Michael Thomas > Hogan Lovells International LLP > London, England > Lawyer Profile
Hogan Lovells International LLP Offices
ATLANTIC HOUSE
HOLBORN VIADUCT
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Michael Thomas
Work Department
Finanacial Services
Position
Partner
Career
As a partner in our financial services team, Michael Thomas has spent his career advising all types of financial institutions on a wide range of matters. The core of Michael’s practice is the provision of financial services regulatory advice. Michael advises firms on how financial services regulation will apply to them from their initial set-up, to their ongoing business, and in relation to key events such as corporate transactions or outsourcing arrangements.
Michael has in-depth knowledge and experience in the complex field of market infrastructure, advising trading venues, clearing houses, and data repositories, together with the firms accessing their services. This includes advising on the launch of two European clearing houses. Michael’s team came second at the Lawyer Awards 2015 in the category of Corporate Team of the Year, for their work in the launch of LME Clear, the new clearing house for The London Metal Exchange. Michael advises exchanges and financial market infrastructure operators from around the world from around the world, including the United Kingdom and Europe, Asia, North America, and Africa.
Michael has advised a wide range of financial institutions, including banks, investment firms and financial market infrastructure on major regulatory projects, including those driven by regulatory changes such as MiFID II, Benchmarks Regulation, the Senior Managers and Certification Regime and Brexit. This includes contingency planning, restructuring, and repapering projects.
In addition to advising financial institutions, Michael also advises governmental bodies, including UK bodies and also the governing body and regulator of the new Astana International Financial Center, in Kazakhstan, on the development of its legal and regulatory regime
Michael actively advises both established and new financial institutions on FinTech matters, including notably, Globacap of the first issuance of a UK company’s shares on a blockchain ledger and the development of a platform for the security token issuance.
Michael has a particular focus on governance and systems and controls issues, and can help firms to determine how to ensure that they structure their governance arrangements in a manner that the regulators consider to be prudent.
In addition to regulatory advice, Michael advises financial institutions on commercial transactions, such as major outsourcing arrangements and distribution deals. Michael was a key member of the team awarded ‘Outsourcing Advisor of the Year’, for advising on most of the key outsourcings in the asset management, insurance and life, and pensions sectors, at the National Outsourcing Association Awards 2011.
Michael also advises on the regulatory aspects of corporate and finance transactions involving financial institutions or financial services regulatory matters.
Education
- To 1997: Brynteg Comprehensive School, Bridgend, South Wales
- 1997 – 2000: BA, Law – Gonville & Caius College, Cambridge
- 2000 – 2001 – Legal Practice Course, Nottingham Law School
Lawyer Rankings
London > TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Fintech
Payments, financial services regulation and technology issues – such as blockchain, cryptoassets and the financial services implications of AI – make up some of the key pillars of Hogan Lovells International LLP‘s wide-ranging offering. The practice is jointly overseen by global head of fintech, Emily Reid; head of the financial services regulatory practice, Jonathan Chertkow; head of of the digital assets and blockchain practice, John Salmon, and co-head of the sustainable finance and investment group Bryony Widdup – who joined from DLA Piper in November 2022. Michael Thomas is well placed to assess the regulatory feasibility of the use of crypto-based tokens, while James Black is a go-to name for major digitilasation projects. Payments specialist Roger Tym is regularly sought out by major payment services disruptors, while Anthony Doolittle frequently advises crypto exchanges on corporate governance matters. Jennifer Staniforth, James Sharp and Mark Orton further extend the fintech expertise at the firm.
London > Corporate and commercial > Financial services: non-contentious/regulatory
Commended for its ‘incredible depth and breadth of knowledge’, Hogan Lovells International LLP counts global banks, asset managers and financial market infrastructure providers, in addition to fintech start-ups, among its key roster of clients. Practice leader Jonathan Chertkow has demonstrable experience in the payments and consumer finance sectors, while Rachel Kent ‘has outstanding insight into government policy and regulatory change’ and Michael Thomas is praised for his ‘unparalleled knowledge’ in market infrastructure and governance matters. Other key contacts in the team include ‘trusted adviser’ James Black and ‘incredibly valuable’ Rita Hunter.
Lawyer Rankings
- Fintech London > TMT (technology, media and telecoms)
- Financial services: non-contentious/regulatory London > Corporate and commercial
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Public sector > Administrative and public law
- Dispute resolution > Banking litigation: investment and retail
- Corporate and commercial > Commercial contracts
- Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: premium
- Real estate > Commercial property: corporate occupiers
- Real estate > Commercial property: development
- Risk advisory > Data protection, privacy and cybersecurity
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Fintech
- Crime, fraud and licensing > Fraud: civil
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Infrastructure: Project finance and development
- Insurance > Insurance: corporate and regulatory
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Intellectual property: patents (contentious and non-contentious)
- Industry focus > Emerging markets
- Industry focus > Emerging markets
- Industry focus > Life sciences and healthcare
- Investment fund formation and management > Listed funds
- Employment > Pensions (non-contentious)
- Employment > Pensions: dispute resolution
- Insurance > Product liability: defendant
- Real estate > Property litigation
- Finance > Trade finance
Firm Rankings
- Real estate > Commercial property: investment
- Dispute resolution > Competition litigation
- Real estate > Construction: contentious
- Real estate > Construction: non-contentious
- Risk advisory > Corporate governance
- Finance > Corporate restructuring & insolvency
- Corporate and commercial > Corporate tax
- Finance > Derivatives and structured products
- Corporate and commercial > EU and competition
- Corporate and commercial > Financial services: contentious
- Industry focus > Hospitality and leisure
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Infrastructure: M&A and acquisition financing
- Dispute resolution > International arbitration
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Oil and gas
- Insurance > Professional negligence
- Real estate > Property finance
- Investment fund formation and management > Real estate funds
- Risk advisory > Regulatory investigations and corporate crime (advice to corporates)
- Finance > Securitisation
- Finance > Transport finance and leasing
- Finance > Acquisition finance
- Transport > Aviation
- Finance > Bank lending: investment grade debt and syndicated loans
- Finance > Debt capital markets
- Industry focus > Emerging markets
- Employment > Employee share schemes
- Corporate and commercial > Equity capital markets – mid-large cap
- Corporate and commercial > EU and competition: trade, WTO anti-dumping and customs
- Corporate and commercial > Financial services: non-contentious/regulatory
- Employment > Health and safety
- Finance > High yield
- Insurance > Insurance and reinsurance litigation
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Intellectual property: trade marks, copyright and design
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Mining and minerals
- Real estate > Planning
- Corporate and commercial > Private equity: transactions - mid-market deals (up to £250m)
- Dispute resolution > Public international law
- Transport > Rail
- Dispute resolution > Tax litigation and investigations
- Corporate and commercial > VAT and indirect tax
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Water
- Investment fund formation and management > Fund finance
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Power (including electricity, nuclear and renewables)
- Investment fund formation and management > Private funds
- Employment > Employers
- Crime, fraud and licensing > Fraud: white-collar crime (advice to individuals)
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > IT and telecoms
- Corporate and commercial > M&A: Upper Mid-Market And Premium Deals, £750m+
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Sport
- Corporate and commercial > Equity capital markets – small-mid cap
- Insurance > Insurance litigation: for policyholders