Mr Mark Simpson > Baker McKenzie > London, England > Lawyer Profile

Noted for its expertise in the fintech arena, Baker McKenzie handles M&A involving financial institutions, in addition to mandates concerning derivatives, ESG and post-Brexit, and is well-placed to leverage the firm’s global footprint on cross-border matters. Mark Simpson leads the team and acts for payment and e-money institutions, asset and wealth managers, cryptoasset enterprises, consumer lenders, banks and insurers, with considerable experience in handling fintech mandates. Caitlin McErlane advises on regulatory implementation projects, day-to-day compliance issues, and the financial services regulatory aspects of transactions.

Noted for its working relationship with a host of sovereign wealth fund investors, Baker McKenzie LLP‘s real estate offering supports well-known sponsors, investors, and financial institutions with respect to various fund structures. Secondary transactions, real estate fund interests, portfolio and GP-led buyouts are all regular features of James Burdett‘s practice. Mark Simpson provides key regulatory expertise, as does Caitlin McErlane, who helps major asset managers navigate the UK and EU regulatory arenas. Private equity and sovereign wealth funds regularly call upon Matthew Legg for critical corporate tax advice.

Baker McKenzie maintains long-standing relationships with sovereign wealth clients who often act as cornerstone investors. The team is also noted for its experience with ESG and sustainable finance expertise, which is key to its offering concerning fund regulation matters. James Burdett is skilled in the formation of private equity structures, fund reviews, and due diligence. Carl Richards focuses on the employment aspects of substantial financial transactions. Mark Simpson helps clients to navigate challenging financial regulatory regimes.

Underpinned by the firm’s technological expertise, Baker McKenzie‘s fintech offering is notably strong in areas involving new technologies such as AI and blockchain. The cross-practice team is co-chaired by technology lawyer Sue McLean and financial services regulatory lawyer Mark Simpson. McLean is an AI expert who frequently leads on responsible AI governance and AI-related transactional projects, while Simpson advises clients – including payment institutions, banks and cryptoasset firms – on issues ranging from business launches to regulatory authorisations. Sarah Williams is equipped to assist major fintech clients with their expansion strategies.

Baker McKenzie‘s regular workload spans B2B agreements, a range of corporate tax matters involving fintechs, as well as commercial mandates. Financial services regulatory lawyer Mark Simpson leads the team along side technology lawyer Sue McLean. Sarah Williams advises on anti-money laundering compliance issues.