Financial Institutions & Regulation

Borenius’ Financial Institutions & Regulation team combines Borenius’ industry expertise with extensive knowledge across various fields of law, bringing together our experts from all relevant Borenius teams.

Regulation places increasing demands on financial institutions and other market players. We follow the development of these demands in order to help our clients. At the same time, regulation opens up new opportunities as new services, investment products and partnerships are developed across the market. Our services cover regulatory advice in connection with transactions in the financial sector as well as day-to-day compliance and regulatory issues relating to the conduct of business.

We advise banks, investment firms, fund managers, payment institutions and other financial institutions as well as FinTechs on a wide range of regulatory and compliance issues. Our lawyers have extensive practical experience of working on legislation and advising major clients in the financial services industry. A number of our lawyers have previously served as in-house counsel, held management roles and worked with regulators and legislators, which has provided them with unique and beneficial insight into the field.

Our clients are at the heart of what we do, and our achievements are built upon our clients’ success. That is why we are extremely happy to have been entrusted with a broad range of cases.

We have represented S-Pankki Oyj in its public tender offer for Oma Säästöpankki Oyj. In connection with the acquisition, we have provided advice on regulatory matters relating to the due diligence and integration of the two banks.

We have represented EAB Group Plc in its merger with Evli Plc. and advised CapMan Plc on the acquisition of a controlling shareholding in JAM Advisors, a software technology-driven reporting, analysis and wealth management firm.

We have recent experience of advising Verkkokauppa.com on the terms and conditions of its consumer credits. We have also advised Lea Bank ASA, a Norwegian bank, on its acquisition of consumer credits from a Finnish operator.

We advise numerous domestic and foreign alternative investment fund managers on regulatory matters relating to the marketing and management of alternative investment funds.

We advise Finnish companies in relation to compliance requirements arising from sanctions imposed after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. We have supported our clients in understanding and mitigating sanctions risks related to ongoing operations in Russia and in completing exit processes in the Russian market. We regularly advise clients on setting up internal compliance programmes and analysing risks related to business partners and individual transactions. We have also advised a Finnish financial institution on the applicability and impact of sanctions on trade finance-related instruments. In addition, we assist companies in anti-money laundering inspections conducted by the Finnish Financial Supervisory Authority (FIN-FSA) and the Finnish Supervisory Agency (LVV), from preparing for the inspection to responding to inspection findings and hearing letters.

In addition to advising clients on capital markets transactions, we have advised numerous clients on various regulatory questions relating to capital markets, such as disclosure obligations, flagging of holdings, the duty to prepare a prospectus and insider regulation.

We advise Finnish banks on their investment in DIAS Oy. DIAS aims to develop a platform for digital transactions involving the Finnish housing market. The platform would be the first of its kind in the world and utilise blockchain technology. We also advise various FinTech companies on regulatory questions and matters involving the FIN-FSA.

We have advised Oma Savings Bank Plc, Danske Mortgage Bank Plc, POP Mortgage Bank Plc and Bonum Bank Plc on the update of their debt programmes that allow the issuance of covered bonds and MREL-eligible notes. We have also advised Oma Savings Bank Plc and Danske Mortgage Bank Plc on consent solicitations in which outstanding covered bonds were amended so that they became subject to the new Act on Covered Bonds.

We advise several EU- and third-country-based financial institutions on questions relating to the requirements for providing banking and investment services in Finland.

We have provided several foreign banks with legal opinions and advice relating to the CRR eligibility of guarantees provided by Finnish public guarantee and financing providers.

Our experts are always ready to assist you. See all of our Financial Institutions & Regulation references here.