The battle for European basketball has begun. The NBA’s new model is preparing to take on the EuroLeague.

The private capital market is constantly evolving, and venture capital is undergoing an especially significant shift as the industry faces into the pressures impacting private equity GPs.

Two significant changes to harassment law are coming into force on 30 October 2026:

From 30 October 2026, trade unions will have the right to formally request access to workplaces to meet, support, represent, recruit or organise workers and to facilitate collective bargaining. This is one of a number of measures which the Government is introducing with a view to increasing trade union engagement, and the Government has committed to reviewing this new statutory access right within the first six months, so it is possible that changes will be made in the future.

In this issue, we look at extended liability for right to work checks, the £28 million fine on Virgin Media for mishandling customer calls and the practical lessons from recent case law on step-in rights and complex outsourcing contracts. 

The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 (often referred to as "Martyn's Law") will require those responsible for certain premises and events to take steps to prepare for potential terrorist attacks and help keep people safe if an attack were to take place. In addition, certain larger premises and events are required to consider their vulnerability to acts of terrorism, and, where appropriate, take reasonably practicable steps to reduce those vulnerabilities.

On 8 October 2026, the FCA published Consultation Paper CP26/35 (the CP) on redemption arrangements for authorised funds investing in illiquid assets. The consultation closes on 11 December 2026.

Third-party litigation funding – whereby an independent funder pays some or all of a party's costs in connection with legal proceedings in exchange for a financial return should the case succeed – has become an established feature of commercial arbitration seated in England & Wales. 

A regular briefing for the alternative asset management industry 

The OECD has published the full text of its updated model double tax convention (the Model Treaty), incorporating changes to its guidance, first announced in November 2025, on when a home office of a team member can generate a taxable presence of the foreign business for which they work. Businesses with remote workers will want to ascertain whether the relevant tax authorities will change their practices in line with the new guidance and, if so, confirm that their policies on remote working remain appropriate.

In future years, the UK's retirement housing sector might look back at Summer 2026 as a seminal moment.

The Government's Defence Investment Plan, published this summer, represents one of the most significant shifts in UK defence spending in a generation. Backed by £298 billion of investment over the next four years and built on the vision of the Strategic Defence Review ('SDR'), the plan signals a decisive move toward "warfighting readiness".

The Competition Appeal Tribunal certification judgment in JLP A&A Class Representative Ltd v Apple & Amazon [2026] CAT 75 contains a number of important points for those involved in the UK's collective actions regime and repays careful reading. 

In August, the UK Government announced that it was bringing forward the date for implementing the UK's new subscription contracts regime to January 2027 (it had previously said "Spring 2027"). There are now only 3 months left in which to prepare – and as we explain below, the sooner you start that process, the better.

Pensions Radar is a quarterly listing of expected future changes in UK law affecting work-based pension schemes.

The proliferation of small, dormant pots is an expensive and growing problem. There are currently around 13 million small pots, mostly held in master trusts, expected to rise to 20 million by 2030.

A regular briefing for the alternative asset management industry. 

From 1 October 2026, failures by service providers and subcontractors to carry out right to work checks could result in fines being imposed on businesses further up the supply chain. The civil penalties are significant, up to £45,000 per illegal worker for a first breach, rising up to £60,000 for repeat breaches.

Welcome to the third edition of Travers Smith's Crisis Management and Investigations Circular, providing a bite-size round-up of recent developments in the world of crisis management and investigations.