Elemental appointed to oversee company secretarial division for Howard Kennedy

Effective from July, Elemental will collaborate with Howard Kennedy to enhance and modernise the firm’s company secretarial services. This strategic partnership involves an exclusive engagement with Elemental for new requirements until 2026.

Under this partnership, Howard Kennedy’s existing company secretarial clients will be transferred to Elemental. Both firms are working together to ensure a seamless and orderly handover of clients. Elemental was selected after a competitive process, owing to its robust background in corporate legal work, integrated offerings, and strong reputation for client service.

Gillian White, Partner and Head of M&A at Howard Kennedy, stated: "We are delighted to be partnering with Elemental whose expertise will ensure our clients continue to receive excellent, state-of-the-art ongoing support with their company secretarial needs and related ancillary services. We are committed to the seamless transition of our company secretarial division and maintaining a close ongoing relationship with Elemental."

Nick Lindsay, Managing Director of Elemental, added: "From the outset, it has been clear that both firms align closely in terms of values, emphasing tailored services and straightforward client communication. We very much look forward to working together and expanding the offering for Howard Kennedy clients."

Nick Lindsay also highlighted a broader trend in the industry towards compliance outsourcing. He noted that while efficiency has always been a reason to look externally, there is an increasing focus on mitigating potential risks associated with Trust and Company Service Providers (TCSP) tasks. Both the SRA and HMRC have identified TCSP activity as one of the top three risk factors for law firms concerning anti-money laundering (AML). The latest HMRC data shows a 12% decrease in the number of SRA-regulated lawyers registered as TCSPs, signaling a shift away from TCSP-related activity.

Looking ahead, Elemental predicts that the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act (ECCTA) will increase the workload for compliance teams while also raising penalties for non-compliance. Nick Lindsay remarked: "ECCTA will drastically increase the workload for already busy compliance teams, at the same time as increasing the penalties for getting it wrong even if unknowingly."

The partnership with Elemental positions Howard Kennedy to continue providing top-tier company secretarial services while addressing evolving compliance challenges.