UK Knowledge Collection | Scope of legal advice privilege, video game age ratings, and trade mark trends
Published on 8th May 2026
Welcome to this week's Knowledge Collection
Scope of legal advice privilege, video game age ratings, and trade mark trends
The courts have provided further welcome clarity on the scope of legal advice privilege: how specific a topic for legal advice needs to be before a confirmation that legal advice has been sought on that topic is, in itself, privileged. Our Insight discusses the implications for those engaged in large-scale disclosure exercises, whether in litigation, regulatory investigations or in data subject access requests.
As part of increasing regulatory scrutiny of children's digital safety and of loot boxes in games in particular, from next month, new games containing loot boxes will carry a PEGI 16 age rating and social casino games will be classified PEGI 18. Time-limited offers, daily rewards and communication features will also attract new age classifications. However, existing titles will not be required to seek reclassification. Our Insight considers the new rules and their impact on publishers.
Finally, our intellectual property webinar series concludes this month with a round-up of trade mark trends and a review of recent soft IP cases, and an exploration of the evolving landscape of trade secret protection across Europe, including how to draft effective non-disclosure agreements in today's regulatory environment.
Recent Insights
Employment Law Coffee Break
Our update for employers looks at industrial relations reforms, a case on unlawful deduction of wages and permanent health insurance, and structuring the provision of death benefits in the workplace.
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Upper Tribunal clarifies scope of legal advice privilege in lockdown case
The case confirms that the fact of obtaining legal advice on a specific topic can itself attract privilege.
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Games with loot boxes get 16-plus age rating in Europe under PEGI overhaul
The Pan-European Games Information (PEGI) age-rating system, which is compulsory and legally enforced in the UK and much of the EU, will apply new classifications from June to a range of video gaming mechanics, including loot boxes, time-limited offers and daily rewards.
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The Energy Transition | UK government updates assessment of renewables deployment supply chain readiness
This week's edition considers the government's updated assessment on UK renewables deployment supply chain readiness, its consultation on whole energy cyber-resilience requirements, and the results of the first run of the new Demand Flexibility Service.
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UK regulator moves to streamline investment and pensions advice regime
The Financial Conduct Authority is consulting on simplifying pensions and investment advice rules to boost the diversity of the advice market and encourage firms to offer simpler forms of advice to meet consumer need.
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Events
Digital Regulation Download: the new cyber security rulebook
11 May | 14:00-15:00
How the new cyber security regulations in Europe fit together, and what this means in practice, including the NIS2 Directive, the EU Cyber Resilience Act, the UK Cyber Security and Resilience Bill and the UK Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act.
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Navigating the future of IP
16:00-16:45
A series of webinars exploring the latest trends and cases in the world of intellectual property.
Trade mark trends | 12 May
Trade secret protection: a pan-European perspective | 19 May
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From rags to regulations: textile extended producers responsibility unpicked
19 May | 09:00-10:00
Exploring the EU, UK and selected national regimes for textile EPR based on the Waste Framework Directive; providing a high-level overview of how the EU’s Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation and Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation will reshape product and packaging obligations for textile businesses; and setting out practical steps producers can take now to stay ahead.
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London International Disputes Week 2026
Osborne Clarke's disputes team is supporting the following events at this year's global gathering of international disputes experts.
3 June, 09:00-18:30: The Arbitral Institutions Congress
3 June, 09:00-10:30: Broken contracts, broken trust: managing termination risk in international construction projects
3 June, 09:00-10:30: Crypto disputes without borders: global insights from the CFAAR Network
3 June, 11:30-13:00: International enforcement of judgments: recent developments, difficult issues and innovative strategies
3 June, 16:30-18:00: Bridging steppes and standards: Kazakhstan’s evolving dispute landscape
4 June, 09:00-10:30: Getting value from investigations: understanding essential steps and how technology is creating tangible efficiencies
5 June, 11:30-13:00: Who speaks for arbitration: arbitration in the media and public discourse
Register now >
