United Kingdom: Class Actions

British American Tobacco's $1.1 billion settlement with US authorities over North Korean sanctions violations appeared to close one chapter, but opened another as the company now faces multibillion-pound shareholder litigation in London and terrorism-related civil claims. This case illustrates how multinational corporations must carefully navigate the collateral consequences of government enforcement resolutions, as admissions made to one jurisdiction can fuel derivative litigation across multiple forums an

The UK Supreme Court's decision in Evans v Barclays Bank clarifies critical distinctions between opt-in and opt-out collective proceedings, establishing that claim strength is a relevant factor in certification decisions and that opt-in should be the starting point. The judgment addresses the weight to be given to regulatory decisions, the balance between access to justice and defendants' rights, and the practical considerations that should guide the Competition Appeal Tribunal's certification process.

In this edition of our banking litigation podcast, we consider some recent cases that will be most relevant to in-house lawyers at banks and financial institutions.