Peter is Global Head of Linklaters’ Financial Regulation Group and is one of the firm’s global Investment Managers sector leaders. Peter has developed close working relationships with the firm’s banking and investment management clients. His practice includes all aspects of financial markets regulatory advice for broker-dealers and investment banks. Peter advises investment managers, private banks, hedge funds and private equity funds on regulatory issues affecting them. He also advises clients on regulatory investigations into areas such as market conduct, client money compliance and transaction reporting failures. Peter has particular experience of new product development and marketing, trading issues such as market abuse and regulatory structuring advice. Earlier in his career, Peter was seconded to both Bankers Trust and Nomura, advising and assisting with the establishment of their respective securities financing businesses.Work highlights:Peter has developed a wide-ranging financial regulatory practice. The breadth of his practice includes, advising on, amongst others: Regulatory change: advising numerous banks and investment firms on the implementation of the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MIFID2) and other regulatory reform initiatives New structures: advising on the creation and structuring of trading and clearing platforms, both internal crossing systems operated by firms and new market entrants including Turquoise (an equities trading platform created by nine major investment banks) and ForexClear, an FX clearing platform operated by LCH.Clearnet (acting for a consortium of clearing banks) Cross-border work: advising international banks on their European structures, to comply with regularly changing European regulations affecting financial institutions, including Brexit Contentious regulatory: advising clients on both LIBOR and FX manipulation investigations, and before that leading the team advising Citi in the first multi-jurisdictional manipulation case, involving Euro sovereign bond trading, which involved negotiating with eight different regulators Financial sector corporate activity: advising RBS on its ongoing structural reorganisation that has involved sales of businesses, including Worldpay, and the ring-fencing of its investment and retail banking operations
Financial services: non-contentious/regulatory
Hall of Fame
The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.
Clive is a leading financial services law and regulation lawyer. With extensive City experience, including time as a banking regulator with the Bank of England and in-house, Clive advises banks, asset managers, insurers and other financial institutions on a wide range of regulatory and compliance matters across the financial services, banking and funds sectors. Areas of special sector expertise are banking, asset management (including private wealth management) and securities regulation.
Senior Consultant Mark advises on a broad range of financial markets issues including securities trading, clearing, settlement, payments, derivatives, custody, insolvency, banking and financial product development.
Martyn advises financial institutions on regulatory matters. Prior to returning to private practice in 2004 he spent over nine years working as a senior lawyer at the UK Financial Services Authority, latterly as Head of Department in the Enforcement Division. He has extensive experience advising investment banks, retail banks, insurers, asset managers and listed companies on regulatory compliance problems. He has advised on “crisis management” on discovery of major compliance failures, conducted numerous internal investigations and represented clients in regulatory investigations, enforcement actions and related civil litigation across the financial services sector. His client work has included some of the highest profile cases brought by the regulators over the past decade and has involved him regularly representing clients before regulators, tribunals and the higher courts (including applications for judicial review of regulators). He has extensive experience of managing multi-jurisdictional regulatory issues and investigations touching Europe, the US and Asia-Pacific. Martyn also regularly advises clients on compliance risk management issues. His areas of particular interest and experience include insider dealing and market manipulation, unauthorised trading incidents, corporate disclosure issues, governance and risk control in financial institutions, senior management responsibilities, management of conflicts of interest, suitability of financial products and portfolio management, financial promotions, fair treatment of customers and other conduct of business standards in respect of investment, banking and insurance products. Martyn’s recent clients have included UBS, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Goldman Sachs, Lloyds Banking Group, RBS, Santander, Bradford & Bingley, Zurich, Prudential, Capita Financial and a number of asset management firms. Recent significant client matters on which he worked have included advising and representing UBS in relation to the Adoboli US$2.3billion unauthorised trading incident, representing UBS in the FSA’s Upper Tribunal proceedings against senior manager John Pottage and acting for the applicant in the judicial review of the FSA in R v FSA on the application of C. He has had a significant role advising clients on most of the major regulatory investigations and inquiries resulting from the banking crisis.
