Laura Kitchen

Counsel, London

Biography

Laura Kitchen “is increasingly known for matters where UK and EU financial regulations intersect…[she is] a great regulatory lawyer. Very results-oriented”.
Legal 500 UK 2021 and 2020

Overview

Laura Kitchen is counsel in our Financial Services Regulatory team based in London. 

Laura advises on a wide range of financial regulation matters and has extensive experience advising on a broad spectrum of UK and European rules and regulations, including the Market Abuse Regulation, MiFID II, the Bank Recovery and Resolution Directive, regulatory capital, change in control, payments and consumer credit.

Laura is particularly adept at working on highly complex matters in cross-border, multi-disciplinary teams involving colleagues from our other leading practice areas including corporate, private equity, capital markets and bank finance.

Laura joined our London office in 2013 and has spent time working in our New York office.

Laura regularly contributes to books, publications and professional journals relating to regulatory topics and new developments.

Laura is actively involved in a number of pro bono projects, with a particular focus on mentoring schemes aimed at improving access to the legal profession.

Bars and Courts
England and Wales
Education
LPC
College of Law
GDL
BPP Law School
BA
University of Durham
Languages
English
Spanish

Experience

Representation of Inflexion Private Equity Partners and its portfolio company Ocorian, provider of trustee administration and fiduciary services, on the regulatory notifications/approvals and considerations arising from their leveraged buyout of Bridgepoint's portfolio company, Estera, a provider of trustee services

Representation of Klarna Bank on the regulatory aspects of its acquisition of the retail and e-commerce financing arm of Close Brothers

Representation of The Co-operative Bank on the regulatory capital considerations arising from its issue of £200 million notes due 2029, the UK's first Tier 2-MREL qualifying debt issuance

Representation of Amigo Holdings PLC on the regulatory aspects of its £1.3 billion public listing on the Premium List of the London Stock Exchange

Representation of Bupa on the regulatory aspects of its £835 million acquisition Oasis Healthcare Limited. Oasis Healthcare is the UK's leading majority private dental care provider in the UK

Representation of SoftBank Vision Fund on its £300 million investment into OakNorth, a challenger bank that specializes in lending to SMEs. At the time this was the largest ever European fintech fundraising

Representation of Union Bank of Nigeria Plc, one of Nigeria’s largest and most prominent listed commercial banks, in its sale of its UK banking subsidiary, Union Bank UK Plc, to financial sponsor MBU Capital

Representation on major cross-border acquisitions and disposals, advising on regulatory considerations and structuring solutions and UK FCA change of control notifications and approvals

Representation of issuers on the implications and scope of the Market Abuse Regulation

Representation on major restructurings of financial institutions and regulated entities on securities laws and regulatory considerations

Representation of Kaupthing, the failed Icelandic bank, on its restructuring, following its US$45 billion insolvency. The successful restructuring was named “Cross Border Restructuring of the Year” at the Turnaround Atlas Awards and “Restructuring deal of the Year” at the IFLR European Awards 2016, and helped the White & Case team to be named by IFLR as 2016 “Restructuring Team of the Year”

Awards and Recognition

Key Lawyer for Financial Services Regulatory, The Legal 500 UK 2024