Welcome to Find Me A Solicitor: The Legal Brief! Find Me A Solicitor’s monthly round-up of key legal developments from across the UK. Each edition brings together the most important changes in law, policy and regulation from the past month, offering clear insight into how they may affect individuals, businesses and legal professionals alike. As the legal landscape continues to evolve, Find Me A Solicitor remains committed to helping people navigate complex legal issues by connecting them with trusted solicitors across England and Wales, ensuring the right advice is always within reach.
1. FCA Launches Review into AI’s Impact on UK Retail Finance
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has launched a significant review into the use of artificial intelligence across the UK’s retail financial services sector, marking one of the most substantial regulatory examinations of emerging technology to date. As AI tools increasingly shape credit decisions, customer service, fraud detection and investment advice, regulators are under mounting pressure to ensure innovation does not come at the expense of consumer protection.
The review will assess how firms are deploying AI systems, particularly in automated decision-making that affects consumers’ access to financial products. Of concern to the FCA is the risk that opaque algorithms may unintentionally discriminate against certain groups or produce outcomes that are difficult to challenge. While AI promises efficiency and cost savings, the regulator has made clear that firms remain fully accountable for decisions made by automated systems.
While no new legislation has yet been introduced, the FCA has confirmed that existing regulatory obligations under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 and the FCA Principles for Businesses apply fully to AI-driven decision-making. Firms must be able to explain, monitor and justify automated outcomes, reinforcing legal duties around transparency, fairness and accountability.
A key legal question emerging from the review is how existing regulatory frameworks apply to AI-driven processes. Financial services law in the UK already places strong obligations on firms to treat customers fairly, provide transparency, and maintain robust governance. However, AI systems can complicate these duties, especially where decision-making logic cannot be easily explained. The FCA has indicated that firms using advanced technology must still be able to evidence compliance, including how outcomes are monitored and corrected.
The review also sits alongside wider legislative developments, including the UK’s evolving approach to AI governance following its decision not to immediately mirror the EU’s AI Act. This creates a complex landscape for businesses operating across jurisdictions, who must balance innovation with legal risk. Financial institutions are being urged to conduct internal audits of their AI tools and seek legal advice to ensure compliance before more formal regulatory action follows.
2. Sentencing Bill Advances in the House of Lords
The Sentencing Bill has moved forward in the House of Lords this month, reigniting debate around punishment, rehabilitation and public confidence in the criminal justice system. The Bill proposes a series of reforms designed to modernise sentencing practices, improve transparency, and address long-standing concerns about inconsistency in criminal penalties across England and Wales.
One of the most notable elements of the Bill is the proposal to require sentencing remarks to be published more widely, including online. Supporters argue this will improve public understanding of how and why courts reach certain decisions, countering perceptions that sentences are either too lenient or arbitrary. From a legal perspective, this increased transparency may also expose sentencing decisions to greater scrutiny, potentially influencing appeals and judicial accountability.
If enacted, the Bill would amend existing sentencing legislation by introducing a statutory duty to publish sentencing remarks, increasing judicial transparency and potentially affecting appeal strategies and public scrutiny of sentencing decisions.
The Bill also introduces changes to community sentences and offender management, aiming to reduce reoffending while easing pressure on overcrowded prisons. Critics, however, have raised concerns about whether sufficient resources exist to support these alternatives effectively. Without proper funding, they argue, reforms risk being symbolic rather than transformative.
As the Bill progresses, legal professionals are closely monitoring its implications for defendants, victims, and practitioners alike. Changes to sentencing law have far-reaching consequences, affecting everything from plea decisions to prison population management. Solicitors and barristers will need to stay informed as the legislation develops, particularly if amendments are introduced during later stages in Parliament.
3. Corporate Law Reform and the New Securities Regime
Significant changes to the UK’s corporate law framework have come into effect this month with the introduction of a new regime governing public offers of securities and admissions to trading. The reforms are intended to simplify capital-raising for companies while maintaining market integrity following the UK’s departure from the EU.
Under the new rules, certain restrictions inherited from EU law have been removed or replaced, giving UK regulators greater flexibility. Proponents say this will make London a more attractive destination for listings, particularly for high-growth and technology companies. However, the reforms also place greater responsibility on companies and their advisers to ensure accurate disclosures and robust governance.
Alongside the new securities regime, Companies House has delayed the implementation of some planned filing restrictions, creating a period of uncertainty for businesses. While reforms to Companies House aim to combat fraud and improve transparency, delays have raised questions about enforcement timelines and compliance expectations.
For businesses, these developments underscore the importance of proactive legal advice. Navigating corporate law changes requires careful planning, particularly for companies considering fundraising, restructuring or expansion. Failure to understand the new framework could expose directors to regulatory risk or undermine investor confidence.
4. Plans for a New National Police Service
The UK government has unveiled proposals to establish a new national police body, often described as a “British FBI”, to tackle serious and organised crime, terrorism and large-scale fraud. The initiative would centralise powers currently spread across multiple agencies, including the National Crime Agency and regional police forces.
Supporters argue that a unified service would improve coordination and effectiveness, particularly in responding to crimes that cross regional boundaries. From a legal standpoint, however, the proposal raises important questions about accountability, oversight and civil liberties. Concentrating power within a single body may require new safeguards to prevent abuse and ensure transparency.
Civil liberties groups have expressed concern about how expanded surveillance and investigatory powers might be used. Any new agency would need a clear statutory framework defining its remit, powers and limitations. Parliament is expected to scrutinise the proposals closely, particularly in relation to human rights and data protection law.
If implemented, the reforms could significantly alter the landscape of criminal investigation in the UK. Legal practitioners, especially those working in criminal defence and regulatory law, will need to adapt to new procedures and enforcement structures as details emerge.
Any new national police body would require primary legislation to define its powers, oversight mechanisms and accountability structures, potentially amending existing policing, criminal procedure and surveillance laws.
5. Ongoing Debate Over Protest Rights in England and Wales
Recent reports from legal and human rights organisations have warned that the right to protest in England and Wales is under increasing strain. Legislative changes introduced in recent years have expanded police powers to restrict demonstrations, particularly where protests are deemed disruptive or noisy.
Supporters of the reforms argue they strike a necessary balance between the right to protest and the rights of the wider public. Critics, however, contend that the laws are vague and grant excessive discretion to law enforcement, creating a chilling effect on lawful protest. Several high-profile arrests and prosecutions have intensified scrutiny of how the laws are applied in practice.
Legal challenges are likely to continue, with courts playing a key role in interpreting the limits of protest rights under domestic law and the European Convention on Human Rights. For individuals and organisations involved in activism, understanding their legal position has become increasingly important.
Amendments to public order legislation have broadened police discretion to impose conditions on protests, raising ongoing legal questions about compatibility with Articles 10 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Legal Support and Finding the Right Advice
As these developments show, UK law is evolving rapidly across criminal justice, corporate regulation, technology and civil liberties. Whether you are a business navigating regulatory change or an individual affected by new legislation, access to the right legal advice is essential.
Find Me A Solicitor helps individuals and organisations connect with qualified solicitors across England and Wales, matching legal needs with experienced professionals in the relevant area of law. From criminal defence and public law to corporate and regulatory advice, the service aims to simplify the process of finding trusted legal support when it matters most.