Rachel is Head of Financial Services Regulation at Hogan Lovells, advising banks, insurers, asset managers and clearing houses and exchanges.She has been recognized as a leading individual in her field by industry commentators and legal directories for nearly two decades. Her vast experience at the heart of the sector allows her to make instinctive judgements in tackling structural and regulatory issues.Rachel is known for being tenacious in defending her clients' interests, attracting widespread admiration as a formidable negotiator.
Partner; Jan is Head of our Financial Regulation Group and co-Head of our Financial Institutions Group. Jan’s practice focuses on matters of strategic importance to financial institutions, with particular emphasis on regulatory advice (both contentious and non-contentious) and multi-jurisdictional corporate and commercial transactions. He acts for a broad range of financial institutions, including banks, investment banks, brokers, insurance and reinsurance groups, market infrastructure operators, asset managers and fintech businesses. Jan has been at the forefront of the industry’s thought leadership on the impact of Brexit, which includes working with several industry bodies, such as UK Finance and TheCityUK. He is recognised as a leading individual in the 'Financial Services: Non-contentious Regulatory' section of Chambers UK, and is the contributing editor of The Banking Regulation Review (Law Business Research, since 2010). He is a regular contributor to PLC Magazine and a member of the Financial Markets Law Committee.
Charlotte is a partner in the financial services regulation practice, part of the firm’s financial markets department. She specialises in UK and European regulatory matters and advises financial institutions on a wide range of regulatory matters. In particular, Charlotte advises EU and non-EU investment firms and banks on the provision of financial services across Europe and on the establishment and structuring of their businesses. She also advises clients on the ongoing regulatory reform. Charlotte’s experience includes dealing with ongoing compliance with FSA rules. She also manages navigator – the Simmons & Simmons online regulatory subscription service, which provides information in relation to over 80 jurisdictions – the current products are: navigator: funds; navigator: closed-ended products; and navigator: share disclosure.
Rising stars
Rising stars with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.
Next Generation Partners
Junior partners with significant recognition from clients and peers in the market and key roles on multiple matters.
Partner; Nick is a partner in our Financial Regulation Group and a member of our Financial Institutions Group. He has a broad financial institutions practice, with extensive experience advising insurers, banks and asset managers on a range of stand-alone advisory and transactional projects. Nick also supports financial services clients on supervisory and contentious regulatory matters concerning UK and overseas regulators. He is regularly called upon to advise on complex prudential regulatory matters, and has a keen interest in and understanding of the EU / UK regulatory regimes for solvency/own funds and governance, and also on transactions designed to create capital efficiency or otherwise be accretive to solvency / capital ratios. Nick frequently advises on financial institution reorganisations and portfolio acquisitions/disposals, including by way of the UK Part VII process. As part of this work, he advised one of the largest UK retail banks throughout its preparation for and implementation of measures to comply with the UK retail banking ring-fencing regime. Nick is a member of Slaughter and May’s Brexit Committee and sits on the Financial Markets Law Committee’s scoping group for insurance. He is the co-author of the UK chapter of The Banking Regulation Review and the author of the EU chapter of The Asset Management Review (both published by Law Business Research).
Deirdre Haugh is a partner in the London office of Kirkland & Ellis International LLP. Deirdre has experience advising on UK and EU financial regulation and fund matters, including in relation to the UK Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, the rules and guidance of the UK Financial Conduct Authority and EU single market legislation such as MiFID, AIFMD and MAR.
Adam Skinner is a regulatory partner in the London office of Kirkland & Ellis International LLP. Adam has experience in financial regulation and funds matters, with a particular focus on the regulatory issues arising within the private investment fund industry. Adam’s work includes interpretation of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA) as well as the rules of the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Adam also advises on the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive amongst other European legislation and has assisted with the establishment of new investment businesses in the UK, and the management of regulatory issues in connection with transactions.
