Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement
For the financial year ending 30 April 2020
Introduction
The Modern Slavery Act 2015 (“the Act”) requires commercial organisations of a certain size, operating in the UK and supplying goods and services from or to the UK, to publish a slavery and human trafficking statement each financial year, setting out the steps which they have taken to ensure that there is no slavery or human trafficking in their business or supply chains.
As a firm of lawyers regulated by the SRA, Stephenson Harwood LLP (“Stephenson Harwood”) has, and is required to have, high professional and ethical standards and to act with integrity in its client and business relationships. As part of this the Firm is committed to ensuring that there is no modern slavery or human trafficking in our supply chains or in any part of our business and has a zero tolerance approach to any form of modern slavery, including slavery, servitude, human trafficking and forced labour.
Our structure and business
Stephenson Harwood is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales with registration number OC373597. It is a law firm authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Solicitors Regulation Authority ("SRA") under number 567651.
Stephenson Harwood supplies legal services internationally through offices forming part of the Stephenson Harwood Group. Details of the Firm’s international offices can be found on our website (https://www.shlegal.com/legal-notices). The Stephenson Harwood Group has more than 1100 staff world-wide. This statement relates to Stephenson Harwood’s UK and international offices.
Stephenson Harwood’s particular areas of strength include: commercial litigation, corporate, employment and pensions, finance, marine and international trade and real estate
Our supply chains
We are committed to conducting our business in a lawful manner and we are working to ensure that our suppliers share our high standards, including our zero tolerance approach to any form of modern slavery.
Our policies on slavery and human trafficking
We consider Stephenson Harwood itself to be relatively low risk in relation to modern slavery and human trafficking, given the sector in which we operate.
All of our staff are expected to comply with relevant laws and professional codes of conduct, as well as Stephenson Harwood’s internal Modern Slavery Act policy, and other policies and procedures, which are made available on Stephenson Harwood’s intranet.
The Modern Slavery Act policy reflects our commitment to acting ethically and with integrity in all our business relationships. The policy includes making staff aware of the relevant risks and of the need to report any potential violations of the Firm's policy.
Risk assessment and due diligence processes for slavery and human trafficking
As a supplier of legal services, we operate in a sector which is at a relatively low risk of modern slavery occurring. Despite this low risk, we are committed to ensuring that there is no modern slavery or human trafficking in our supply chains.
In particular, we review and monitor on a risk based approach certain of the Firm's suppliers to our London office. This involves obtaining confirmation or evidence that such suppliers operate to the required standards, including having their own Anti - Modern Slavery policy.
Further steps
Following a review of our progress in ensuring that there is no slavery or human trafficking in our supply chains we are taking the following steps to combat slavery and human trafficking:
- We will organise online training on modern slavery to be completed by key individuals globally that we have identified as dealing with any aspect of procurement on behalf Stephenson Harwood as well as senior management;
- We will look to implement a set of model contractual clauses, which include a clause requiring our suppliers to commit to compliance with modern slavery legislation to the extent this is possible.
- We intend to review our assessment of the modern slavery risks facing our business and to establish whether there are any further steps we should be taking.
This statement is made pursuant to section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015 and constitutes the Stephenson Harwood Group's slavery and human trafficking statement for the financial year ended 30 April 2020.
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Designated Member
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Designated Member
For and on behalf of Stephenson Harwood LLP
Date: 30 October 2020