Market (PRM) Sourcebook, will supersede the on-shored EU Prospectus Regulation from January 19, 2026,  with a UK framework that separates admissions to a regulated market from wider public offers. The FCA now sets the detailed content and approval standards for admission prospectuses, with more flexible, proportionate disclosure requirements, especially for secondary fundraisings. The new rules recast when a ‘public offer’ is permitted, broaden permitted routes to reach retail investors (including via admissions to trading and other FCA regulated venues or platforms), and modernise exemptions. Overall, the package is designed to cut friction for issuers, support faster capital raising and retail participation, and maintain robust investor protections through targeted disclosure.

Listen to our podcast where we summarise what these changes are from an equity perspective and how issuers, investment banks and investors should navigate IPOs, public offers and further issuances under the new regime.

AI Agents – Ep 3: Digital Fortresses: Cyber and Data Risks for AI Agents

This final episode of three parts explores how AI agents elevate cybersecurity and privacy risks: AI-enabled phishing, deepfakes, prompt injection, model theft, expanded attack surfaces, and nation-state agentic attacks, plus governance, controls, and regulatory expectations. Learn how to turn risk into advantage, build trust, meet regulatory expectations, and accelerate secure AI adoption.

Author: Alex Shandro and Anna Rudawski

AI Agents – Ep 2: Transactional Integrity: AI Agents for Payments

This part two episode explores how AI agents are reshaping the online payments journey, while navigating PSD2/PSD3, GDPR, and UK rules. We unpack consent, authentication, liability, and the protocols powering agent-led commerce which can turn regulatory complexity into advantage, with actionable takeaways for product, legal, and risk teams

Author: Alex Shandro and Nikki Johnstone

AI Agents – Ep 1: Regulating Autonomy: Managing Risk When Using AI Agents

This episode kicks off a three-part exploration of AI agents: what they are, why adoption is accelerating, and how to deploy them safely for business impact. Learn key use cases, governance challenges, and risks, decode the evolving regulatory landscape and liability, and take away pragmatic controls to move fast without breaking trust.

Author: Alex Shandro and Anna Rudawski

Contractual AIFs: Crisis resolution instruments and legal personality

In this podcast, Alberto Claretta-Assandri, head of Italy Funds and Financial Regulatory, and Tommaso Paltrinieri, senior associate from the restructuring team, provide an overview of the proposed reform of the Italian Financial Act with reference to the new insolvency-related measures applicable to Italian funds and their implications to the long-debated issue of their legal status.

This podcast is spoken in Italian. 

Restructuring Across Borders: Contentious restructuring proceedings in Hong Kong and Singapore

The A&O Shearman Restructuring Across Borders Toolkit has been developed by our market-leading restructuring group (where applicable, in conjunction with our partner law firms) offering a free and easy-to-use resource that provides information and guidance on key practical aspects of restructuring and insolvency proceedings in more than 50 jurisdictions around the world.

In the latest edition of the Restructuring Across Borders podcast series, Viola Jing and Rishi Hindocha—partners in our Hong Kong and Singapore Restructuring teams respectively—take a look at:

• the restructuring landscape in their jurisdictions
• whether restructurings are becoming more contentious (particularly in light of recent restructuring plan case developments in the UK)
• the use of parallel proceedings across borders
• whether stakeholders are considering the use of alternative implementation options such as liability management exercises. 

Failure to prevent fraud offence

Over the past year, the UK has implemented sweeping reforms concerning how corporates can become liable for fraud. In this podcast episode, Matt Townsend, co-head of our Global International Trade group, is joined by counsel Tom d’Ardenne (London) and associate Ming Zee Tee (London) to unpack the new failure to prevent fraud offence and its implications for M&A.

 

Our speakers explain how large companies may be held to account for fraud committed by employees, agents, subsidiaries, and other associated persons providing services. They explain what types of fraud are covered by the offence and how this regulation will reshape M&A due diligence and deal execution. The discussion highlights the practical steps businesses should take—particularly around governance, policies, and procedures—to mitigate risk and preserve value in transactions.

 

Drawing parallels to the transformational effect of the UK Bribery Act in 2011, we expect to see a significant shift in how clients prepare for and conduct deals. Tune in for a practical discussion of how the new rules will operate in practice and the key implications businesses need to consider.

Annual reports and AGMs—what you need to know this year 2025-2026

In this latest edition of our podcast, we delve into the essential considerations for company secretaries and their teams as they prepare for their next annual report and AGM.

The key themes covered in this podcast include:

• AGMs: current market practice and trends expected in 2026
• Annual reports: a practical guide on the impact of the UK Corporate Governance Code 2024, an overview of changes that will impact the directors' report and directors' remuneration report, and a discussion of developments in sustainability reporting
• Horizon scanning: developments currently in the pipeline as well as market trends that may impact UK AGMs and corporate reporting in the future