Sean Donovan-Smith

Partner

Sean is a financial services lawyer and government affairs adviser with over 25 years’ experience in the financial services industry, having acted for a range of clients including global investment banks, funds, managers, advisers, distributors, brokers and commodity traders.  

Sean specialises in UK and cross-border financial services and markets regulatory advice, fund structuring, enforcement and investigations and the international marketing of funds and other financial products.  Sean is a guest lecturer for the University of Chicago’s Executive MBA Programme and regularly speaks on financial services matters.  Prior to going into private practice, Sean was Associate Director for Business & Legal Affairs and Head of Strategic Alliances for a large global asset management company and was a consultant advising on regulatory compliance and product development for London-based financial institutions.  Sean recently served as Commissioner and Counsel for an independent commission established by the UK Cabinet Office and the Department of Culture, Media and Sport to examine expanding the UK's regime for dormant assets and was an unpaid adviser to the former Chancellor of the Exchequer.

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News
10 July 2025 | Author: Sean Donovan-Smith

Trowers welcomes new Funds partner in London

International law firm, Trowers & Hamlins, has expanded its Financial Services Regulatory and Investment Funds team in London with the hire of Funds specialist Karl Behrouz.

Insights

The future of UK AIFM regulation: FCA and HM Treasury's key proposals

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) has recently published Consultation Paper (CP) 26/28: The UK AIFM Regime, setting out its proposed reforms to the UK's Alternative Investment Fund Managers (AIFMs) regime.

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