Abby Sutherland
Abby specialises in financial services regulation.
Abby’s particular focus areas include life and general insurance, financial advice and distribution, financial markets, and strategic regulatory advice and investigations. Abby is particularly experienced in regulatory interactions and engagement with ASIC, breach reporting, unfair contract terms, Chapter 7 and ASIC Act obligations, and licensee and conduct obligations.
Prior to joining Herbert Smith Freehills, Abby was a solicitor at ASIC specialising in financial markets.
Abby has undertaken a client secondment to Suncorp.
Background
Abby graduated from the University of Newcastle with a Bachelor of Laws (First Class Honours) and Bachelor of Business (with Distinction). Abby also holds a Master of Laws from the University of Sydney.
Abby was admitted to the Supreme Court of New South Wales in 2019.
Experience & expertise
Selected matters
- Resolution Life on its complex acquisition of AIA Australia’s superannuation and investments business via a Part 9 scheme under the Life Act.
- TAL on its sale of its financial advice licensee Affinia to CountPlus.
- Australian Unity on its acquisition of a friendly society, IOOF Ltd, from Insignia Financial.
- Stake on various legal and compliance matters including AFSL requirements and regulatory engagement.
- Suncorp on its implementation of the UCT regime for insurance.
- A large life insurer in successfully appealing a threatened increase in its capital charges and ongoing regulatory engagement with APRA.
- A range of industry players such as Suncorp, NAB, HCF Life, MetLife, Avant, Morgan Stanley and Mine Super on key regulatory issues such as breach reporting, anti-hawking, DDO, misleading or deceptive conduct, financial advice and AFCA matters.
- A range of insurers and distributors on their insurance distribution arrangements.
