Regulation invites arbitrage

Tuesday 26th April 2011, 2:30PM BST.

Southampton Law School graduates all, from the left, Advocate Nigel Carey, Advocate Peter Harwood, Bailiff Sir Geoffrey Rowland, guest speaker Stuart Popham, head of the school of law at Southampton University Natalie Lee, Advocate Chris Bound, Advocate Nick Tostevin and States adviser on external affairs Jonathan Hooley. (Picture by Steve Sarre, 1126281)

THE calls for better and greater regulation following the economic crisis is creating an arena of arbitrage across financial centres, according to leading City lawyer Stuart Popham.

The former worldwide senior partner of Clifford Chance, who was recently awarded honorary QC status, was speaking at the fifth Bailiff’s Lecture, a series that Sir Geoffrey Rowland launched in conjunction with the University of Southampton Law Faculty Alumni back in 2007.

Mr Popham said that after the collapse of Lehman Brothers there was an almost universal cry for better regulation, but for some that meant more regulation, while for others it meant less.

The focus of new regulation had also been questionable.