Rachel Couter

Rachel specialises in financial services regulatory investigations and litigation and heads up Osborne Clarke's contentious financial services practice.  

 

Rachel is named as a leading individual by both Legal 500 and Chambers and is also in Legal 500's "Hall of Fame".

She has acted for and advised various financial institutions, including banks, brokers, asset managers, lenders, custodians, trading platforms, SIPP operators, fintechs and payments providers, as well as individuals, in a wide range of complex matters, including multi-jurisdictional investigations and enforcement proceedings.

Her expertise includes matters involving numerous regulatory bodies, including the Financial Conduct Authority, the Prudential Regulation Authority, the Payment Systems Regulator, the Insolvency Service and the National Crime Agency. Particular areas of regulatory compliance include market abuse, insider dealing, mis-selling, suitability, AML, systems and controls, governance, treating customers fairly, safeguarding, responsible lending, transaction reporting and complaints handling.

Rachel was part of the Osborne Clarke team advising the Board of directors of Wirecard Card Solutions, following the discovery of a massive fraud in its German parent, including dealing with the suspension of Wirecard UK's FCA payments licence and the subsequent wind-down of the business. She also advised a number of SME Representatives in respect of the set up of the Business Banking Resolution Service, the voluntary extension of the Financial Ombudsman Service. She leads Osborne Clarke's work as one of 6 firms on the core legal services panel for the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. She has also been appointed as a Skilled Person pursuant to s166 FSMA 2000.