Pinsent Masons enhances its financial services regulatory expertise with new hire

Joanne has over 20 years’ experience advising the retail financial services sector across a range of consumer finance and mortgage regulation requirements including loans, credit cards, overdrafts and motor finance.

Joanne joins the firm from Eversheds Sutherland where she had been a partner since 2022. Before then, Joanne was a consumer finance lawyer at firms including Allen and Overy (now A&O Shearman), Eversheds and Gateley. She was also previously Head of UK Legal at U.S. based consumer lending group, Dollar Finance.

This move marks the latest financial regulatory hire into Pinsent Masons as it bolsters its capabilities to advise on the evolving, complex compliance requirements in UK financial services.

Joanne’s practice at Pinsent Masons will focus on banks, insurers and other FS intermediaries, in particular working with motor finance providers and point-of-sale credit providers.

Commenting on the appointment, Colin Read, head of the Regulatory, Insurance & Funds team; said: “Joanne has a really impressive CV, and she will be a fantastic addition to the team as we look to take forward our regulatory proposition. 

“The UK regulator is becoming increasingly proactive and Joanne will be a great source of advice when it comes to consumer finance, especially around the high-profile compliance topics such as motor finance, by-now-pay-later regulations, loans and mortgages. This sort of work can be incredibly demanding and having someone with Joanne’s level of expertise on board will be a huge help to our clients.”

On joining Pinsent Masons, Joanne Owens said: “The increasing pace of legislation and legal rulings means that finance companies are having to deal with more and more complex regulations alongside delivering good service to their customers. The team at Pinsents are brilliant at helping their clients navigate through regulatory issues and I am looking forward to building on the support they provide.”