JohnJohn is a specialist financial services regulatory solicitor who advises fintechs, payment service providers, e-money institutions, consumer credit firms, merchants and many more on navigating complex UK financial regulation.
He supports businesses across the financial services ecosystem on FCA authorisations, payment services, e-money, consumer credit, anti-money laundering (AML) and data protection. John is particularly experienced in helping fast-growing fintech and payments businesses structure innovative products and services within the UK regulatory perimeter.
Before qualifying as a solicitor, John spent more than a decade working in financial services, giving him a strong commercial understanding of the operational and regulatory challenges businesses face. He trained and practised with leading law firms including DLA Piper and a specialist regulated e-commerce practice before joining Harper James.
John regularly advises clients on FCA authorisation applications, regulatory perimeter analysis, customer journeys, outsourced service arrangements, introducer models and compliance frameworks. He also drafts and negotiates commercial agreements relating to payment services, e-money programmes and fintech partnerships, alongside advising on AML, consumer protection and data privacy requirements.
His clients range from early-stage fintechs and scaling technology businesses to established financial institutions launching new regulated products in the UK market.
Work highlights include:
- Advising a bank on aspects of its FCA application process and preparations for the UK launch of its consumer credit card business;
- Supporting a fast-growing fintech with the development of contractual and regulatory frameworks for an innovative open banking solution used to assist accountancy firms with tax returns, AML checks and due diligence processes;
- Advising a tech-enabled payments platform on the development of platform terms facilitating commission distribution and ledger functionality between directly authorised firms, appointed representatives and financial advisers;
- Providing ongoing regulatory support to a cross-border payments and remittance provider as it expands its international money remittance operations across multiple jurisdictions;
- Advising a clean energy company on payments regulatory perimeter issues relating to its hydrogen fuel card offering and customer payment model;
- Providing ongoing regulatory and commercial support to a UK provider of fleet payment and operational management solutions, including perimeter advice, customer terms, introducer arrangements and new product reviews.
- Advising a technology-enabled treasury platform on the regulatory perimeter implications of its fintech platform and interaction with third-party regulated service providers.
“I take a pragmatic and commercially focused approach to financial services regulation. Having worked in the industry before qualifying as a solicitor, I understand the pressures businesses face when launching products, managing compliance obligations and delivering services at pace.”
John lives in Chester with his wife and two sons. Outside work, he enjoys rowing, billiards, travelling, skiing and spending time with friends and family.
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