Financial services regulation

We support PRA and FCA authorised firms on the entire spectrum of regulatory matters, both non-contentious and contentious. Our work ranges from perimeter and financial promotion issues to complex regulatory capital advice. We have particular experience in sectors such as retail and corporate banking, retail lending (including mortgages), payments, wealth management, retail investments and fintech.

Among our clients are retail and corporate banks, private banks, mortgage lenders, consumer credit firms, wealth managers, corporate finance advisors, IFAs, insurers, insurance brokers, fintechs, crypto firms, and fund managers.

We help banks, corporates and financial institutions from outside the EEA to enter the UK and wider European markets; EU-based banks and institutions to access the UK market; and UK regulated firms to expand into other European countries. Our specialist team regularly executes high-value cross-border M&A transactions in the regulated financial services sector, handling notification and approval processes across multiple jurisdictions.

With in-depth knowledge of financial services law, regulatory trends and evolving practices, we are able to anticipate the impact changes may have on our clients’ businesses. We advise regulated firms, and senior executives in their own right, on managing their obligations under the FCA Senior Managers Regime (and where applicable the Senior Insurance Managers Regime and the Approved Persons Regime). Our advice covers compliance, recruitment, terms of employment, team moves and disciplinary matters.

Our financial services disputes team helps firms and individuals to pursue and defend regulatory based claims, and to manage investigations and enforcement actions by regulators. We have a proven track record in achieving favourable settlements through the courts and by pre-action negotiation. Drawing on the firm’s wider expertise in areas such as banking and finance, private wealth, enforcement, cyber security, data protection and international sanctions, we are able to offer value to our clients across the full spectrum of financial services sectors and markets.

We are particularly recognised for our work in the fintech sector and for assisting peer to peer debt and equity crowdfunding platforms. Where appropriate, we guide clients on structuring their businesses to operate outside the regulated financial services regime. Members of our fintech team are widely regarded as leaders in their field and are authors of authoritative guides such as the UK chapter of the Multilaw Global Guide for FinTechs (published by LexisNexis) and The Legal 500 FinTech Regulatory Guide.