Governance, risk and compliance

At Browne Jacobson, we specialise in providing expert legal advisory services tailored for senior leaders aiming to enhance corporate governance and regulatory compliance and support you in managing business risk in today’s demanding global marketplace.

It is crucial that your legal advisers are in a position to support the senior leaders within your business in the drive for strong and effective corporate governance.

Expert legal support for regulatory compliance and corporate governance

At Browne Jacobson we understand that transparency and accountability is expected of businesses whether in respect of strategic decision-making at board level, financial regulation and due diligence or employee conduct and behaviour. We will ensure that your corporate advisory strategy is not only complaint with current laws but also positioned to face challenges and seize emerging opportunities where the emphasis on corporate responsibility, accountability and values has never been greater.

Our approach is proactive; Our aim is to support you in facilitating compliance and good governance practices that align with your corporate values. We recognise the value in keeping you updated about changes and guidance. We will proactively support you whether in drafting or reviewing your environmental policies, helping you with data management and protection or advising on the social impact of your business activities including on issues from health and safety, to ESG and supply chain management.

Why regulatory compliance and good governance are critical for modern businesses

Scrutiny of business practices has never been greater with consumers and the public demanding ever greater accountability of organisations as well as the officers and individuals responsible for corporate decision making. Aside from the obvious risk of reputational damage and negative publicity across all forms of media, organisations risk substantial civil and criminal penalties. Prevention being better than cure, our aim is to help you ensure that your systems and processes around corporate governance and risk are compliant and thereby sufficiently robust to withstand scrutiny from the regulators.

Integrated support across all regulatory areas

Our very broad practice means that we can support you across all aspects of your business helping to identify applicable regulations and compliance obligations and assist you in drafting policies and developing systems to address those. Importantly, in the face of a sudden or unexpected business challenge, Browne Jacobson is ready to provide immediate support. Working alongside you in navigating a crisis or significant event or during the unfamiliar and often stressful stages of an intervention by the regulators.

Our goal is to mitigate not only the immediate risks by managing the crisis to ensure minimal disruption to your business operations but also to future proof the business against a similar incident with effective reviews to ensure lessons are learned and controls implemented to protect the business from similar events and regulatory interventions.

Our teams of specialists cover areas including:

Data
Financial regulation
Financial crime
Sustainability, environmental, and health and safety
Competition
Building safety
Employment and modern slavery
Supply chain
Product compliance safety and recall
Labelling
Advertising and marketing
Company secretarial

Our governance, risk and compliance services

Why partner with us for your governance, risk and compliance needs?

Our lawyers have many years experience advising private sector organisations and large corporates both upon internal governance and compliance procedures but also regulator oversight and litigation.

We offer comprehensive services that include:

Advice and support to C-suite and the board
Drafting of compliant policies and procedures
Conducting internal investigations
Bespoke training on key regulatory and compliance issues
Engaging with regulators - either proactively or reactively - on your behalf

At Browne Jacobson we are more than just your legal advisers; we are your partners in navigating the complexities of corporate governance and compliance. By choosing us, you ensure that your business is not only meeting current legal requirements but is also equipped for the future, ready to embrace opportunities and overcome challenges with confidence.

Speak to our governance, risk and compliance experts

Comprehensive governance, risk and compliance services

Our comprehensive expertise covers all aspects of advertising and marketing law: consumer protection compliance, green claims validation, comparative advertising strategy, and pricing substantiation. We guide you through complex requirements for prize promotions, influencer partnerships, and product-specific regulations.

Whether you're launching innovative campaigns, defending against competitor challenges, or ensuring ASA compliance, we provide clear, practical advice that keeps your business moving forward. From health claims and environmental messaging to gambling and HFSS restrictions, we understand the nuances that matter.

We know both the Ad Codes and the underlying consumer protection laws they reflect. Our intellectual property credentials strengthen our comparative advertising expertise, whilst our sector-specific knowledge ensures your campaigns comply from concept to launch.

Advertising and marketing services

Our well-regarded and established data team helps clients seize opportunities whilst responsibly manging the complex legal and regulatory risks associated with data.

We are experts in data protection, cybersecurity, and other tech related legal and regulatory matters (including AI).

Talk to us about:

Data protection regulation and GDPR compliance
UK data protection regulation and privacy law
Cybersecurity regulatory requirements for businesses
AI and technology regulatory compliance
Data breach response and incident support
Data compliance training and advisory services

Data protection services

AI, data protection and cybersecurity compliance

Our experienced company secretarial team delivers cost-effective, high-quality services to over 650 UK-registered companies, from startups to international groups. With multilingual expertise in English, French, Cantonese, and Mandarin, we understand the unique needs of businesses establishing operations abroad.

We provide comprehensive support from company incorporation through ongoing administration. Our services include statutory register maintenance, annual filings, board meeting preparation, and compliance management - all delivered through transparent fixed annual fees.

Complete service portfolio

Company incorporation, LLP registration, share capital restructuring, registered office provision, PSC register management, and secure document storage. Using CGIUKI-approved software, we maintain electronic registers and provide automated compliance reminders.

Our streamlined team structure ensures direct access to specialists and clear accountability. By handling your administrative obligations, we free you to focus on strategic growth whilst maintaining full legal compliance.

Company secretarial services

In an area of increasing risk and complexity, the consequences of failing to comply with competition law rules are serious. Businesses face the possibility of multi-million pound fines and damages actions, and employees face the prospect of criminal sanctions and director disqualification.

Talk to us about:

Competition law compliance and risk management
CMA investigations and anti-competitive practices
Director disqualification and competition law fines
Competition law training and advisory services

Competition services

Our financial and economic crime practice incorporates advice and assistance to clients upon fraud, bribery and corruption, money laundering, sanctions breach and tax evasion. Our experienced team recognises that action needs to be taken quickly, and knowledge of local and international remedies is essential.

Talk to us about:

Financial crime compliance and fraud prevention
Anti-money laundering (AML) and sanctions compliance
Fraud risk assessment and investigation
Bribery, corruption, and tax evasion advisory

Financial crime services

Sanctions and export control services

Our financial services regulatory team advise clients on all aspects of financial services regulation, supervision and enforcement working closely with their compliance, legal and risk teams.

Talk to us about:

Financial regulation for UK businesses
Governance and HR aspects of the senior manager and certification regime
Financial Ombudsman referrals
Change in Control regime
Advice to financial services firms and third party providers

Financial regulation services

Ensuring the effective management of health and safety is critical for any business operation to ensure the wellbeing of employees and others who may be impacted by the way you do business.

We offer proactive support to ensure that you have the right governance in place to give the Board confidence that the risk is being well managed.

Our services include:

bespoke governance training,
health and safety reviews that offer more than a moment in time audit,
policy and procedure reviews to ensure that risks are appropriately managed and
of course supporting in the event of an incident.

Talk to us about:

Health and safety compliance for UK businesses
Health and safety policies, procedures, and governance
Board responsibilities and health and safety audits
Health and safety training and incident support

Health and safety services

Product compliance is essential for ensuring that products meet legal standards and safety requirements, which protects consumers and helps businesses avoid legal liabilities.

At Browne Jacobson, we offer specialised legal support to ensure that your products comply with all applicable regulations and standards.

We can advise from the outset of a product development on issues relating to certification and testing including CE and UKCA marking, product information requirements across the supply chain, including issues on labelling, safety warnings and instructions.

In the event of a product safety issue we can support with a product recall event.

Talk to us about:

Product compliance: CE marking, UKCA, and safety regulations
Product labelling and certification requirements
Product recall, testing, and regulatory support
Product compliance training and consulting services

Product safety and liability

Supply chain management cuts across a range of risks from contractual management, regulatory compliance, modern slavery, sustainable and ethical sourcing and technology and innovation.

We can support you in proactively managing the complexities of supply chain management in a global market working alongside you to assess the risks, support you in implementing robust due diligence processes, training programmes supported by effective and pragmatic policies and procedures to mitigate risks and providing you with the support to ensure you remain compliant keeping up to date with legal developments.

Supply chain optimisation services

Supply, manufacturing and logistics services

Modern Slavery Act services

Sustainability is increasingly becoming a central aspect of corporate strategy, reflecting both regulatory requirements and consumer expectations.

At Browne Jacobson, we provide legal support to help businesses integrate sustainability into their operations and meet their environmental and social responsibilities effectively. We can support you with policies on issues including:

waste reduction,
energy usage,
carbon footprint reduction,
ethical labour practices,
sustainable supply chains and
corporate reporting.

As businesses invest in sustainable practices understanding the implications of green finance is important and we can advise on green bonds, loans and grants to ensure that financial arrangements can support sustainable growth. We know that sustainability is an evolving area and with new technologies and regulations continually emerging we can help business adapt to ensure your sustainable practices remain current and effective.

Talk to us about:

Sustainability compliance and ESG legal advice
UK environmental regulations for businesses
Green finance regulation and reporting
Sustainable supply chains and corporate responsibility

ESG services

Advertising and marketing

Advertising and marketing services

AI, data protection and cybersecurity compliance

Our well-regarded and established data team helps clients seize opportunities whilst responsibly manging the complex legal and regulatory risks associated with data.

We are experts in data protection, cybersecurity, and other tech related legal and regulatory matters (including AI).

Talk to us about:

Data protection regulation and GDPR compliance
UK data protection regulation and privacy law
Cybersecurity regulatory requirements for businesses
AI and technology regulatory compliance
Data breach response and incident support
Data compliance training and advisory services

Data protection services

Company secretarial

Complete service portfolio

Company secretarial services

Competition law compliance

Talk to us about:

Competition law compliance and risk management
CMA investigations and anti-competitive practices
Director disqualification and competition law fines
Competition law training and advisory services

Competition services

Financial crime compliance

Talk to us about:

Financial crime compliance and fraud prevention
Anti-money laundering (AML) and sanctions compliance
Fraud risk assessment and investigation
Bribery, corruption, and tax evasion advisory

Financial crime services

Sanctions and export control services

Financial services regulation

Our financial services regulatory team advise clients on all aspects of financial services regulation, supervision and enforcement working closely with their compliance, legal and risk teams.

Talk to us about:

Financial regulation for UK businesses
Governance and HR aspects of the senior manager and certification regime
Financial Ombudsman referrals
Change in Control regime
Advice to financial services firms and third party providers

Financial regulation services

Health and safety compliance

Ensuring the effective management of health and safety is critical for any business operation to ensure the wellbeing of employees and others who may be impacted by the way you do business.

We offer proactive support to ensure that you have the right governance in place to give the Board confidence that the risk is being well managed.

Our services include:

bespoke governance training,
health and safety reviews that offer more than a moment in time audit,
policy and procedure reviews to ensure that risks are appropriately managed and
of course supporting in the event of an incident.

Talk to us about:

Health and safety compliance for UK businesses
Health and safety policies, procedures, and governance
Board responsibilities and health and safety audits
Health and safety training and incident support

Health and safety services

Product compliance and safety

Product compliance is essential for ensuring that products meet legal standards and safety requirements, which protects consumers and helps businesses avoid legal liabilities.

At Browne Jacobson, we offer specialised legal support to ensure that your products comply with all applicable regulations and standards.

In the event of a product safety issue we can support with a product recall event.

Talk to us about:

Product compliance: CE marking, UKCA, and safety regulations
Product labelling and certification requirements
Product recall, testing, and regulatory support
Product compliance training and consulting services

Product safety and liability

Supply chain risk management

Supply chain management cuts across a range of risks from contractual management, regulatory compliance, modern slavery, sustainable and ethical sourcing and technology and innovation.

Supply chain optimisation services

Supply, manufacturing and logistics services

Modern Slavery Act services

Sustainability and ESG compliance

Sustainability is increasingly becoming a central aspect of corporate strategy, reflecting both regulatory requirements and consumer expectations.

waste reduction,
energy usage,
carbon footprint reduction,
ethical labour practices,
sustainable supply chains and
corporate reporting.

Talk to us about:

Sustainability compliance and ESG legal advice
UK environmental regulations for businesses
Green finance regulation and reporting
Sustainable supply chains and corporate responsibility

ESG services

Multi-national: due diligence for a corporate sale

We have undertaken a number of board effectiveness reviews. We have also advised extensively as part of an ongoing strategic project to assist an international insurance group in enhancing its decision-making and performance against its own and regulators’ standards and expectations in respect of customer treatment, including with respect to the Consumer Duty, Operational Resilience, and Vulnerable Consumers.

Product specific compliance training

Provided bespoke training to the senior leadership team of a consumer products manufacturer on product specific compliance requirements across three product specific regulatory regimes covering topics including UKCA and CE marking and product defect notification obligations and recall protocols.

Multi-national: due diligence for a corporate sale

Advising a multi-national on carrying out anti-bribery due diligence in relation to a corporate sale. This included reviewing the adequacy of existing policies and procedures, coordinating in-depth country by country risk assessments and questionnaires and advising on identified risks.

Financial services AI solutions

Advised on the use of sentiment analysis and call monitoring AI solutions in the financial services sector.

"The wide in-house services they have and relevant experience they offer on health and safety matters stand out."

"The team is always available. They put in the effort for the client and are client focused rather than self-focused. They are very well organised and manage cases exceptionally well."

"The team contains individuals who complement each other’s strengths. This is very important as clients get the right people at the right level for a case or particular matter."