Financial Regulation Advisory

In a rapidly changing and increasingly complex era of regulation, our leading Financial Regulation Advisory team, led by Patrick Brandt, facilitate a coordinated and cutting edge approach to regulatory risk management and compliance. We work holistically with other practice areas, including M&A, Finance, Regulatory Investigations, Capital Markets, Asset Management & Investment Funds and FinTech, to provide bespoke solutions to client needs.

We provide market-leading, client-centred and commercially-driven advice on all aspects of Irish and EU financial services regulation. Our clients include leading Irish and international banks, investment firms and intermediaries, non-bank lenders, e-money and payment institutions, FinTechs, asset managers and administrators.

  • Conduct of business / market conduct: our lawyers advise on sector specific requirements, including MiFID, retail credit and mortgage lending, insider dealing, market abuse and prospectus issues. We also advise extensively on consumer protection. 
  • Licensing and authorisation: we advise and guide clients through licensing issues, including identifying the regulatory perimeter, assisting through the authorisation process from start to finish, and assisting clients with regulatory filings associated with financial services M&A activity. All applications on which we have assisted have ultimately been successful.
  • FinTech: our FinTech practice assist both regulated and unregulated FinTech providers in the payments, crypto, crowdfunding and technology spaces.
  • AML/CFT: we advise both regulated and unregulated clients on their AML/CFT obligations, as well as assisting with any required registrations for AML/CFT supervision.
  • Prudential regulation: our lawyers advise regulated firms on their prudential regulatory requirements, including solo and consolidated capital requirements and other prudential matters.
  • Governance: our teams of regulation professionals provide expert advice to firms in relation to their internal and external governance models. We also assist senior management with understanding their obligations, both from a firm perspective and individually.
  • ESG: we assist firms with understanding the impact of all the facets of ESG requirements and regulatory expectations on their business and operations.
  • Regulatory engagement: our Financial Regulation Advisory team have extensive experience in dealing with the Central Bank of Ireland and other EU regulators in the context of business as usual enquiries, inspections, remediation projects, audits, and regulatory investigations, as well as engagements with the FSPO.  
  • Compliance procedures and policies: we have significant experience assisting firms with putting in place and updating policies and procedures for regulated and unregulated business.
  • New product offerings: our cross disciplinary legal teams have extensive experience in assisting firms to understand the legal and regulatory requirements and challenges associated with new product and service offerings. 
  • Other client tools: we offer a number of tools which help our clients keep up to speed with regulatory change, including tracker bulletins, horizon scanning sessions, bespoke training and legal inventory projects.

Experience

  • Société Générale

    on its joint venture with AllianceBernstein in relation to its cash equities and equity research business.

  • Ulster Bank

    in relation to its withdrawal from the Irish market.

  • Stripe

    on various legal and regulatory matters.

  • Numis

    on its successful application for a Central Bank of Ireland MiFID licence.

  • Bank of Ireland

    in relation to its acquisition of J&E Davy for €427m.

  • Citibank Europe plc

    on the regulatory aspects of the merger into it of Citibank International Ltd.

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