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Amanda Quaine

Amanda Quaine

Deputy General Counsel – EMEA

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London, U.K.
Qualified in England & Wales 2003 and Victoria, Australia 1998
27 years of experience
Australian · English

Areas of Expertise

Investment Management
Financial Services Regulation
Funds
Alternative Funds
Securities
Trading & Investments
Structuring & Restructuring
Corporate Governance
Corporate and Commercial

Strengths

Global and financial market interest

Values

Adventure, determination and humour

Passions

Travelling and the outdoors

Amanda Quaine is Deputy General Counsel – EMEA at Cleveland & Co, where she supports the firm’s investment management and funds practice. With 27 years of experience across global financial institutions, asset managers, and private practice, Amanda is a highly respected legal strategist and commercial adviser to clients navigating fund structuring, financial services regulation, trading, governance, and investment operations.

Dual-qualified in England & Wales and Victoria, Australia, Amanda brings deep technical expertise and market understanding to her role, advising institutional investors, fund operators and asset managers on the full lifecycle of investment management, fund formation, distribution, and legal risk management. Her areas of focus include UCITS, AIFs, hedge funds, platform and distribution agreements, securities lending, and cross-border investment mandates. She also supports clients on complex issues spanning product governance, global regulation, and investment management agreements.

Amanda’s career includes senior in-house legal roles at leading institutions such as Columbia Threadneedle, Morgan Stanley and, at the time, Credit Suisse. She was part of the UK legal team brought in after the collapse of Lehman Brothers, where she worked with the administrators to maximise value for creditors, advising on creditor claims against the estate, Lehman’s claims against its debtors, the close-out and unwinding of countparty positions and complex and novel legal issues, providing a rare and invaluable experience that deepened her understanding of systemic risk, counterparty exposure, and legal resilience under crisis conditions.

This frontline exposure to both global market operations and institutional legal infrastructure shapes Amanda’s ability to anticipate shifts, deliver practical advice, and align legal frameworks with business strategy. She has also advised on corporate governance and legal policy at enterprise level, giving her a uniquely holistic view of legal risk and stakeholder accountability.

Amanda’s work reflects Cleveland & Co’s values of excellence, clarity, and responsiveness. She is known for her adventurous mindset, commercial pragmatism, and unwavering determination, helping clients stay ahead of regulatory change while safeguarding their commercial interests. Her approachable style and instinct for mentoring make her not only a trusted adviser to clients, but also a natural leader within the firm and the wider industry.

Her portfolio of expertise includes investment research and dealing commissions, AIFM and ACD agreements, prime services, EMIR, MiFID II, SMCR, ESG regulatory alignment, insolvency, and capital markets. Amanda also advises on strategic initiatives such as suitability frameworks, distribution oversight, legal due diligence, and legal change management.

Outside of work, Amanda is passionate about travel and the outdoors, and enjoys restoring balance through movement, creativity, and quality time with friends and family.

Major Financial Services Administration

Delivered high-profile, high-value, and complex settlements, including resolving one of the administration’s largest debtor matters (a “Billion Dollar” issue) and one of its largest creditor claims. Achieved a release of £610 million from reserves, significantly increasing the second dividend to creditors.

Complex Counterparty Disputes

Managed the resolution of high-profile disputes across multiple asset classes, designing and executing strategies that achieved settlement while protecting the organisation’s commercial and legal position.

Hedge Fund Structuring & Governance

Established, launched, and restructured a complete range of hedge fund vehicles, including Cayman and Delaware master/feeder structures and a bespoke fund of hedge funds. Navigated multi-jurisdictional regulatory regimes, secured Irish Stock Exchange listings, and oversaw ongoing governance and compliance.

Cross-Border Prime Brokerage & Financing

Led negotiations on complex prime brokerage and financing arrangements, enabling expansion into new jurisdictions and supporting the launch of innovative financing products for a major bank.

Global Regulatory Change Implementation

Advised on large-scale regulatory programmes for global financial institutions, including the implementation of AIFMD, MiFID II, and EMIR, delivering compliance solutions aligned with commercial objectives.

  • ACD Agreements
  • AIFM Agreements
  • Articles of Association
  • Best Execution, timely and fair Allocation
  • BoD / Management / Shareholders Resolutions
  • Client categorisation
  • Conflicts of Interest
  • Director and NED Appointments
  • Distribution Agreements
  • Engagement Letters
  • Full Scope AIFM requirements
  • Fund Administrator
  • Heads of Terms /Termsheet
  • Hedge Funds
  • IMAs / IAAs
  • Investment Research and Dealing Commission
  • Legal Due Dilligence
  • NDAs
  • Platform Agreements
  • Prime Brokers
  • Product Governance
  • Shareholders Agreements
  • Small AIFM requirements
  • Sub-Distribution Arrangements
  • Suitability – Portfolio Management /Advice
  • Telephone Recording
  • Terms of Reference
  • Termsheets and Heads of Terms
  • UCITS
  • UK and EU Legislative Infrasturcture
  • UK-recognised Overseas Funds

Qualifications & Courses

  • Admitted in Australia 1998
  • Admitted in England & Wales 2003
  • Bachelor’s Degree in Arts (Monash University)
  • Honours Degree in Law (Monash University)
  • Qualified as a solicitor in England & Wales and Victoria, Australia
  • Qualified Lawyers Transfer Test (College of Law, London)

Appointments & Memberships

  • Law Society of England and Wales
  • Law Society of Victoria

Morgan Stanley

Lehman Brothers International (Europe) (in administration)

Threadneedle Asset Management (now Columbia Threadneedle Investments)

Credit Suisse First Boston (now Credit Suisse)

Arthur Robinson & Hedderwicks (now Allens)