Mills Oakley Lawyers appoints Sean Graham

National law firm, Mills Oakley Lawyers has recruited Sean Graham to its Financial Services practice.

Announcing the appointment, Mark Bland, Partner Financial Services said: “Sean’s 16 plus years’ experience as a financial services lawyer specialising in advice, distribution, compliance and regulation issues will add significant expertise to Mills Oakley at a time of major change for the wealth management sector.

“The introduction of the Future of Financial Advice (FoFA) and Stronger Super reforms will have a major impact on both the provision of financial advice and the way super funds engage with their members. Sean’s specialist expertise in this area will bolster the services we provide.

“Mills Oakley recognises the opportunities and challenges of Stronger Super and FoFA and we have recruited Sean to better assist our clients to deal with these changes and seize the opportunities they offer,” Mr Bland said.

With an expanded focus on Financial Services, Mills Oakley is now better positioned to provide compliance solutions to the financial advice industry as the sector meets the challenges and changes of the new regulatory regime.  Mills Oakley’s complementary experience in superannuation and funds management enables the business to give clients strong strategic insights into the various perspectives of these reforms.

Commenting on the FoFA reforms, Mr Bland said the reforms fundamentally affect how advisers can be paid. However, it also created a new paradigm in the advice process with the implementation of the best interests test. This will change the relationship between advisers and their clients.

“Behind the visible FoFA changes sit significant changes to key relationships in the financial services industry, from the relationship between product issuers and dealer groups, to the relationship between dealer groups and their representatives, and ultimately the relationship of these industry participants with ASIC.

The appointment of Sean and the expansion of our Financial Services team means that we can provide complete and strategic legal and compliance solutions to the financial services industry in negotiating these changes,” Mr Bland said.

About Mills Oakley Lawyers

Mills Oakley Lawyers is a full service commercial law firm, resourced by 38 partners and more than 250 staff in offices in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Mills Oakley Lawyers was named one of Australia’s top 5 fastest growing firms by the 2011 and 2012 Australian Financial Review partner surveys and by Australasian Legal Business magazine as one of the fastest growing firms by revenue.

In 2012 Mills Oakley Lawyers was nominated as a finalist in the BRW Client Choice Awards as the  Best Firm Rated by the Professional Services Sector. The national Financial Services team is led by Mark Bland and Lisa-Marie McKechnie. The team of 8 lawyers has a depth of experience in financial advice, superannuation and funds management.

Mark Bland, Lisa-Marie McKechnie and Sean Graham are all available for media comment on a range of financial services issues.

About Sean Graham

Sean is a member of the Financial Planning Association (FPA) and the Association of Financial Advisers (AFA).  He is a contributing author to Thomson Reuters’ Financial Planning Handbook.

Prior to his appointment to Mills Oakley Sean Graham was Executive Director, Advice and Advocacy for Millennium3 (a financial advice business of ANZ Wealth) and previous to this, Head of Professional Standards for Colonial First State.

Sean is available for comment on:

·         FoFA (including strategy, structural changes and implementation issues),

·         Professional advice practices,

·         Advice (management, processes and quality) and distribution,

·         Licensee management and compliance, risk management and governance,

·         Regulation, and

·         Technology, systems and innovation (including metrics and industry standards).