Investment firms

Our investment firm clients include MTFs, OTFs, IFPRU and BIPRU firms, complex securities and futures firms, corporate finance houses, broker-dealers, and asset managers.

We are regularly asked to advise FCA solo regulated and PRA dual regulated investment firms on wholesale and retail regulatory issues.

Our clients are in the UK, and overseas. They include small LLPs, financial advisor networks, and appointed representatives. They also include national and international household names.

We are often deal with the complex regulatory issues facing our clients both from an advisory and enforcement perspective. Our specialist team includes lawyers who have previously worked within the regulatory authorities and within the financial services industry itself.

Investment firms experience

• Advised on how and when to comply with the requirements of MiFID II and MiFIR – internal policy drafting, terms of business, other documents, and other internal systems and controls.

• Advised IFA networks on regulatory capital and FCA threshold condition requirements. Our role included advising on FCA requirements and providing support on FCA supervisory interactions.

• Advised on internal investigations into actual and potential insider dealing and other forms of market abuse, disciplinary action against senior bankers and reporting to the regulators in a safe, appropriate and timely way.

• Advised pensions transfer businesses on the FCA’s requirements, and responding to FCA enquiries, challenges and investigations.

• Advised on the correct categorisation of investment firms: in particular, is it operating an MTF, OTF or a regulated market? Is it BIPRU firm or an IFPRU firm and, if so, which type?

• Advised on regulatory capital breaches – curing the problem, and reporting to the regulator(s) in the right way and on time.

• Advised on appointing (and terminating the appointment of) Appointed Representatives, introducers and tied agents.