Ezra Zahabi is a partner in Akin’s financial regulatory group. She advises on relevant developments and considerations regarding changes to the UK and EU financial regulatory framework, particularly with regard to the UK financial services regulatory framework, including the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, the rules of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the EU legislative and regulatory framework, including MiFID II; AIFMD; the Market Abuse Regulation; EMIR; the revised Shareholder Rights Directive (SRD II) and the new EU ESG rules. Ezra counsels investment managers across strategies and geographies on regulatory compliance and provides strategic advice in connection with new or forthcoming regulatory requirements, including trading queries; market abuse and market conduct issues; interactions with regulatory authorities, regulatory applications and approvals; fund marketing and distribution; regulatory issues relating to the structuring of investment advisory platforms, and remuneration. To learn more about Ms, Zahabi, please visit her full profile: https://www.akingump.com/en/lawyers-advisors/ezra-zahabi.html
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The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Partner specialising in retail financial services and financial services transactional work. Advises a wide range of clients on regulatory compliance with the Consumer Credit Act 1974, Mortgages FCA Handbook, Payment Services Regulations, unfair contract terms and consumer protection. Also significant experience in debt portfolio transactional work, and FSMA Part VII Banking business. Clients include Barclays Bank, Lloyds Banking Group and HSBC.
Lisa Cawley is a regulatory partner in the London office of Kirkland & Ellis International LLP. Lisa has extensive experience in financial services regulation, gained over more than 20 years practicing at the forefront of the market. Her experience includes, but is not limited to, advising clients on governance and other compliance arrangements; the establishment of new investment, banking and insurance businesses in the UK, and applications for FCA authorisation; regulatory issues arising in connection with fund structuring, particularly in relation to pan-European and global private equity funds; market abuse and insider dealing issues and the regulatory consequences of rule breaches.
Julia is an experienced financial services regulatory partner who advises clients on contentious regulatory investigations and proceedings, non-contentious advisory matters and transformational projects and transactions. Her broad advisory practice means that Julia regularly advises on authorisation, licensing and permission requirements for firms, the establishment of compliance programmes and arrangements for monitoring and testing, and regulatory issues and compliance with UK/EU regulation, including the promotion and marketing of financial products, conduct of business, conflicts of interest, client money and assets, market abuse and insider dealing. Julia has worked extensively with Boards, non-executive directors and executive management teams, advising on governance matters, the design and assurance of systems and controls, and oversight and implementation of material regulatory change programmes. She has worked closely with a number of institutions across the banking, insurance and asset management sectors to implement and embed the requirements of the UK Senior Managers and Certification Regime. Her contentious regulatory experience combined with time spent on secondment gives her unparalleled insight into regulatory expectations and how practically to satisfy these. She has counselled and acted for numerous clients in connection with FCA/PRA approval interviews for senior managers, FCA/PRA supervisory visits or requests for information, s166 Skilled Person reviews, internal investigations and regulatory enforcement investigations and/or inquiries undertaken by the FCA, PRA, Lloyd’s of London, ESMA and other overseas regulators. Julia has represented clients on a range of issues including authorisation requirements, conduct of business, conflicts of interest, culture, management systems and controls and non-financial misconduct.
