News
The latest news about TLT, our people and clients

National law firm TLT has appointed specialist retail financial services and consumer credit partner Clare Hughes to be its new head of Financial Services Regulation.

Clare joins TLT's City office from McClure Naismith’s London office where she was a senior associate, having previously spent five years working in Addleshaw Goddard’s retail financial services team in London where she was a Managing Associate. Clare also has experience as a legal advisor at the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) where she advised on all aspects of consumer law including the Consumer Credit Act 1974, Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999, Distance Selling Regulations 2000 and the Enterprise Act 2002.

Clare has extensive experience advising a wide range of clients, from retail banks through to pay day lenders and brokers, on retail products including credit cards, current accounts, loans, insurance, e-money products and mortgages. This has included product development and launch, advertising reviews, drafting agreements and terms and conditions, post contractual issues including notices of variation, statements, dealing with defaults and arrears as well as termination issues.

Clare will lead TLT's Financial Services Regulation team which advises clients including Barclays Bank, The Co-operative Bank, Deutsche Bank and Triodos Bank on all aspects of FSA and Consumer Credit Act regulation, lending documentation, conduct of business rules, principles-based regulation and "Treating Customers Fairly" requirements.

Clare's appointment follows the decision of the current head of TLT's Financial Services Regulation team, partner Suzanne MacDonald, to move abroad.

TLT's head of Financial Services, Richard Waller says "Clare brings with her considerable experience in retail banking regulation, particularly with the Consumer Credit Act, and this will enhance our existing offering to our bank clients. In addition, Suzanne will continue to advise TLT on a consultancy basis."

TLT's financial services regulation (FSR) practice is pivotal to the firm's focus on the financial services sector, which currently comprises over 40% of the firm's turnover. The Financial Services Regulation team works closely with TLT's commercial, corporate, banking, employment and litigation teams to complement and provide a comprehensive financial services practice.

In the last 12 months TLT has further strengthened its specialisation in financial services through lateral hire partner appointments from Mayer Brown, Halliwells and Hogan Lovells.