Travers Smith LLP is delighted to announce the hire of Laura Houët as a partner in the Funds practice.
Laura joins from CMS, where she was a Partner in the firm's Financial Services team and global co-head of ESG.
Laura established and led the firm's London regulated funds offering and ESG practice, now both renowned for their market-leading expertise. Widely recognised as a leader in her field, she has been at the forefront of developments in the UK funds market for almost 20 years, advising across the full spectrum of UK regulated fund structures and investment strategies – she is one of a small number of UK lawyers with experience of taking an LTAF through FCA authorisation. A particular strength is Laura’s breadth of experience advising both public and private fund houses on alternative strategies, including infrastructure, real estate, timber, private credit and private equity. Laura is also internationally recognised for her expertise in sustainability, advising public and private fund houses, financial institutions and corporates on sustainability strategies and regulation across the UK, EU and US.
Laura will join Travers Smith's evergreen funds practice, working alongside Head of Asset Management, Will Normand and Leigh Stockey, who was made up to partner earlier this year. Travers Smith has been at the forefront of advising clients on the launch of evergreen funds targeted at a wider investor base since the trend came to Europe in the last five years. The team is a recognised market leader in this area, advising leading global managers on their wealth management focussed fund ranges, and the addition of Laura to the team will further strengthen that offering as the trend continues to develop in the UK, including through the use of regulated fund structures.
Edmund Reed, Managing Partner commented:
“We are committed to investing in outstanding talent in the areas that are strategically important to our clients. Laura's arrival represents another significant step forward for Travers Smith, as we continue to deepen our expertise in key practice areas and support the evolving needs of our clients across our core markets.
"This new hire, following our promotion of fellow Funds partner Leigh Stockey earlier this summer, highlights our focus on both nurturing internal talent and attracting exceptional lawyers to join our practice. I am delighted to welcome Laura to the firm at this exciting time in our growth, as we remain determined to deliver the highest standards of service and advice to our clients.”
Will Normand, Head of Asset Management commented:
“I am delighted to welcome Laura to Travers Smith. Her highly regarded expertise in regulated funds and longstanding position at the forefront of developments in the UK market will be invaluable to our clients. Her experience of funds designed to provide retail investors with access to alternative investment strategies, including LTAFs, will enhance our existing market leading position advising managers on their evergreen fund ranges. Laura’s leadership in ESG and sustainability regulation also further strengthens our team in this area, and I am excited to see how her expertise will elevate our client offering.”
Laura Houët commented:
"Travers Smith has an outstanding reputation for its high-quality work, strong client service and collegiate culture. As the trend of expanding access to privately held assets continues across jurisdictions, joining the exceptional Travers Smith funds team is an incredibly exciting opportunity. I am very much looking forward to working with Will, Leigh and the rest of the team, and to contributing to its continued success with new and existing clients in the UK, EU and US.
