Commended for its ‘unparalleled knowledge’, Charles Russell Speechlys LLP is noted for its expertise in the private banking, wealth management and private funds sectors, in addition to advising on the structuring, establishment and distribution of financial products and services provided by private wealth institutions. Practice leader William Garner, who ’combines deep expertise with a strong commercial awareness’, focuses on the establishment, operation and regulation of brokerage firms, trading platforms and asset and investment managers. Richard Ellis rejoined the team from McDonnell Ellis LLP in February 2024.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • ‘Excellence is all areas of financial services.’

  • ‘William Garner is a modern day rainmaker.’

  • ‘William Garner combines deep expertise with a strong commercial awareness. He has the ability to explain complex legal concepts in an easy to understand way.’

  • ‘Unparalleled knowledge in UK financial services.’

  • ‘William Garner has expert knowledge in a narrow area of financial services, is hugely commercial and a vital resource in a complicated area of law.’

Key clients

  • EFG Private Bank
  • FairXchange Limited
  • FIL Investment Services (UK) Limited
  • Coinbase
  • C Hoare & Co.
  • LGT Vestra
  • LiquidNet
  • Pebble Capital
  • Credit Suisse
  • Waverton Investment Management

Work highlights

  • Providing ongoing advice to Currencies Direct across multiple disciplines, all of which tie in with FCA requirements.
  • Assisted Digital Vega FX to setup both MTF and OTC trading platforms for FX options.
  • Assisted the UK/US client to setup a new trading venue (Swap Execution Facility) in New York with brokerage arms in both London and New York and have helped them navigate the US/UK FS regulatory issues and decide which jurisdiction in which to set up the trading platform.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

William Garner

Other key lawyers

Richard Ellis, Victoria Younghusband, Charlie Ring, Erica Licchelli