General Advisory
Authorised firms are subject to a plethora of relevant law and regulation.
Moreover, the pace of change at both the domestic and international level can mean that it is difficult for regulated firms to keep up with developments and market practice.
As a law firm, we can provide clients with formal advice on current and prospective requirements that they can trust and rely on. We advise on the principal areas of legislation and rules applying to the financial services industry, including:
- the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 and subordinate legislation;
- the Consumer Credit Act 1974 and associated regulations;
- the Data Protection Act 1998 and data security generally;
- the Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999;
- the Money Laundering Regulations 2003 and associated legislation dealing with financial crime;
- relevant European Directives, including the Distance Marketing Directive, the various "single market" Directives and the Financial Conglomerates Directive etc.; and
- relevant industry codes of practice, such as the Banking Code and OFT Non-status Lending Guidelines.
We have a lot of experience in helping clients assess the impact of legal and regulatory change on their business and in assisting them to plan and transition to ensure future compliance.
We can provide briefings and tailored training programmes on any aspects of financial services regulation as it affects our clients' businesses and on the underlying regulatory compliance requirements.
We also have strong relationships with trusted lawyers who have expertise in most other areas of law which impact on authorised firms, including: company and commercial law, financing, capital markets, employment, tax, real estate and intellectual property.
We can co-ordinate other advisers, acting as a central point of contact, allowing clients to receive a seamless service in respect of all their legal needs. Click here to learn more about our outsourced Legal and Compliance services.