Regulatory Investigations

Our Regulatory Investigations team advises regulated entities and their senior management on all aspects of regulatory investigations and enforcement actions. Our specialist advisers are experienced financial services and former Central Bank enforcement lawyers and litigators.

In the first instance, we try to assist clients in dealing with regulatory concerns upfront with the aim of ensuring good governance and avoiding potential enforcement action.

Where enforcement action is initiated, we assist clients in dealing with the process from investigation through to, if required, settlement.

Our relevant experience includes:

  • Investigations and inquiries – advising on investigations by the Central Bank of Ireland, the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement and the Chartered Accountants Regulatory Board, statutory and non-statutory inquiries.
  • We have represented insurers dealing with Central Bank enforcement proceedings relating to AML/CTF matters and have represented MiFID firms dealing with Central Bank enforcement relating to CFDs, regulatory capital breaches, breaches of fitness and probity rules, of clients categorisation rules and other areas.
  • Regulatory enforcement – advising on Authorised Officers’ powers, directions and requirements, and Skilled Persons’ Reports.
  • Inspections and risk mitigation – preparation for and responses to themed inspections and Risk Mitigation Programmes.
  • Customer redress – advising providers/product producers and intermediaries on dealing with customer redress.
  • Settlements – negotiating settlements with the Central Bank and other regulatory entities.
  • Irish Financial Services Tribunal – taking cases before the Irish Financial Services Appeals Tribunal.
  • Financial Services Ombudsman – acting on behalf of various financial service providers in relation to complaints made against them to the Financial Services Ombudsman.
  • Witness services – advising people who have been called to give evidence at other inquiries/investigations, such as fitness to practice hearings and the Banking Inquiry.