Overview
Trust should always be central to your relationships, particularly in a sector where innovation is introducing new risks. Being aware of global financial regulations, reducing your exposure to risk and receiving practical, dependable solutions is essential.
A sector leader
Gowling WLG is a leader in the financial services sector, with a long-established reputation recognised by financial institutions the world over. We offer services in all relevant areas, having acted for some of the world's largest financial institutions on domestic and cross-border matters.
We tailor our services to meet the unique needs of our clients, staying current with trends and legislative developments. Through client-dedicated teams, our professionals are focused on delivering solutions that meet the demands of the ever-changing financial market.
Working with more than 50 domestic and foreign banks, other financial service providers and insurers, we are the preferred counsel on a wide variety of transactions ranging in size from £1 million to £1 billion. In tune with your requirements, we're at the leading edge of new and emerging areas as you adapt and look for fresh markets. Our client lists includes credit unions, hedge funds, insurers, lenders, major domestic and international banks, pension and private equity funds, syndicates and venture capitalists.
In-depth services
Our broad sector knowledge is balanced by highly specific and innovative service offerings. We have in-depth experience with a variety of non-traditional lenders - such as mezzanine, ABL, sub-debt and DIP uni-tranche - and provide insightful financial regulatory law services to help our clients achieve transaction approvals and ensure compliance with all levels of regulatory requirements.
With a strong understanding of the competitive financial services landscape, extensive experience navigating complex regulatory and legislative environments, and hands-on national and international experience, we offer a comprehensive range of legal services to our financial institutions clients, including:
- Asset-based lending
- Banking and financial regulatory (contentious and non-contentious)
- Bond financing/public debt
- Consumer finance and cards
- Commercial insurance law
- Corporate finance and corporate and debt restructurings
- Cross-border and domestic transactions
- Demand and enforcement proceedings
- Derivatives and structured products
- Distressed M&A
- Employment and labour
- Funds
- Insolvency and restructurings
- Leasing
- Litigation
- M&A financing
- Project and infrastructure finance
- Real estate lending
- Receiverships, bankruptcy and related enforcement proceedings
- Recovery services
- Regulatory
- Renegotiating loans and security agreements
- Senior secured and unsecured lending
- Sharia-compliant financing
- Sub-debt, mezzanine and second lien lending
- Syndicated, club and joint venture transactions
- Tax
- Trade finance
- Transfer pricing
- Uni-tranche lending
- Venture capital, hedge fund and merchant banking transactions
Pioneering blockchain experience
Gowling WLG is known throughout the industry for our strength in the area of blockchain and smart contracts. We're the only international law firm to be a founding partner and co-founding member of the Blockchain Research Institute, a multi-million dollar knowledge network that studies the strategic implications of blockchain.
From initial coin offerings (ICOs) and digital wallets to crypto currency exchanges and securities compliance, our team can help you overcome the latest challenges and take advantage of new opportunities presented by emerging blockchain technologies.
Examples of our work
- Advising on regulatory requirements in a multi-billion dollar off-shore longevity swap/re-insurance transaction for a large Canadian pension plan
- Registering a foreign money service business with FINTRAC
- Drafting and negotiating all aspects of a Schedule III bank licence in Canada
- Acting as counsel to a privately owned investment manager on the formation and closing of an Income & Growth Fund IV
- Advising client STAR Capital Partners on its acquisition of Synergy Health Management Services Limited from Synergy Health (UK) Limited
- Conducting an internal investigation into allegations of bribery, smuggling and money laundering for a publicly traded Fortune 500 company
- Advising the investment banking arm of a major international bank regarding an investigation by a UK enforcement agency, together with associated litigation
- Advising Crowdcube, the UK's first and leading equity crowdfunding platform, on a successful public offering as it seeks to further invest in its business. It represents the largest public financing secured by an investment crowdfunding platform, as well as the biggest ever UK offering on a crowdfunding platform
- Counsel to a US-based provider of global payments solutions to banks in a $1.25-billion cross-border acquisition
- Acting for Banque Transatlantique, Credit Mutuel CM-CIC and BMCE Bank in the establishment of foreign bank representative offices
- Advice relating to governance and the Senior Managers and Certification Regimes
- Extensive advice on the new EU Market Abuse regime and its implementation in the UK
- Advising listed investment funds on the regulatory requirements of achieving listing on AIM and the LSE
- Advising on compliance with Solvency II, the senior insurance managers' regime, whistleblowing rules and regulatory obligations under the PRA Rulebook
- Advising on the regulatory aspects of a business transfer from one regulated entity to another
- Advising emission allowance market participants on the implications of, and compliance with, the new EU market abuse regulation
Learn more
To learn more about how Gowling WLG's Financial Institutions & Services Group can help you succeed, please contact any member of our team.
