Financial Services
Sector Lawyers
Everything financial services.
We've been called a giant in financial services for a reason. We work for over 1400 financial institutions, with more than 1000 lawyers advising on the most strategic and innovative transformational transactions and projects, critical board-level issues and everyday business needs.
Whether we're helping you navigate complex domestic or cross-border regulatory issues, protecting your interests on a potential dispute, or advising you on a groundbreaking new business venture, we're by your side every step of the way.
"Addleshaw Goddard is a giant in the banking and finance sphere."
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Financial services highlights
1450+
250+
41/50
1400+
financial services businesses
Domestic and international banks
of the worlds biggest banks
of our lawyers
trust us to help deliver their largest projects and manage their day-to-day legal needs every year.
are advised by our team year-on-year.
have worked with us in the last five years. (based on S&P Global listing)
aim their specialism at serving our financial services clients.
1450+
250+
financial services businesses
Domestic and international banks
trust us to help deliver their largest projects and manage their day-to-day legal needs every year.
are advised by our team year-on-year.
41/50
1400+
of the worlds biggest banks
of our lawyers
have worked with us in the last five years. (based on S&P Global listing)
aim their specialism at serving our financial services clients.
Access the expert advice trusted by top financial institutions
As a trusted advisor for regulatory, transactional, and strategic matters, we are the legal partner to leading financial institutions worldwide, helping clients stay ahead in a fast-moving financial landscape. We advise across the full financial services spectrum, from retail to wholesale, delivering cutting-edge industry insight and results.
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- Building Societies and Mutuals
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We are recognised as one of the leading building societies and mutuals teams in the UK. We advise more than 30 of the UK's 42 building societies, as well as numerous other clients in the wider mutuals sector both in the UK and beyond, including mutual deposit-takers, mutual insurers, major employee owned mutuals, friendly societies, co-operatives and credit unions.
We have advised on many of the most significant, ground-breaking transactions, including all of the last 24 building society mergers, Coventry Building Society’s £780m acquisition of The Co-operative Bank, and certain key aspects of Nationwide’s £2.9bn acquisition of Virgin Money.
Our multi-disciplinary team includes specialists with sector experience across all of our key practice areas including, amongst other things, corporate M&A and strategic transactions (both voluntary and distressed), directors' duties, constitutional and governance advice, regulatory advice and investigations, disputes, commercial, data protection, competition, HR and treasury, this enables us to take a practical and commercial approach.
Our experience includes working closely with regulators, participating in industry working groups and helping to shape legal and regulatory change affecting the sector.
- Banks
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From the largest retail and investment banks through to the newest market entrants, we support our clients on their most strategic and innovative transactions and initiatives, helping them future-proof against industry changes and developments.
Our team offers a broad range of services, covering everything from retail to wholesale funding and capital requirements, with experience advising on industry-defining mandates and market firsts. We support clients in managing digital transformation projects, restructuring businesses, implementing regulatory changes (from product to prudential), and rethinking their use of technology and data.
When first mover advantage can be crucial, our ability to navigate existing regulation in new contexts and provide robust advice swiftly helps our clients to succeed. Not only do we have an outstanding reputation for advising on financial services desputes resolution, we have extensive experience in conducting financial services disputes and investigations. We help clients with managing their relationship with regulators and advising on contentious regulatory issues, financial crime and a wide range of investigation, enforcement and prosecution issues.
We have extensive experience in conducting financial services investigations and enforcement, helping you manage your relationship with regulators and advising on contentious regulatory issues such as market abuse, misconduct, AML controls, and complaints handling.
- Wealth Management
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We have a long history and active presence in the wealth and investment sector. Our multidisciplinary team combines expertise from our private client, regulatory, transactional and investment disciplines. Together, they support our clients across all legal and regulatory aspects in the wealth management landscape.
As private capital continues to play a greater role in the sector, we work seamlessly across our private capital, private equity, and equity capital markets practices to advise on investment structures, fundraising, and the strategic deployment of capital.
In recent years we have seen an increase in acquisition and consolidation activity, often backed by private equity. Our team regularly advises on both the transactional and regulatory aspects of this activity, supporting management teams and regulated firms as they navigate complex deals, integrations, and ongoing compliance requirements.
We guide our clients through the regulatory lifecycle. We support them from initial authorisation and perimeter assessments through to strategic projects, including variations of permission and implementation of new frameworks.
Our regulatory lawyers combine private practice and in-house experience to deliver market-relevant and pragmatic advice.
With financial services specialists based across our offices, we are well-placed to assist clients with cross-border issues and evolving regulatory regimes across key international markets.
- Digital Assets, Payments and Fintech
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In an era where digital finance is embedded within the financial services sector, Addleshaw Goddard is at the forefront of the evolving legal and regulatory landscape and technological innovation.
Our Digital Assets, Payments and Fintech Group brings together an international, multi-disciplinary team across these distinct yet interconnected areas to deliver end to end support to clients operating in the digital finance space – from scaling Fintechs to payment service providers and crypto firms to 'high-street' financial services companies.
Whether you are exploring the potential of blockchain, launching a fintech solution, or expanding your payments infrastructure or customer payment journeys, our team of industry experts are equipped to guide you through the complexities and opportunities of the digital finance revolution.
