Job Description

Contentious Financial Regulation Lawyer – 4–6 years PQE

Location: London

Join a market‑leading financial services regulatory practice known for resolving complex and systemic challenges in the UK financial sector. You will work with a team of experts—including barristers, ex‑regulators and former ombudsmen—to develop strategies that align with commercial priorities and reduce regulatory scrutiny. This role offers the rare opportunity to work alongside Jonathan Cavill, who specialises in investigating and managing large‑scale regulatory issues for financial institutions. His team leads high‑profile matters spanning FCA, PRA and FOS engagement, large remediation programmes, supervisory interventions and enforcement risk management. If you thrive on intellectually challenging work and navigating a fast‑evolving regulatory landscape, this role provides exceptional career growth.

The Team

Our Regulation, Insurance and Funds (RIF) Group brings together specialists in insurance, investment management, funds, banking products and financial regulation. The Financial Regulation team is a strategic growth priority and operates at the forefront of UK regulatory change.

You will join a team that:

• Handles high‑impact systemic investigations
• Advises on regulatory stress events, mass redress and supervisory interventions
• Works directly with former FCA, PRA and FOS specialists
• Advises on emerging regulatory themes such as AI governance, collective actions and redress frameworks
• Acts for leading banks, insurers, investment managers, platforms and pension providers

Key clients include: Abrdn, Aegon UK, Aviva, AXA, HSBC, Legal & General, Lloyds Banking Group, NatWest, Phoenix Group, Royal London, RSA, Railpen Investments, Post Office Limited and others.

Clients value our blend of regulatory expertise and commercial insight, describing our advice as “rapid, practical and grounded in real‑world risk”.

What You’ll Do

You will play a central role in delivering strategic regulatory advice, supporting contentious matters and managing complex multi‑stakeholder issues. Work will include:

Systemic & Contentious Regulatory Matters

• Advising on large‑scale systemic issues across banks, insurers and investment firms
• Supporting FCA, PRA and FOS supervisory and enforcement processes
• Managing s.166 Skilled Person Reviews
• Developing risk mitigation and rectification plans
• Leading breach assessments and incident response strategies

Regulator & Ombudsman Engagement

• Preparing firms for regulator meetings and interviews
• Drafting regulator‑facing correspondence
• Designing engagement strategies to reduce scrutiny
• Advising on mass FOS exposures and complaint cohorts
• Supporting Judicial Review strategies relating to FCA, PRA and FOS decisions

Redress & Disputes

• Advising on mass redress programmes (cohorting, compensation, governance)
• Working on collective actions, market abuse, insider dealing and consumer claims
• Leading financial services disputes and wider advisory matters

You will also have opportunities for client secondments and involvement in major cross‑disciplinary projects.

What We’re Looking For

Core Experience

You should have experience in several of the following:

• FCA/PRA supervisory or enforcement matters
• Regulatory investigations and contentious regulatory issues
• FOS strategy and mass complaint management
• Section 166 Skilled Person support
• Redress schemes and systemic issue management
• Market abuse, insider dealing and financial crime‑related matters
• Financial services litigation or dispute resolution
• Drafting regulator communications and risk mitigation plans

Additional Attributes

• Strong academic background
• Ability to supervise and mentor juniors
• Confidence engaging with clients and regulators
• Appetite for high‑complexity regulatory work
• Interest in contributing to business development in a growing practice

About the Firm

Pinsent Masons is a global 100 law firm with over 3,800 employees across 28 international locations. We are recognised for delivering high‑quality legal advice on complex, multi‑jurisdictional matters, with particular strength in financial services, energy, infrastructure, real estate and technology. Our innovative delivery model includes in‑house legal technology, project management solutions, Vario (our freelance lawyer platform) and Brook Graham (our global D&I consultancy). We are deeply committed to diversity and inclusion and strive to create an environment where everyone can thrive.

Awards

Pinsent Masons has received extensive recognition across the legal industry, including Legal Business’ Law Firm of the Year, the FT’s Most Innovative Law Firm in Europe (multiple times), and ranking as Thomson Reuters’ leading legal brand in the UK. We are also celebrated for our commitment to inclusion, recognised by Stonewall as a Top Global Employer, ranked as a Top Ten Employer for Working Families for seven consecutive years, accredited as a Disability Confident Employer, and the first law firm to join the Valuable 500. A full list of accolades is available at: www.pinsentmasons.com/accolades.

Flexible working requests are welcomed.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

For a confidential discussion, please contact:
Steffy Lam – Talent Acquisition Advisor
📧 steffy.lam@pinsentmasons.com
🔗 linkedin.com/in/steffy-lam-715241238/

All applications must be submitted via our careers website.