Simon Orton

Simon acts for clients on complex disputes and investigations, including regulatory enforcement action. Much of his work is with financial institutions (such as retail and investment banks, payment services providers and asset managers), though he also regularly works with financial sponsors and corporate clients.

He works on high-profile matters, and his cases often involve complex financial products or markets, large scale consumer issues, governance and controls (including in areas such as AML/ financial crime, sanctions, cyber-security controls and whistleblowing), or shareholder/ investor and M&A disputes.

Simon likes to work closely with clients facing acute problems to find the best route through their immediate issues and help them deal with the consequences. Typically, those consequences span a number of internal and external stakeholders – including senior management, regulators and customers. He often advises on related governance, management responsibility, culture and controls issues and, increasingly, sustainability including litigation and regulatory risks.

Simon is the co-head of the firm's Financial Institutions Group. He joined Freshfields in 1993 and has been a partner in the dispute resolution practice based in London since 2003.