Chris Aries takes on General Counsel role

10 Dec 2025Appointments

Howden announces Chris Aries as General Counsel for its US retail broking and advisory business

Howden, the global insurance broker, has appointed Chris Aries as General Counsel for its US retail broking and advisory business. In this role, Aries will act as the primary legal advisor to Howden’s US operations, which include both specialty and retail insurance lines. As a member of the senior leadership team, he will play a vital part in shaping business strategy, governance, and operational planning while establishing a prominent legal presence for the firm.

Aries comes with over two decades of experience in the sector, having successfully guided multinational organisations through significant growth phases. His expertise encompasses strategic acquisitions, large-scale integrations, and platform expansions. He is well-regarded for his ability to turn complex regulatory and operational demands into practical solutions, enabling him to identify pressure points early to facilitate sustained momentum and effective execution.

Mike Parrish, CEO of Howden US expressed his enthusiasm about the appointment, stating "Howden is reimagining US retail broking: innovative, agile, and collaborative by design. Chris will be a true partner in bringing that vision to life by building and leading a client-first legal team and strategy. I’m thrilled to have him at Howden and on my leadership team.”

In response to his new role, Chris Aries remarked “I’m excited to join a team that’s building something fundamentally different in the US market. Howden’s entrepreneurial model and freedom from legacy constraints create the perfect environment to build legal frameworks that can move quickly and scale efficiently”

Legal News desk contact: editorial@solicitorsjournal.com

Latest Articles

Trust, transparency and the limits of legal self-regulation

Transparency reforms were meant to empower consumers, but uneven delivery now risks undermining confidence across the profession

Government scraps audit reform

What the collapse of the Audit Reform Bill means for regulation, accountability and legal practice

Sewage pollution litigation after Manchester Ship Canal

How the Supreme Court’s ruling is reshaping nuisance claims, protest litigation and regulatory limits across England and Wales

FCA non-financial misconduct rules clarified

The FCA’s final guidance on non-financial misconduct offers clarification, but leaves firms grappling with judgement-heavy implementation

Judiciary launches new diversity strategy initiative

The judiciary's new strategy aims to enhance diversity in the UK judicial system over five years

Personal injury claims numbers plummet dramatically

The number of personal injury claims in the UK has hit unprecedented lows, especially motor injury claims

Government urged to review legal costs

A senior costs lawyer has called for an independent review of fixed costs in the legal industry, highlighting the detrimental impact on firms and access to justice.

Building Safety Act litigation redefines investor risk

Recent case law shows how courts and tribunals are extending Building Safety Act liabilities beyond what investors originally anticipated

US musicians lose challenge over UK performers' rights restrictions

High Court rules treaty obligations non-justiciable in domestic law without parliamentary incorporation.

Actinon PTE Limited v Char Biocarbon Inc: Affirmation and contractual obligations

Commercial dispute highlights principles of waiver by election and contract interpretation

Matthew Haydon v R: Court of Appeal clarifies "likely" in explosive substances offences

Court confirms "likely" means "could well happen" rather than "more probable than not"

Cloisters Business Centre v Anvari: mixed-use premises and service charge protection

Court confirms tenants of mixed-use properties qualify for statutory service charge controls.

NHS commissioning activities fall outside TUPE protection, Court of Appeal rules

Employment law case clarifies when healthcare reorganisations trigger transfer protections for staff.

BTR Core Fund v HMRC: Upper Tribunal clarifies overpayment relief exclusions

Stamp duty land tax overpayment relief and the meaning of "mistake in a claim"

Court of Appeal rules criminal earnings count as income for ESA purposes

Criminal activity constitutes work and generates income for benefits assessment purposes.

SJ Interview: Joelle Grogan

Dr Joelle Grogan is a legal scholar specialising in the rule of law in times of crisis. She presents The Law Show on BBC Radio 4, and is Co-Academic Director of the Rule of Law Clinic at the CEU Democracy Institute (Budapest), and a Senior Research Fellow at the UCD Sutherland School of Law. Her work focuses on constitutional accountability, emergency powers, and legal misinformation. In this interview, she examines the pressures facing the rule of law in the UK, from executive power and court delays to media narratives, emergencies, and the impact of AI on legal practice.

Justice reform risks targeting the wrong fix

As 2026 approaches, ministers eye jury trials while ignoring deeper causes of England’s criminal justice crisis