Addleshaw Goddard adds new Scottish Partner to Fin Reg team

International business law firm Addleshaw Goddard has added further partner strength to its Financial Regulation team with two new appointments, including one in Edinburgh.

Lorna Finlayson, former head of Burness Paull’s financial services regulatory practice, has joined International business law firm Addleshaw Goddard’s Edinburgh office as a partner in its Financial Regulation team.

Ms Finlayson’s appointment comes as consumer finance specialist Clare Hughes also joins AG from Eversheds.

Operating from London, Ms Hughes’ appointment, along with Ms Finlayson’s, takes AG’s Financial Regulation team up to six-partners, making it one of the largest in the UK with more than 30 specialist lawyers spanning both retail and wholesale financial services.

The appointment of Ms Finlayson is AGs first partner hire in Scotland since the firm’s combination with HBJ in 2017, and provides AG with specialist Financial Regulation expertise in Scotland.

Amanda Hulme, head of the financial services sector at Addleshaw Goddard, said: “With more regulatory change in the pipeline, new players emerging and banks transforming what and how they deliver their services, AG is creating important, additional bandwidth, not just to resource existing demand from a large and established portfolio of retail and challenger banks and other FS businesses, but to help us to better service the growing financial services community in Scotland from a local presence. Both Clare and Lorna are outstanding, long established specialist Financial Regulatory Partners, who are both well known in the market and highly respected by clients and we are delighted they are joining us.”

She continued: “Clare’s experience and clients are a perfect fit with our own retail financial services practice. She will add additional senior support to both Rosanna Bryant and I to help us meet the increasing demands for advice in this area. Lorna’s arrival fits perfectly with our strategy to offer an enhanced service to the many FS businesses based in Scotland. Her skill set is a good fit with our retail financial services practice, but expands beyond into the IFA and discretionary management market, investments, pensions and distribution arrangements. She will provide a great bridge into our wider wholesale and financial markets regulatory team covered by existing Partners Brian McDonnell and David Ellis. Lorna’s practice, background and Scottish ties makes her particularly unique in the market.”