Financial Services Regulatory Senior Associate

Our highly regarded financial services regulatory team is looking for an experienced senior associate to help support and grow our contentious financial services offering.

You’ll be joining a high performing and hugely ambitious team providing market-leading and specialist legal advice to consumer, motor, asset and mortgage finance providers. You’ll help support the growth of our offering advising lenders on some of the most difficult challenges facing the consumer lending industry.

We act for many household names across our core sectors of consumer, motor, asset and mortgage finance, including debt buyers, credit brokers and dealers.

You’ll be given a strong support network, work alongside market-leading lawyers, have great learning opportunities and a genuine freedom for you to thrive and reach your potential.

What you’ll be doing as a Financial Services Regulatory Senior Associate:
You’ll handle a variety of consumer, motor, asset and mortgage finance matters for household names, national and international clients. You’ll be supporting our team’s contentious work including claims before the Court, complaints to the Financial Ombudsman Service and contentious issues involving the Financial Conduct Authority and the Information Commissioners’ Officer.

We’ve particular expertise in advising lenders on some of the more difficult issues which often lead to us being engaged by lenders to deal with test cases both before the Ombudsman Service (for example, on motor commissions, solar panels, timeshares, and SVR complaints) and before the Court (for example, motor commissions, solar panels, timeshares, SVR, unfairness and unfair relationships).
- Advising motor and asset finance providers on their strategies and approach for claims and complaints relating to allegations (a) of non-disclosure of commissions paid to introducers, (b) relating to diesel emissions and (c) of irresponsible lending. This includes advising on judicial review and a firm’s dealings with the Financial Ombudsman Service and the Financial Conduct Authority (including advising on reviews under s.166 of FSMA).
- Advising mortgage lenders on issues arising out of (a) the charging of interest under regulated and unregulated mortgages, (b) the fairness of terms and conditions and (c) the applicability of the regulatory framework.
- Advising consumer lenders on (a) challenges to the compliance of their documentation (both compliance with consumer credit regulation and consumer protection legislation), (b) allegations of mis-selling and (c) claims and complaints about the reporting of customer information to credit reference agencies.
- Advising on complicated title issues relating to assets (including motor vehicles and equipment), satisfactory quality issues (with a particular expertise on high-value motor vehicles) and wrongful interference issues where assets or vehicles have been disposed of to third parties.

We take pride in having a team of lawyers who have both experience advising on contentious and non-contentious issues. Many of our team have both drafted lending documentation, and successfully defended claims brought against lenders. We think our unique mix of contentious and non-contentious advice means we can help our clients make difficult and fully-informed judgment calls.

What we are looking for:

- An experienced contentious lawyer with experience of advising on non-contentious technical issues
- A technically profecient and ambitious lawyer
- A strong understanding of the FCA regime and the historic regime for credit and mortgages
- Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to clearly communicate complex analysis in a clear and accessible way
- Ability to work collaboratively as part of team
- Self-motivated with the desire to develop strong relationships with clients and colleagues
- Sound legal analysis, client management and drafting skills

Why join Walker Morris:
When you’re looking for a job, we know it’s about more than just the role. That’s why we provide the support you need to develop and grow your career. We’ve hybrid and flexible working, so you can make work and life work together for you. Walker Morris is a top 100 commercial law firm where you don’t have to fit a mould, so you can bring your full self to work and our commitment to a meaningful work life balance means you can take your full-self home again too

We’ve recently launched the new Walker Morris brand, which brings to life what it’s really like to work with and within the firm. What it really comes back to is our purpose, to forge your own path. It means we’re 70% corporate professional law firm but with 30% individual expression - meaning we’re personal, modern and have a drive for innovation.

What we offer:

- Flexible working - we understand work-life balance is important, we are open to discussing your hybrid working preferences
- Annual Leave - minimum of 25 days per year, increasing to 31 days with le