Deborah’s practice covers the broad spectrum of commercial litigation as well as domestic and cross-border investigations. She acts on substantial and complex commercial disputes for a wide range of clients, as well as on restructuring and insolvency.
Deborah is regarded as one of the UK’s leading lawyers in the field of banking and commercial litigation and regulatory investigation. She has acted for many major financial institutions across a spectrum of contentious matters, including acting for major financial institutions in relation to LIBOR and FX. Deborah has also led our teams on various financial crime and mis-selling enforcement actions brought by the FCA.
Highlights include advising:
- The independent review of TSB’s 2018 migration to a new IT platform, which resulted in the publication of Slaughter and May’s Report on 19 November 2019.
- Standard Chartered Bank in long running investigations by UK and US authorities (FCA, DoJ, New York District Attorney, New York Department of Financial Services, US Federal Reserve and the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC)) into issues relating to inter alia, AML issues and compliance with the US sanctions regimes.
- WPP in relation to matters arising from the departure of Sir Martin Sorrell as CEO.
- JPMorgan Chase Bank in relation to various regulatory and governmental investigations into allegations of attempts to manipulate FX rates, the subsequent settlements and in defending follow-on civil claims in the UK.
- A global market infrastructure provider in carrying out an Independent Review commissioned by the Bank of England into allegations of serious wrongdoing made by a whistleblower at a global market infrastructure provider.
- Deutsche Bank in a number of matters, including in relation to extensive regulatory investigations into the setting of various interbank benchmark rates – including LIBOR – over a number of years across multiple jurisdictions, such as the UK, the US (the DoJ, CFTC and the New York DFS), the EU, Germany, Hong Kong and Japan.
- A pensions, life and investment PLC in relation to an FCA investigation into the sale of enhanced annuities following an industry-wide Thematic Review.
- An electronic payment provider, in respect of a significant contractual dispute with a major bank, which included successfully obtaining an out-of-hours injunction to ensure the continuity of business and banking services.
- Advising a senior manager at a global financial institution in relation to an FCA investigation into problems with the implementation of the FCA’s Senior Managers and Certification Regime.
Deborah Finkler stands as the firm's pre-eminent disputes lawyer in London, with key experience in banking litigation as well as a strong practice in contentious financial regulatory matters. - Chambers UK 2020, Litigation
“Fabulous lawyer” Deborah Finkler has a leading reputation for handling large-scale investigations and litigation concerning banking and financial services. She regularly assists global financial institutions. – Chambers UK 2020, Banking Litigation
Commentators describe Deborah Finkler as “a great senior adviser” who is “vastly experienced in acting for financial institutions.” She frequently acts for major banks in investigations concerning compliance with product and policy regulations. – Chambers UK 2020, Financial Services: contentious regulatory
Deborah Finkler is known for handling complex financial litigation as well as cross-border regulatory investigations. She has particular expertise in matters concerning corporate recovery and insolvency. Sources say: "She provides advice that clients trust and knows how best to present the information to them. She also has a very experienced strategic sense." – Chambers UK 2019, Banking Litigation
Deborah Finkler acts on heavyweight disputes and regulatory actions pertaining to financial services. She frequently works with major international and listed financial institutions. Sources consider her a "formidable” practitioner who is also “extremely smart and high-quality." – Chambers UK 2019, Financial Services: Contentious
Deborah Finkler is ‘very smart and very strategic’ – Legal500 2019, Regulatory investigations and corporate crime
A prominent individual in this area, Deborah is ranked Band 1 and recognised as a ‘Leading Individual’ and in the ‘Hall of Fame’ for Banking Litigation in both Chambers UK 2020 and Legal 500 UK 2020 respectively.
Deborah is also recognised by Chambers UK 2020 and Legal 500 UK 2020 in Commercial Litigation as a ‘Leading Individual’ and in the ‘Hall of Fame’
Deborah’s Financial Services regulatory experience is recognised by Legal 500 UK 2020 who list Deborah as a Leading Individual and by Chambers UK 2020.
Deborah has been a member of the Commercial Court Users Committee since 2011. She has written numerous articles, given talks and appeared on panels in the UK and the US on a range of subjects including Commercial and Banking Litigation, Private Equity, Regulatory Investigations and Crisis Management. She is the editor of The Banking Litigation Law Review.
Deborah was formerly the head of both the Disputes group and the Global Investigations group at Slaughter and May.