Lovells launches Corporate Governance Unit

Lovells has formed a Corporate Governance Unit to provide clear, pragmatic and authoritative advice on corporate governance issues to UK listed companies.  

Corporate Governance has emerged from the financial crisis into the spotlight, with boards and shareholders both coming to understand the critical importance of good governance.  The Lovells Corporate Governance Unit will help clients keep pace with legal and regulatory changes in this critical area, as well as keeping them informed about evolving market practice.  The launch of the unit precedes the publication of a new UK Corporate Governance Code which will re-evaluate the standards that companies must meet in relation to board composition and development, remuneration, accountability and audit and relations with shareholders. 

It is expected that corporate governance will continue to be a major issue for UK listed companies for the foreseeable future and that we will be seeing increasing regulation both here and from Europe as well as deeper scrutiny from investors, other shareholders and stakeholders.

The Corporate Governance Unit is made up of a multi-disciplinary team of lawyers, including partners from the corporate, employment, share incentives, regulatory, competition and disputes practices.  The Corporate Governance Unit will support UK listed companies from small and mid-cap to the FTSE 100 and also significant private companies for whom corporate governance is equally important. The Unit will advise directors, including non executive directors, on managing the legal, regulatory and reputational risks potentially associated with governance failures and on emerging trends such as stewardship.  The Unit will ensure that directors and boards have access to current news, regulatory changes and best practice through briefing sessions and regular alerts on upcoming legislation together with commentary on market issues.

Frances Le Grys, corporate partner and member of Lovells' Corporate Governance Unit, said:  

"In the wake of the financial crisis, good corporate governance is essential in restoring public confidence.  Through our Corporate Governance Unit we are looking to advise and inform companies and directors to ensure that corporate decision making and policies on issues such as board assessment and training, risk management and remuneration structures are following best practice with the hope that problems and failures that have occurred in the past can be avoided in the future.  

Lovells is one of the first firms to offer a dedicated unit to advise companies on corporate governance issues."