Laura Houët

Partner

Laura is a partner in the Funds team, bringing a wealth of experience advising the asset management sector.

She is a market-leading regulated funds specialist with deep expertise across the full product spectrum and covering all major asset classes. She has a particular focus on the structuring and authorisation of, and ongoing changes to, UK regulated funds (including LTAFs, UCITS, NURS), retail access, product governance, ESG label and disclosure compliance and cross-border regulatory strategy (including authorisation of, and changes to, funds under the overseas funds regime), fund governance, transition plans, and corporate level regulatory disclosures.

Laura is a recognised internationally as an authority in sustainability, advising a broad range of public and private fund managers on sustainable investment strategies and the practical implementation of sustainability-related regulation and reporting frameworks, including SFDR, SDR, TCFD, CSRD and the EU Taxonomy. She also supports clients on strategic governance and internal readiness for climate transition. Her work in this area encompasses clients and mandates internationally.

WORK HIGHLIGHTS

*Work carried out at a previous firm

Advising a leading UK asset manager on the launch of its flagship climate transition strategy, then structured as a first of its kind FAIF-ACS, allowing access for retail investment as a pre-cursor to the LTAF regime.

Advising a large US house on the structuring, governance and authorisation of its multi-asset LTAF.

Advising a prominent international third-party manco on various aspects of its governance requirements in respect of LTAFs, including the review and negotiation of the structuring of underlying investments.

Advising leading US based retail houses on the implementation of the overseas funds regime for their EU domiciled fund ranges, including application to and recognition by the FCA.

A number of US based asset managers on the implementation and ongoing compliance with SFDR, across both public and private market funds and covering both traditional and alternative asset classes (including real estate, infrastructure, timber, agriculture, private equity and private credit).

Advising a number of prominent UK private market funds on the application of the UK's SDR requirements, with a particular focus on the Sustainability Impact label for affordable housing funds and other impact strategies.

Laura Houët – deep experience in UK funds and leading counselor on sustainability issues; instrumental in SFDR implementation.

Laura is a fantastic lawyer. She provides really good, proportionate advice and is very willing to give a risk-based opinion on the implementation of new regulations.

Laura is an expert in her field… she is respected by all areas of the business from legal and compliance to fund managers and the board. She operates as an extension of her client teams and is considered as such.

She is extremely commercial and has provided accurate and efficient counsel to us over a number of years on complex matters.