Intellectual Property
United Kingdom
10 September 2025
Shoosmiths LLP fields a team with a strong record of acting in a diverse range of financial services regulatory matters, notably for banks, building societies and payment service providers — particularly in the automotive finance sector. The team is also a key contact for FCA supervisory activity, including information requests, skilled person reviews, and enforcement action. The department is co-led by Suzanne Taylor, who is a leading figure in consumer finance and a pipeline for clients seeking FCA support in regulatory compliance, consumer credit issues, contractual arrangements, and wider consumer law issues. Fellow co-head Wayne Gibbard is active in both automotive finance and wider financial services work, acting on behalf of motor finance clients on an array of supervisory matters, including enforcement action, skilled person reviews, and information requests.
Legal 500 Editorial commentary
Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
‘It's the people and the collaborative effort they make with their clients.’
‘Suzanne Taylor is commercial, extremely personable, pragmatic, and an expert in her field. The same applies to Liam Smith.’
'Deliver a consistently high standard of client experience based upon strong focus on relationship building, understanding the client's needs and delivering clear and pragmatic guidance in a timely fashion.'
'Partners make themselves readily available in critical situations.'
Key clients
- Terra Payments Services
- NewCo
Work highlights
Advising TerraPay on the legal structure relating to a proposed “real time settlement” of international payments (e.g. Mauritius to UK) supported by different TerraPay Group companies in the arrangement and the use of local jurisdiction “float accounts” to enable real time settlement.
Engaged by CMA 9 Bank to review and modernise its UK product documentation, predominantly agreements and terms and conditions, for compliance with current laws and regulations, including payments law.
Advising NewCo, a new entrant to the UK market, on the legal and regulatory requirements around crypto asset exchange services, including management of cash, electronic and crypto payments.
Practice head
Suzanne Taylor; Wayne Gibbard
Other key lawyers
Liam Smith