Sanctions and financial regulation

Our sanctions and financial regulation practice helps  clients navigate increasingly complex regulatory  environments across the UK, the Middle East, the ASEAN and South Asia. We advise financial institutions, government-related entities, corporates and investors on  sanctions, financial crime, cross-border regulatory risk and engagement with regulators, delivering clear, commercial solutions where it matters most.

We work across the full range of global sanctions regimes, supporting clients to assess exposure, navigate sensitive regulatory issues, manage geopolitical risk, structure transactions and operate confidently in fast-moving, multi-jurisdictional environments.

As scrutiny intensifies and enforcement risk grows, we help clients stay ahead. Our team advises on robust, practical compliance frameworks tailored to real-world operations, covering risk assessments, policies and procedures, governance structures and effective due diligence processes. We provide clear and practical support in identifying red flags, managing counterparty risk and embedding compliance into day-to-day business.

We also support clients through high-stakes situations, from internal investigations and regulatory enquiries to enforcement action and crisis management.

A key strength of our practice is translating complex regulation into practical action at every level of an organisation. We design and deliver tailored training programmes and interactive workshops for clients, including CXOs and boards, helping leadership teams understand governance, reputational risk and decision-making, while equipping legal and operational teams with hands-on tools to manage sanctions risk in real time.

We have a strong track record of advising on complex sanctions and regulatory matters across key sectors, including banking, financial services, and energy. We have extensive experience advising on a wide range of sanctions regimes, including exposures relating to Iran, Libya, Syria and Sudan. Our work spans compliance with EU and UK sanctions frameworks as well as the U.S. Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) regime.

With an established presence across our core geographies and deep international reach, including co-counselling with our network firms in certain jurisdictions, we deliver seamless, coordinated cross-border advice. Clients rely on us for pragmatic, forward-looking guidance that helps them manage risk, protect reputation and operate with confidence in an increasingly regulated world.

Selected track record

• Advised Al Baraka on compliance with international sanctions regimes applicable to Sudan.
• Advised The Arab Energy Fund in relation to Libya-related sanctions.
• Advised Bank Muscat SAOG on sanctions issues concerning its Iranian subsidiary.
• Advised to Nayara Energy following its designation under EU and UK sanctions.
• Advised Taageer Finance on sanctions compliance in connection with its financing activities.
• Advised a prominent Middle Eastern investment and assessment firm on a range of regulatory compliance matters following the inclusion of one of its indirect shareholders on sanctions list. Our advice included supporting all aspects of the entity’s representations to the central banking authority and other regulators in its jurisdiction.
• Advising number of government-linked entities in the energy sector in the Middle East in relation to potential legal and regulatory implications arising in connection with its contractual arrangements with Iranian counterparties.