Partner Profile: DTM Legal with Kate Roberts, Partner
Ryan Walsh / 27th September 2022
FinTech North recently sat down with Kate Roberts, Partner at DTM Legal to introduce the North West law firm, the work they do in the sector and to hear what Kate thinks about the future of FinTech.
To listen and view the recording, check out the YouTube link below. We have also produced a write-up of the interview. For those who would prefer to read the article, continue scrolling.
So, tell us your story!
“Firstly, thank-you for inviting me along to come and have this chat with you, it’s a great platform and a great opportunity for us to tell you and the FinTech North community a bit more about DTM Legal – who we are and what we do.”
“We’re a North West law firm who started off in Chester back in 2008. We grew from there and opened our Liverpool office in 2013. We now have, across the two offices, over 70 employees within the firm. We act for numerous clients; ranging from individuals, owner managed SMEs, multi-nationals and PLCs – we’ve got a very wide breadth of clients who span from not just the North West, but across the UK and further afield.”
“We’re very proud of our roots as a North West law firm, but we do say that one of our specialties is that we have national expertise alongside great talent, a great team and many fantastic lawyers. We like to see ourselves as a true partner to our clients – we tailor our advice and our approach to really ensure we fit in with our clients’ way of working, their ethos and their structure. We want to be seen as an extension of their team. That really is our USP.”
What are the business issues, with regards to FinTech and Tech, that you find solving for your clients?
“From a FinTech perspective; we’ve acted for some FinTechs from cradle, at the start of their journey, to taking them up to being very well known, very large PLCs with multi-million turnovers. In terms of the work that we’ve done, it’s about getting in at the outset and getting the procedures and processes in order so that they’re able to grow. They’re then able to get that investment in, as the compliance and regulatory boxes are ticked. With regulation being so key in FinTech with the FCA introducing stricter policies, it’s a case of making sure, from a legal perspective, that every element is looked at and dealt with.”
Who in the community are you looking to engage with?
“One of the reasons we got involved with FinTech North and joining up as partners this year is that we’re really keen to get to know everybody in the FinTech North community in the North West and further afield in the North. We want to meet businesses and to understand what their wants and needs are. This helps us focus our direction in terms of; how we can show them how we can help them and assist them in their journey. We see this as a real opportunity to showcase the talent and expertise that there is in Liverpool and the North West region.”
“We don’t think that FinTechs need to go to London or further afield to get these professional services – DTM have the expertise and the talent. We’re here and ready to do it.
What, for you, are the most interesting elements of FinTech and how do you see them progressing over the next few years?
“One of the key interests I have in FinTech is gamification, and it’s one of the key reasons why we were really excited to be able to sponsor the upcoming FinTech x Gamification event in Liverpool this October. Liverpool has a really great history of gaming.”
“Throughout my experience as a parent, I’ve seen FinTech being utilised in gaming in terms of the copious amounts of money that’s being added on to various games for digital currencies. To see us now looking at gamification, flipping in 180, it’s being used in a very ethical way, a way to promote financial education, responsible spending, sustainability, monitor carbon footprint and money management. It makes these topics very accessible and very inclusive. Sometimes people can be frightened of finance, they can struggle to get to grips with what it is they’re spending their money on. I think gamification in the FinTech world, developing apps where it’s accessible, inclusive and responsible – I see that as a real way forward.”
“The high street banks are getting behind it – they have to. They’re looking into putting this into a platform where their customers can engage. The financial education of FinTech and alike, I see that as a key development going forward. We can see it already, there are apps that teach children about finance and earning pocket money through chores, for example – it gives them a handle on what they’ve got, how much they’ve got left and what their spending cap is. That encourages financial responsibility from a young age. I can see this increasing over time. Perhaps even the high street banks bringing out their own apps.”
“Finally, one that’s a bit more out there, is the use of the Metaverse in FinTech. I think we’re starting to see that now, or, at least, people are looking into it in terms of it’s concept in FinTech. I can really see that the FinTechs are going to have to get behind looking at ways to utilise that in their platforms – perhaps even AI as well.
A huge thank-you to Kate, and DTM Legal for their continued support for FinTech North. Their website can be found here.
We implore anyone in the community to reach out to Kate or the team at DTM.
For more Partner Profiles, click the link here.
