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Financial Services & Regulation

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Providers of financial services are operating in an ever-changing regulatory landscape, with a growing compliance burden and enforcement action and penalties becoming more severe. 

The daily challenges you face in doing business in a highly regulated, cost-pressured environment mean you need advisers who have an unparalleled understanding of the regulators’ expectations and have a commercial and practical approach and understand industry standards and expectations.

We understand the regulatory context in which you operate and recognise the importance of finding commercial solutions. We use our experience to help clients manage and grow their businesses through the development of new products, services and distribution channels and are at the forefront of new market developments, working closely with and advising market participants, industry bodies and governmental agencies and regulators in South Africa and other African countries.

Our service offering

There is a broad spectrum on which our team in South Africa, supported by over 70 offices globally and a network of firms in other African countries, provides advice. We support a variety of clients, including banks, insurance companies, institutional investors, asset managers, brokers, sovereign wealth funds, private wealth, market infrastructure players and fintech firms.

Clients also come to us for bespoke advice on the full range of regulatory issues. 

The matters on which we advise include:

  • client documentation
  • compliance measures and procedures
  • cross-border financial transactions
  • financial disclosure rules
  • financial product development 
  • governance, culture and conduct rules
  • licensing requirements and applications
  • regulatory capital advice and planning.
  • regulatory investigations and litigation
  • regulatory legal opinions
  • risk mitigation strategies
  • sanctions and anti-money laundering and terrorism finance regulations

The team is experienced, efficient, well priced and professional

Legal 500 | Banking & Finance, South Africa, 2020

CMS has developed a notable profile and market share in South Africa's banking space. The firm represents a range of borrowers and lenders, including major South African banks and international development finance institutions. The group possesses expertise covering private placements and preference shares, project financing and debt restructuring, among other matters. It has additional capabilities on which the South African practice can draw, from across its network of global offices.

Chambers & Partners, Banking & Finance, South Africa, 2023

Strengths include "handled complex matters with speedy turnaround, and with a good balance between the legal versus the pragmatic".

Chambers & Partners, Banking & Finance, South Africa, 2023

Strengths include "were able to conclude the requisite transactions in record time, largely due to the very strong service levels of CMS".

Chambers & Partners, Banking & Finance, South Africa, 2023

They are very knowledgeable, efficient and professional. They specialise in corporate, commercial and banking law and have an excellent track record.

Chambers & Partners, South Africa, 2024

The firm handled complex matters with speedy turnaround, and with a good balance between the legal versus the pragmatic.

Chambers & Partners, South Africa, 2024

We were able to conclude the requisite transactions in record time, largely due to the very strong service levels of CMS.

Chambers & Partners, South Africa, 2024
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