Julie Matheson

Julie Matheson is a partner in the Regulatory team. She has particular expertise in the fields of financial regulation, criminal regulatory prosecutions, healthcare and training for regulators.

Julie leads the financial regulation arm of the Regulatory team.  She regularly defends professionals in proceedings before their regulatory bodies and provides advice on issues with registration.  She has particular expertise in representing those within the financial and professional services sector, including FCA regulated financial professionals, accountants and accountancy firms in ICAEW, ACCA, CIPFA, CIMA or FRC proceedings and solicitors regulated by the SRA.  She also has significant experience in representing medical and dental professionals in regulatory proceedings.

"...I truly believe that having Julie Matheson represent me gave us the edge that we required to get the unbelievable result we did. She is magnificent as a lawyer and an exceptional individual for support through very difficult circumstances. Both myself and my wife are indebted to her."

A client

Experience

Julie has longstanding experience in representing regulatory bodies, for example the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries (IFoA), the Financial Reporting Council (FRC) and the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and has demonstrated her skills as a fair and balanced prosecutor.  This experience also allows her understand the approach of the regulator, and to evaluate appropriate tactics and strategy when defending cases, with a view to achieving the best possible outcome for her client.

She has represented the FCA in the Davis Inquiry, a wide-scale inquiry into the way in which the FCA handled the launch of its 2014/ 2015 business plan.  She also provides bespoke advice to organisations on regulatory compliance.

Julie understands the stress that being subject to regulatory intervention can cause, and employs an empathetic approach.  She listens, gives proportionate and sensible advice and seeks to obtain the best outcome for her clients.  She has been described as “magnificent as a lawyer and an exceptional individual for support through very difficult circumstances”.

Julie will consider every legal avenue available, and will seek to have complaints ceased at the earliest possible opportunity.

Recent notable cases

• Providing compliance advice to a consultancy firm in relation to its obligations to disclose information to the FRC
• Providing advice to a CIMA member in proceedings brought before CIMA’s Disciplinary Committee
• Providing advice to an ICAEW regulated audit firm in relation to proceedings brought before ICAEW’s Audit Committee, including its requirement to conduct hot and cold file reviews
• Advising an ICAEW registered accountant in FRC proceedings involving international regulators
• Advising Chief Financial Officers in proceedings brought by CIPFA
• Advising ACCA members in relation to Disciplinary Committee proceedings
• Advising ACCA registered audit firms on proceedings brought by the Admissions and Licensing Committee of the ACCA
• Providing advice and guidance to several FCA Approved Persons/ Senior Managers/ Certified Persons in relation to their regulatory responsibilities and compliance with APER and COCON
• Assisting clients with the regulatory changes which will take place under the FCA/ PRA’s Senior Managers’  and Certification Regimes
• Leading a team of lawyers in providing advice to the FCA in the Davis Inquiry
• Advising a senior member of staff at a short term credit agency in relation to an FCA compelled interview
• Advising doctors in disciplinary proceedings
• Advising a private equity administration firm on the regulatory requirements for employees to hold practising certificates with the ICAEW
• Advising the IFoA on its disciplinary matters, conducting complex investigations including interviews with its member and conducting advocacy at Disciplinary Tribunal Panel hearings

what clients and directories have said

“I truly believe that having Julie Matheson represent me gave us the edge that we required to get the unbelievable result we did. She is magnificent as a lawyer and an exceptional individual for support through very difficult circumstances. Both myself and my wife are indebted to her."

A registered professional

Julie has twice constructed and presented training for the Disciplinary Pool of the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries, which involved drafting a complex case study and filming a mock disciplinary tribunal to provide delegates with guidance on law and procedure in a disciplinary tribunal setting. Feedback included:

"Thank you for organising such a successful and stimulating training event. I thought the case study was quite the best I have ever read and used"

“The training we received was perfectly tailored to our needs.  It kept a diverse team engaged, we learned a great deal and it was a perfect mix of learning and active practice.  Julie’s vast experience in disciplinary hearings also meant we could draw fresh ideas from current experience”.

Professional societies and Memberships

• Law Society of Scotland
• Law Society of England and Wales
• Deputy Chair of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority Appeals Committee
• Member of the Association of Regulatory and Disciplinary Lawyers (ARDL)