Simon Morris

Simon joined Cameron McKenna in 1980, qualified as a solicitor in 1982 and has been a partner since 1988. He is a member of the firm’s financial services group and specialises in advising financial services institutions on commercial and regulatory matters.

Simon has acted on a number of acquisitions and product launches, and has represented over 200 firms in regulatory and disciplinary proceedings.

Simon is author of Financial Services: Regulating Investment Business, and is a member of the City of London Law Society Financial Services Sub-Committee. He was also one of the advisers to HM Opposition on the new Financial Services and Markets Act.

Simon was named as the Best Regulatory Lawyer of 2008 at Complinet’s Fourth Annual Compliance Awards in January 2008.

Relevant experience:   

Regulatory projects includes advising:

• One of the five main United Kingdom banks on the implementation of MiFID's requirements throughout its business, ranging from life and general insurance to wholesale fund management and derivatives trading.
• On the introduction of enhanced conflicts management procedures at a substantial private office, an investment bank and a major fund manager.
• On preparation for FSA ARROW and similar visits.

Insurers includes advising:

• On the hypothecation of a with-profits fund, the fairness of with-profits smoothing procedures and of derisking and reviewing the operation of market value adjustments.
• On the corporate governance arrangements and the role of non-executive directors.

Fund managers & banks includes advising:

• On the establishment of new UK institutional fund managers and banks for overseas institutions and obtaining FSA authorisation on favourable terms and providing the full start-up package from documentation to premises.

Contentious FSA includes representing:

• Various firms in over 200 enforcement proceedings brought by the Financial Services Authority, its predecessors and overseas regulators, on issues ranging from market abuse, fraud and handling conflicts through to appointment of a skilled person and retail mis-selling.
• Assisting a life insurer in resisting an FSA investigation into its derivatives trading; and assisting another insurer in an FSA investigation into the role of its non-executive directors.
• The major fund manager and major broker involved in FSA's longest and largest-ever investigation, into split capital investment trusts, which resulted in no findings of regulatory misconduct.

Contentious FOS includes representing:

• Over a dozen firms in major Financial Ombudsman Service "wider implications" cases, including successfully defending the industry lead case on mortgage endowments, and advising on judicial review and other remedies.

Contentious - dispute resolution includes:

• Working with dispute resolution colleagues in relation to major claims brought against an insurer by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, and in relation to numerous intra-firm disputes.

Education:

Cambridge University (BA Law). London University (PhD History).

Education