William Yonge specialises in UK and European financial services law and regulation, an area in which he has more than 20 years’ experience, drawing on his background of working in-house for UK financial services regulators. William concentrates his practice on the investment industry, advising alternative and traditional asset managers and their funds, brokers, corporate financiers, institutional investors, and fintech businesses. William increasingly counsels corporates, financial market participants, institutions, and multinational businesses on the impact of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and sustainability laws and regulations, including the EU Sustainable Finance Disclosure Regulation, Taxonomy Regulation, and Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive and their UK counterparts.
William helps clients navigate complex domestic and cross-border UK and European regulatory challenges advising on the regulatory perimeter; the establishment, operation, and governance of UK Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) regulated businesses; trading on UK and European markets; the negotiation of regulatory approval for changes of control arising from merger and acquisition transactions; the regulatory aspects of fundraises and financial promotion; securities offering rules in private and public markets; and market abuse.
William negotiates investment management mandates; advises on the regulatory features of the formation, management, and operation of private investment funds; and counsels managers from the United States, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East on structuring their private placements of funds to UK and European investors and establishing themselves in the United Kingdom. William also advises on regulatory developments arising in the context of Brexit, in relation to both the UK’s exit and its ongoing divergence from the European Union.
William frequently comments on regulatory issues impacting the financial services industry. He writes articles for and is often quoted in key publications including Investment Week, IFLR, Hedge Fund Law Report, Risk.net, Law 360, Environmental Finance, Secured Lender, Hedge Fund Journal, Funds Europe, Global Risk Regulator, Lexology, and Private Debt Investor. He speaks regularly at hedge fund and private equity conferences and events and has presented webinars on UK and European financial regulation.
Prior to entering private practice, William served as an in-house lawyer at the UK Securities and Investment Board (now the FCA) and the former Investment Management Regulatory Organisation.
Recommended, Corporate and Commercial: Financial Services: Non-Contentious/Regulatory, The Legal 500 UK (2021–2025)
Member, Best ETF Law Firm, ETF Express US Awards (2021, 2022)
Member, Practice Group of the Year, Asset Management, Law360 (2017)
Recognized in Who’s Who Legal (2016)
Member, Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment