Corporate governance

Herbert Smith Freehills LLP

With in-depth expertise in corporate governance, Herbert Smith Freehills LLP regularly advises listed and private companies on their regulatory, reporting and governance standards, as well as board and head office issues. Sitting at the head of the practice is Gareth Sykes, who specialises in corporate reporting, the UK Corporate Governance Code, listing rules, shareholder meetings and director duties. James Palmer is relied upon by corporate and financial institutions and their boards; Paul Ellerman oversees matters involving remuneration and incentives; Ben Ward has extensive experience working with listed companies; and Caroline Hagg is a key contact for several FTSE-listed companies seeking corporate governance advice.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

‘Attentive, practical advisory.’
‘The team is very knowledgeable on corporate governance-related matters. They are specialists in corporate governance matters (as opposed to corporate lawyers dabbling in this specialist area). The team's client updates and seminars are very well regarded.’
‘Gareth Sykes has a fantastic reputation in the market as a specialist in corporate governance. He is very well informed and provides prompt and pragmatic advice. He always has a solution to challenging queries and problems.’
‘Gareth Sykes and Bob Moore are both strong and always available.’
‘I always find the team super reliable and responsive. They are there when we need them, no matter what time, and they manage expectations well as to response times but always go the extra mile when necessary.’
‘We work with Gareth Sykes, whose knowledge is excellent. He is always willing to bring in other department specialists to provide the company with more specialised advice that is outside his specific area of expertise. Gareth is a trusted advisor to our team.’
‘The team are responsive, clear and pragmatic and are always a pleasure to deal with. I have appreciated the new corporate governance update that they have recently launched, and roundtable discussions with peers and the FRC. I have confidence that they are fully on top of their brief.’
‘Gareth Sykes has been very helpful in providing proactive suggestions and improvements rather than just correcting the initial draft of our documents.’