Laura Wallace

Laura Wallace is Counsel in the Firm’s European financial services and funds regulatory team. Based in London, she advises private funds, asset managers and financial institutions on U.K. and EU financial market regulations and transactions, including AIFMD, MiFID2, UCITS, CSDR and MAR, and on navigating regulatory change. She is also experienced in advising on the regulatory aspects of M&A, joint ventures and restructurings within the financial sector, financial services licensing applications, prudential and regulatory capital requirements and fintech regulation.

Notable experience prior to joining Simpson Thacher includes representing:

• A U.K. asset manager on the regulatory structuring and contractual set-up of a wealth management platform joint venture
• A European asset manager on regulatory aspects of its acquisition of an ETF business
• A global banking group on the establishment and authorization of a new asset management group entity
• Various buy-side and sell side firms on application and implementation of the FCA Consumer Duty to their businesses
• An insurer on regulatory structuring and characterization of insurance linked securities and collateral management activities
• A global bank on implementation of MiFID2 across its markets and custody businesses
• A global custody bank, advising on regulatory aspects of its custody and depositary agreements, including under AIFMD, CSDR and SRD2
• Application of MiFID and CSDR to fund services provided by a global custody bank and development of documentation for services provided in respect of non-custodial assets
• Various custody banks and industry associations on the CSDR settlement discipline regime Various sell-side and buy-side firms on EMIR, including post-Brexit changes to the clearing and margining obligations and on reporting and delegated reporting arrangements
• A U.S. bank on regulatory aspects of its cross-border private wealth business, including development of practical rules of the road
• Various global banks on EU and U.K. payments regulation, including PSD2, SEPA, U.K. APP fraud reimbursement requirements and U.K. payment system access and indirect access requirements
• A U.S. bank on establishment of a U.K. branch, including U.K. payments regulation, payment systems access, outsourcing and structuring of payment flows
• A global bank on virtual payment account structures and treasury management products, including cash pooling and zero balancing products
• A U.K.-headquartered bank on regulatory structuring, documentation and launch of payment initiation services provided via e-commerce platforms
• An e-commerce platform on integration of payment solutions, including provision of credit by partner banks, invoice purchasing structures and regulatory characterization and facilitation of payment initiation services
• An EU bank on post-Brexit regulatory structuring and documentation of a private wealth credit card offering in partnership with U.K. private banks
• A global cryptoasset exchange on regulatory licensing and marketing requirements, including co-ordination of advice across over 60 jurisdictions and advising on transaction structures and flows, customer onboarding requirements and drafting related terms and conditions
• An asset manager on regulatory structuring of a cryptoasset backed ETF
• Various buy-side and sell-side firms on regulatory change projects, including AIFMD, MiFID2, EMIR, CSDR and Brexit

Laura received her Legal Practice Certificate with distinction from the College of Law in 2010 and her Graduate Diploma in Law from BPP in 2009. Prior to her legal studies, she received a first class joint honors degree in Physics and Philosophy from the University of Oxford. She is admitted to practice in England and Wales.