Freeths appoints new Head of Financial Services with key lateral hire

Leading law firm Freeths has announced the appointment of London-based Partner Sushil Kuner as the new Head of its Financial Services offering. She joins from Gowling WLG.

Sushil brings with her a wealth of experience, having spent eight years in senior roles within the Supervision and Enforcement Divisions of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), followed by a further seven years undertaking both contentious and advisory work at an international firm. Her deep regulatory knowledge and insight position her perfectly to advise clients across the full spectrum of financial services-related legal matters.

During her time at the FCA, Sushil led high-profile enforcement investigations, oversaw Skilled Persons reviews on large-scale redress exercises, and played a key role in thematic visits to the wealth management sector – including the FCA’s Suitability Review.

Her breadth of experience has cemented her reputation as an industry expert and, based at Freeths London, Sushil will work with the team nationally to deliver first-class services for clients across the UK. She is known for delivering pragmatic, commercially focused advice on complex regulatory matters across a wide range of sectors, including asset managers, banks, pension schemes, AIM and FTSE-listed companies, global tech companies, VC/PE houses, FinTech innovators and firms operating in the cryptoasset space.

With Freeths recently announcing another year of double-digit growth with turnover rising from £145.4m to £166.8m over 2024/25, Sushil’s appointment comes as the firm also welcomes Employment Partner Melanie Stancliffe in London as part of its strategic operational growth.

Commenting on Sushil’s appointment, Senior Partner and Managing Partner of Freeths London Philippa Dempster said: “We are delighted to welcome Sushil to Freeths. Her extensive insight into the operations, decision-making and strategic priorities of the FCA, combined with her ability to navigate sensitive discussions with regulators, brings a unique and invaluable perspective to our Financial Services team. Sushil’s deep regulatory expertise and commercial acumen will be instrumental in helping our clients manage complex challenges and seize new opportunities in an evolving regulatory landscape. It comes with great pride to welcome both Sushil and Melanie to our London cohort as we look to bolster and strengthen capabilities for clients across all sectors.”

Sushil Kuner added: “I’m thrilled to be joining Freeths at such an exciting time for the Financial Services sector. Having spent many years within the FCA and in private practice, I’ve seen first-hand the challenges firms face in navigating complex regulatory frameworks. I look forward to bringing my knowledge of the FCA’s operations and strategic priorities to help clients engage confidently with regulators and make informed, commercially sound decisions.”

Freeths’ Financial Services team advises FCA-authorised and unauthorised clients on all aspects of financial regulation, both contentious and non-contentious. With wide-ranging expertise across the full spectrum of financial services, the team supports firms with authorisations, compliance, documentation, disputes, and regulatory engagement – including asset management, banking, insurance, pensions and fast-evolving areas such as cryptoassets, payment services and tech-driven finance.