Digital Assets
We provide comprehensive regulatory guidance and legal advice, catering to the needs of both innovative start-ups and well-established financial entities.
Our team is proficient in navigating the complex legal environment surrounding blockchain innovations and digital asset initiatives, offering expertise in areas from cryptocurrency to CBDCs to NFTs and beyond. With a deep understanding of blockchain technology and the broader spectrum of digital assets, we aim to transform regulatory hurdles into competitive advantages for our clients.
Our unique blend of experience in financial market regulation and a thorough grasp of the fintech and blockchain industries, ensures that you are not only compliant with existing laws but also strategically positioned for future success.
Payments
We have one of the most well-established payments practices and have worked on the some of the highest profile and innovative payments projects of the last decade.
Our lawyers frequently advise payment service providers, technology companies, retailers and banks on a range of payments systems, payment methods (including cards and alternative payment methods), and the underlying infrastructure that supports and connects the payments value chain.
Fintech
Fintech and disruption have become synonymous. From cross-border currency transactions to peer-to-peer lending, fintech firms globally are harnessing the sharing economy and growing connectedness of customers to improve accessibility and cost-effectiveness of financial services.
AG's global, multi-disciplinary specialists have advised both start-up and scale-up fintechs as well as financial institutions looking to harness emerging technologies and PE/VE investors in the sector.
We are highly active in the wider fintech community, and operate our own accelerator program, AG Elevate. We have advised international governments, regulatory bodies and trade bodies on developments in the fintech and financial services landscape, putting us at the forefront of issues impacting the sector. We have also been at the cutting edge of Open Banking.
- Insurance
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We advise a broad range of insurance clients, including major insurance companies, insurance brokers, insurance mutuals, Captives, Insurtech's, Intermediaries and specialist insurance and reinsurance providers.
Our team advises clients on a broad range of insurance transactional, regulatory, commercial, and contentious matters covering a wide remit from the exceptional to the everyday.
Whether we're advising on corporate transactions, reinsurance, distribution arrangements, product development, conduct risk, regulatory interventions or policyholder disputes, we have specialists with in-depth insurance industry experience.
The insurance sector is unique in engaging a range of disciplines and sectors and our team regularly works with insurers, brokers and policyholders to identify and manage business and legal risks to achieve your goals.
Our transactional work includes complex and high-profile M&A transactions, insurance business transfers, structured reinsurance arrangements and advisory work. Our disputes team advises on claims, coverage and reinsurance disputes and other contentious matters.
We couple this with a market leading regulatory and compliance offering and in-depth knowledge of the regulatory framework in which the insurance sector operates.
- Private Capital
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As part of our broader private capital offering, we support investors, intermediaries and asset managers on the full range of commercial, regulatory and transactional issues.
Our advice spans fund structuring, regulatory compliance, tax planning, and complex deal execution, ensuring clients have robust legal support across every stage of the investment cycle.
Case Studies
Case Studies
HSBC Creates Digital Bank to Challenge In SME Place
We helped deliver an award-winning new type of digital business bank account. The innovation was delivered by a complex array of stakeholders working seamlessly together. The technical solution and legal structure both allow development and evolution of the app as customer's needs change.
Read the Case StudyCase Studies
Case Studies
NatWest Invests in the Future Generation with Five-Star App
NatWest wanted to acquire UK-based Rooster Money, a fast-growing fintech specialising in savings for children, to further their strategy of engaging customers from an early age and helping the younger generation to become more financially savvy.
Read the Case StudyCase Studies
Case Studies
Global Bank Meets Small Agile Fintech
Enabled BNP Paribas to offer enhanced digital services which digitally transforms a whole aspect of its business, attract new clients, and deepens relationships with existing clients.
Read the Case StudyCase Studies
Case Studies
UK Retail Banking Providers Unite to Maintain Access to Cash
While banking services are becoming increasingly digitised, legislators, consumer groups and providers recognise the need for continued access to cash for some consumers and small businesses.
Cash Access UK Limited, a new not-for-profit company established by our joint clients, all major high street banking providers, was created to deliver on this need.
Read the Case StudyOur work
Coventry Building Society
Advised Coventry Building Society on its £780m cash acquisition of The Co-operative Bank Holdings p.l.c.
Nationwide Building Society
Advised Nationwide Building Society on certain key aspects of its recommended all-cash acquisition of Virgin Money UK PLC valued at approximately £2.9bn.
Yorkshire Building Society
Advised Yorkshire Building Society on the acquisition of the £2.1 billion savings business and the £400 million mortgage book of Egg Banking plc from Citigroup by way of FSMA Part VII banking business transfer scheme.
Financial Services Monthly Webinar Series
Join our lawyers every other month as they talk through current issues facing the financial services market and how they might impact your business.
Register for the WebinarNews and Insights
Events
Regulatory Essentials Training Programme 2025

News
AG advises EIB on urban development financing in Spain

News
AG bolsters Debt Capital Markets with partner Jonathan Malim

News
AG Ireland appoints Piaras Power, boosting finance practice

Featured Insight
The UK Supreme Court Motor Finance Judgment

Events
Retail Financial Services Forum - August 2025

Events
London real estate private investment case study: Coutts

Events
Regulatory Essentials Training Programme 2025

News
Chancellor’s Mansion House Speech - Hear from our experts

Featured Insight
A further challenge to CMC culture

Featured Insight
Examining the Law Commission's consultation on reforming private international law for the digital age (England and Wales)

Featured Insight
Motor Finance Commission: What happens next after the Hopcraft Supreme Court hearing arguments?

Featured Insight
A new regulation to restrict 'debanking'

News
Addleshaw Goddard promotes 15 lawyers to partnership

News
Addleshaw Goddard bolsters Financial Regulation team with high-profile hire

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