Harry has long-standing expertise in financial markets regulation, and regularly advises banks, broker-dealers, investment managers and other financial services institutions on all issues related to their regulated status. In addition, he offers guidance on perimeter issues, such as authorisation requirements, market abuse and market conduct requirements, as well as wholesale market infrastructure. Recently, Harry has been advising on MiFID II and Brexit issues for a broad range of financial service institutions as well as industry bodies. Harry is a market-leading expert on clearing platforms, advising both banks and Central Clearing Counterparties (CCPs) on a number of projects involving the structure of clearing arrangements across a wide range of product types, including credit default swaps (CDSs), IRS, commodities and foreign exchange (FX) products. Harry has leveraged his regulatory and market expertise over the years in relation to FinTech, advising BrokerTec and SwapsWire on the establishment of electronic trading and post-trade platforms. Harry continues to be a leader in this field, currently advising a consortium of banks on FinTech issues and being a regular speaker at FinTech events. Harry spent more than four years with a major investment bank, covering equity derivatives, advising on the structuring and distribution of derivative products. This experience gave Harry particular insight into the way in which financial institutions operate and a deep understanding of complex financial instruments.Work highlights: Harry has an extensive financial regulatory practice. The breadth of his practice includes advising, among others: Regulatory change: advising on the implications of the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID2). Other recent matters have included advising on market conduct, the foreign exchange (FX) remediation programme, the senior managers regime (SMR), the impact of the senior management arrangements, systems and controls (SYSC) regime and Client Assets and Money (CASS) implementation New structures: advising on the creation and structuring of trading and clearing platforms, including NASDAQ, OTCDeriv and a consortium in the process of setting up a precious metals exchange and clearing platform Pre-contentious regulatory: advising on various FX reviews and remediation and market conduct investigations, including advising major banks on their policies and procedures to comply with the senior managers function (SMF) Contentious regulatory: advising a number of major banks on FX manipulation investigations and market abuse and conduct reviews, as well as carrying out “Shadow S166” reviews alongside regulators Financial sector corporate activity: advising on the financial regulatory aspects of IPOs and other corporate transactions
Nik is a partner in the Financial Regulation Group in London. He has extensive experience of advising banks, broker-dealers, insurers, asset managers, wealth management firms and listed companies on regulatory and compliance matters, with a particular focus on contentious regulatory and compliance risk management issues. Nik’s contentious regulatory experience includes conducting internal investigations and reviews following the discovery of suspected compliance failures; assisting clients in managing section 166 skilled persons’ reviews; advising clients in relation to managing communications with regulators; representing clients in FSA/FCA investigations and enforcement proceedings (including representing clients before the Regulatory Decisions Committee, in the Upper Tribunal and in the higher courts); advising clients in relation to the development and implementation of past business reviews and redress/remediation programmes; and assisting clients in managing civil litigation risks arising out of regulatory failings. Nik also regularly advises clients on compliance risk management issues, including advice on the practical implications of regulation for their business practices and governance arrangements, and strategies for mitigating and managing regulatory and conduct risks. Nik’s work in this area covers a diverse range of topics, from senior management responsibility, governance and risk management frameworks to conflicts of interest, insider dealing, market abuse, client money, fair treatment of customers, complaint handling and other conduct of business issues. Nik also regularly advises listed companies, corporate brokers and sponsors in relation to the disclosure and control of inside information, the LR8 sponsor regime and other Listing Rule/DTR compliance matters.
Michelle Kirschner is an English law partner in the London office of Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher, and co-chair of the firm’s Global Financial Regulatory group. She advises a broad range of financial institutions, including investment managers, integrated investment banks, corporate finance boutiques, private fund managers and private wealth managers at the most senior level. Michelle has a particular expertise in fintech businesses, having advised a number of fintech firms on regulatory perimeter issues. Michelle works closely with the Corporate team on financial services capital markets and M&A deals, in particular on investments by funds into regulated firms and related prudential issues. Michelle has extensive experience in advising clients on areas such as systems and controls, market abuse, conduct of business and regulatory change management, including MiFID II, MAR and Senior Managers & Certification Regime. Following the EU referendum, she has spent considerable time advising regulated clients in relation to their options for conducting business in / into the EU following Brexit. Michelle has particular experience in contentious regulatory matters, including acting as a section 166 skilled person under the Financial Services and Markets Act. She has also conducted internal investigations, in particular reviews of corporate governance and systems and controls in the context of EU and UK regulatory requirements and expectations.
Michelle Moran
Partner
Mr. Beechey is a corporate partner in Fried Frank's asset management practice, resident in the London office. He is a regulatory specialist who focuses on alternative investment funds and the EU Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD). Mr. Beechey counsels a range of financial sector clients in connection with issues related to financial promotion, authorization and ongoing compliance, structuring and marketing, regulatory capital, agreements with customers and service providers, anti-money laundering and Financial Conduct Authority regulation generally.