Payments specialist Paul Harris joins Osborne Clarke

International legal practice Osborne Clarke expands its financial services sector team with new payments specialist Partner - Paul Harris who joins from Linklaters in London. 

A financial services regulatory specialist with unique experience at the FSA, private practice in the City and as a legal service provider within a Big 4 consultancy, Paul brings expertise across the complete  range of activities carried on under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, Payment Services Regulations, and Electronic Money Regulations. 

Paul advises clients on the full spectrum of financial services regulatory matters, focusing on payment services, e-money, FinTech, crypto, mergers and acquisitions of regulated firms, regulatory change programmes, and in interactions with the regulators.

Paul will be based in the London office and part of a 14-strong UK Payments and FinTech team including Paul Anning, Head of Osborne Clarke's' international payments team and Partners Nikki Worden (consumer finance and head of the financial institutions group), Michael Lewis (financial regulation), Mark Taylor (commercial), Mark Wesker (corporate and head of the International financial services sector), Rachel Couter (disputes) and Charlie Crowne (disputes) alongside a team of twelve fee-earning lawyers.

Paul Anning said: "We're a fast growth and high-profile team and our Payments and FinTech practice underpins our financial services sector offering. Paul is hard working and brings just the right mix of skills and expertise to support our fantastic roster of domestic and international clients."

Paul's appointment follows further growth across the firm's international financial services sector, as Partner Karima Lachgar recently joined to head up the financial services, FinTech and crypto-assets practice in Paris. 

Osborne Clarke's financial services sector team advises clients ranging from start-ups, scale-ups/growth businesses and FinTech unicorns to challenger banks, payments, retail and consumer finance, platforms, large corporates and institutions as well as lenders, investors and industry bodies and regulators.  Osborne Clarke payments practice is market-leading with Paul Anning listed as a Chambers band 1 individual.