Banking, Finance & Financial Services

Our work covers four broad areas: banking/financial services, consumer credit, commercial debt recovery and asset finance.

Our members have built up a considerable reputation in the area of banking and financial services and regularly advise on and act in cases arising out of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (FSMA).

We are one of the very few sets that are pre-eminent in consumer credit and are experts on the application of FSMA, the Consumer Credit Act 1974 and the FSA Handbook rules and guidance.

We have particular expertise in the various challenges that consumers make to the enforceability of regulated credit and hire agreements, having regularly acted for a number of the largest banks and finance houses in group actions.

As well as being litigators, we have a well-deserved reputation for our non-contentious work in this area. We advise on all aspects of consumer credit compliance, whether FCA authorisation, financial promotion, paperwork or procedures. We regularly draft credit agreements and their related financial instruments. We advise industry in their dealings with regulators.

We also have a wealth of experience in the wide variety of disputes that arise in relation to unregulated finance agreements, equipment leasing, asset finance and complex financial instruments. Our specialist knowledge of these areas provides a good base for our commercial debt recovery work.

Members of the group are the authors or editors of the leading text-books in the field, including the Encyclopaedia of Banking Law; Goode: Consumer Credit Law & Practice; Rosenthal’s Consumer Credit Law and Practice; Butterworths Commercial and Consumer Law Handbook and the consumer credit volume of Halsbury’s Laws of England.

We are also authors of the relevant precedents in Butterworths Encyclopaedia of Forms & Precedents, Bullen & Leake & Jacob’s Precedents of Pleadings, and Butterworths Civil Court Precedents.