Rachel Couter

Rachel is a Partner in the Commercial and Regulatory Disputes team, who heads up our UK contentious financial services practice, specialising in regulatory investigations and banking and financial markets litigation.

She has acted for and advised various financial institutions and corporate entities, including banks, brokers, asset managers, custodians, trading platforms, SIPP operators, fintech companies and payment services providers, as well as individuals within those organisations, in a wide range of complex matters, including multi-jurisdictional regulatory and fraud investigations, disputes and enforcement proceedings.

Rachel has also been appointed as a Skilled Person pursuant to s166 FSMA 2000. Her expertise in the sphere of regulatory issues has led her to advise in connection with matters involving numerous regulatory bodies, including the Financial Conduct Authority, the Payment Services Regulator, the Insolvency Service of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills and the National Crime Agency to name but a few. Particular areas of regulatory compliance include market abuse / insider dealing, mis-selling, suitability / appropriateness, AML, market manipulation, systems and controls, treating customers fairly, safeguarding, responsible lending and transaction reporting.

Rachel has been part of the Osborne Clarke team advising the Board of directors of the Wirecard Card Solutions, following the discovery of a massive fraud in its German parent, including dealing with the suspension of Wirecard UK's payments licence and the subsequent wind-down of the business.  

Rachel joined Osborne Clarke LLP in January 2017, having previously been a partner at King & Wood Mallesons LLP (formerly SJ Berwin) and Gibson Dunn and having trained and qualified at Freshfields in 1997.