Lorna Finlayson

Expertise

Over 30 years in the financial services sector, both in-house and in private practice, has given Lorna a genuine understanding of the needs and priorities of our financial sector clients. Her strong focus on retail financial services (particularly wealth and investments) is enhanced by time served on significant corporate and commercial projects, both advisory and transactional. Over the years, Lorna has also advised on consumer finance, retail banking, funds, capital markets and insurance distribution. As part of AG's specialist Investment Platforms practice, she is particularly noted for her enthusiasm, and for her ability to, "piece together the jigsaw" of her clients' often complex operational and commercial structures, in order to deliver the right results. This highly unusual breadth and depth of experience means Lorna can provide truly practical and relevant advice.

Identified in Legal 500 as a ‘leading individual’, she works with platform product and infrastructure providers, intermediary businesses, SIPP operators, the main UK banks and fintech start-ups. Her advice spans compliance with regulatory requirements across the whole client journey and commercial framework including COBS, consumer duty and CASS, facilitating major transactions complex outsourcing structures, client transitions and propositional development. Lorna brings to the table the holistic perspective necessary to give truly useful advice that moves things forward for her clients. Clients include FNZ, JP Morgan, Nationwide, Barclays, LBG, Rathbones, Santander, lombard lenders, financial planning groups, and SIPP Operators.

Lorna is dual-qualified (in Scotland, and England and Wales). Before joining Addleshaw Goddard, Lorna led the financial services regulatory practice at Burness Paull. At international firm Weil Gotshal and Manges, she provided regulatory support on a number of high-profile financial services transactions for clients such as GE Capital (various acquisitions), Advent International (the acquisition of the business and assets of Lloyds TSB Registrars) and Citibank (the sale, internationally, of Diners Club). She was also Company Secretary and Head of Legal at Direct Line Financial Services (a retail bank, Life insurance and unit trust business). She is experienced in regulator engagement, and is active in supporting key trade bodies. She was delighted to be invited recently to join the Leadership Council of the newly formed Platforms Association – a testament to her reputation in the sector.