Financial services advisory

We guide banks, insurers, payment institutions, e-money firms, investment managers, InsurTechs and FinTechs through the full authorisation and variation of permissions process, from initial scoping and business plan preparation through to submission and FCA engagement. We also advise established firms on changes to their regulatory perimeter, including new product launches, distribution model changes and the appointment of Appointed Representatives.

Our close engagement with the FCA and the wider financial services regulatory community, including contributing to FCA-approved guidance through our involvement with InsurTech UK, means we bring practical, up-to-date knowledge to every instruction.

Whether you are a start-up seeking your first permission or an established group restructuring your regulatory architecture, we provide pragmatic advice that balances regulatory compliance with commercial reality, advising clients from our offices across the Midlands, North West and London.

We advise clients at every stage of FCA and PRA inquiries, from early supervisory engagement and information requests through to formal investigations, enforcement proceedings and settlement negotiations. Our experience spans conduct of business failures, market abuse, financial crime allegations and SM&CR-related proceedings.

We take an end-to-end approach, working alongside our regulatory advisory, corporate and disputes lawyers to ensure that enforcement strategy is aligned with your wider business and reputational objectives.

We also advise on the internal governance and escalation frameworks that help firms identify and address compliance failures before they become enforcement issues, as proactive legal support at the earliest opportunity consistently delivers the best outcomes for our clients.

We advise firms across the sector (including insurers, lenders, investment platforms and FinTechs) on the design, approval and review of financial promotions and marketing materials to ensure they are clear, fair and not misleading. Our team understands the interaction between product design, distribution arrangements and FCA promotional requirements, including the use of the FCA's approver regime for unauthorised persons.

We have particular experience advising clients on digital-first and social media marketing approaches, where the speed and reach of communications create specific compliance risks, and work closely with marketing, product and compliance teams to embed practical approvals processes.

Our advice extends to Appointed Representative networks, where responsibility for financial promotions requires careful management, helping clients design governance frameworks that reduce the risk of enforcement action while supporting growth and effective customer communication.

We advise financial services firms on the full scope of consumer duty obligations, from initial gap analysis and implementation planning through to embedding the Duty into governance frameworks, product design, distribution strategies and ongoing monitoring. We also advise on the Senior Managers and Certification Regime (SM&CR), helping firms map responsibilities and ensure individual accountability frameworks are fit for purpose.

Our advice is commercially grounded and proportionate, helping insurers, brokers, lenders, investment firms and FinTechs manage conduct risk in a practical way, including advising on customer outcomes measurement, complaints handling and board reporting in line with FCA expectations.

Where conduct concerns have already been identified, we work with firms to remediate issues quickly and constructively, managing FCA engagement and helping to restore confidence in regulatory relationships.

We advise payment institutions, e-money institutions, buy now pay later providers and broader FinTech businesses on regulatory authorisation, ongoing compliance, commercial contracts, data protection and corporate transactions. Our lawyers have advised leading consumer credit reporting companies, equity investment platforms and lending platform providers, including on a loan book of regulated mortgage contracts with a total value of approximately £4 billion.

We have experience advising on high-value outsourcing arrangements involving payment-related services, including PCI-compliant telephony systems, as well as DORA-aligned contractual requirements and broader operational resilience obligations.

We work closely with the InsurTech UK community and remain actively engaged with regulatory and commercial developments affecting the sector, providing joined-up, commercially aware advice tailored to the pace at which FinTech businesses move.

We advise fund managers, investment platforms and their investors on the establishment and operation of investment funds, as well as the regulatory framework governing asset management businesses. Our team advises on the full spectrum of relevant corporate transactions, including UK and cross-border M&A, venture capital, corporate venture capital and private equity, with particular expertise in growth-stage financing including venture debt.

We advise both fund managers and investors through each stage of a business's lifecycle, from early-stage funding rounds through to exit. Our understanding of the regulatory framework (including FCA authorisation, MiFID-derived conduct obligations and AIFMD requirements) means we cover both commercial and regulatory dimensions within a single, co-ordinated team.

Our lawyers are recognised in the leading legal directories for combining transactional expertise with an understanding of the regulatory and commercial dynamics specific to financial services.

We advise asset managers, insurers, banks and FinTechs on the evolving UK and EU regulatory framework for sustainable finance, including the FCA's Sustainability Disclosure Requirements (SDR), anti-greenwashing rules and the classification of sustainable investment products. Our advice helps clients navigate an increasingly complex and fast-moving regulatory environment with confidence.

We support clients in developing and reviewing ESG-related policies, governance frameworks and disclosures, as well as advising on sustainable finance transactions and green or sustainability-linked lending arrangements, drawing on expertise across regulatory, corporate and finance disciplines.

We also have experience supporting clients in responding to increasing regulatory and investor scrutiny of ESG claims and disclosures, including where firms face FCA supervisory attention on sustainability-related matters.