Russell Jones & Walker Launches Nationwide Survey Into Understanding of Bribery

LONDON, Dec. 17, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- Russell Jones & Walker Solicitors' Business Crime & Regulation team has launched a UK-wide survey of businesses to assess their understanding of, and preparedness for the implementation of the Bribery Act in April 2011.  

The Bribery Act survey, targeted at key decision makers and executives of SMEs with an annual turnover up to 100 million pounds, will be conducted across the finance and banking, media, and property and construction sectors.  A full report of the survey findings will be available in February 2011.  

The UK Bribery Act represents a significant change to UK law in the area of business and commerce, and aims to provide a more effective legal framework to combat bribery in the public and private sectors.  The Act covers day-to-day practices of UK businesses and presents a host of new risks to businesses.

Rod Fletcher, head of the Business Crime & Regulation team at Russell Jones & Walker, said: "The Bribery Act requires businesses to be absolutely confident that they have in place adequate procedures to minimise the risk of corruption. Our survey focuses on the finance, media, property and construction sectors.

"The Ministry of Justice has issued draft guidance but many key questions remain as to how the Act should and will be interpreted, not least the circumstances in which corporate hospitality could be viewed as a bribe.

"We believe that the findings of the survey will illustrate what behavioural changes are required to help businesses protect themselves from inadvertently falling foul of the new law."

About Russell Jones & Walker's Business Crime & Regulation Team:

The Russell Jones & Walker Business Crime & Regulation Team, led by Rod Fletcher, is independently recognised as one of the leaders in this field. As a department they have been involved in a large number of recent high profile landmark cases involving major regulatory bodies including the SFO, FSA and HSE, along with most public inquiries conducted in the last decade including Arms to Iraq, Shipman Inquiry and Bloody Sunday.

The RJW business crime solicitors provide legal advice and representation in the following areas: Business Crime; FSA & Regulatory Investigations; Restraint & Confiscation; Fraud & Corruption investigations; Public Inquiries & Inquests; Corporate Compliance; Cross-border & International Investigations; Health, Safety & the Environment and The Bribery Act 2010.

The Business Crime & Regulation team are located nationwide.

SOURCE Russell Jones & Walker