Oliver Woodhouse (Capital Law)

Oliver Woodhouse

Associate
Financial Services

Oliver is an Associate in our Financial Services team specialising in regulatory and insurance work. 

Oliver provides commercial regulatory advice to a range of financial services, insurance and technology-focused clients.

He has significant experience in the InsurTech and FinTech sectors (including payments and cryptoasset regulation), and also works for more traditional financial service businesses.

Expertise includes managing business-critical regulatory projects; preparing applications for FCA, PRA and overseas regulatory authorisation; supporting clients to structure and launch innovative regulated products; providing technical advice and guidance on the UK’s regulatory perimeter; supporting with regulatory aspects of corporate transactions; and drafting of regulatory/commercial agreements and compliance materials.

Oliver is actively involved with InsurTech UK and FinTech Wales, a member of the Crypto Asset Professional Advisory Group (CAPAG) and was part of the Capital Law team that won “Best Advisory Firm of the Year” at the FinTech Awards Wales 2019/20.

You took the time to understand what we were trying to achieve and then executed on the brief, quickly and efficiently. As with most high growth start ups, speed is always of the essence, so we needed a law firm to respond quickly.

Graeme Dean, Head of Insurance, Cover Genius

  • Project managing FCA application processes for a variety of tech-focuses businesses, covering activities in a range of sectors including insurance, claims management, payment services and cryptoassets.
  • Assisting clients to launch internationally, including securing overseas regulatory licenses.
  • Advising clients on structure and launch of innovative regulated products, including drafting customer facing terms and policies.
  • Providing strategic planning, training and advice to regulated firms in relation to the Senior Managers & Certification Regime (“SMCR”).
  • Providing on-going advice to a leading InsurTech in the life-sector, regarding distribution strategy for individual and group insurance products, supporting the business with negotiations with a global insurer and brokers on a repeat basis.
  • Providing payment service advice to clients in the sector, including integration of PSD2 Strong Customer Authentication requirements.
  • Providing a legal opinion and assisting a European client in the cryptoasset sector regarding categorisation of different tokens, including liaison with the FCA Innovate Team.
  • Supporting a German-based InsurTech with its UK launch, including negotiation and establishment of an Appointed Representative arrangement, critical insurance distribution contracts and policy wording.
  • Advising a UK professional body regarding its relationship with a regulated financial services firm offering personal services/products to members, supporting to draft commercial agreements and providing regulatory advice in relation to its activities.
  • Regulatory advice for traditional financial service and disruptive businesses; key specialisms in the FinTech, InsurTech.
  • FCA and PRA authorisation, variation of permissions, and change of control applications.
  • Regulatory perimeter advice, including interpretation and implementation of FCA, PRA rules and UK and EU regulation.
  • Advising on, drafting and negotiation of commercial contracts and regulatory agreements.
  • Insurance Regulation – including Solvency II and Insurance Distribution Directive.
  • Payments Regulation – including Payment Services Regulations, Electronic Money Regulations, Open Banking and Finance.
  • Cryptoasset regulation and blockchain.
  • Transactional work for regulated and technology firms.

Career

  • Associate, Capital Law Limited (Mar 2021 – present)
  • Legal Counsel, Starling Bank (Dec 2020 – Mar 2021)
  • Associate, Capital Law Limited (May 2020 – Dec 2020)
  • Solicitor, Capital Law Limited (May 2018 – Apr 2020)
  • Solicitor, Gateley Plc (Aug 2017 – May 2018)
  • Trainee Solicitor, Gateley Plc (Aug 2015 – Aug 2017)

Education

  • University of Law: LPC (2014 – 2015)
  • Birmingham City University: Bachelor of Laws LLB (2011 – 2014)

Memberships / Trustee Positions

  • The Law Society of England and Wales
  • Crypto Assets Professional Advisory Group (CAPAG)
  • FinTech Wales