Charles Russell Speechlys appoints new Director of Responsible Business

Following the publication of our Responsible Business Report 2020 earlier this week, we are pleased to announce the appointment of Kerry Stares as Director of Responsible Business & Pro Bono. In this new role Kerry will oversee and coordinate all our responsible business initiatives, including our thought leadership and client advisory work on environmental, social and governance issues.

Simon Ridpath, Managing Partner, says:

We have always been a firm motivated by a strong sense of values and have been working consciously for many years to ensure those values drive the way we operate – doing the right thing for our clients, our people, our communities and our natural environment. Never has it been more evident than in recent months that our determination to run our business responsibly strengthens our decision-making and is key to our commercial success – now and for the long term. Kerry’s appointment underscores our commitment to running our business responsibly and sustainably and to working with our clients to identify solutions that are sustainable, long term and aligned with our shared values.

Kerry joined Charles Russell Speechlys in March 2019 as Pro Bono Legal Director to expand the reach and impact of our pro bono work and will continue to lead our pro bono practice in her new role.

Before joining the firm Kerry was Global Head of Legal at TrustLaw (Thomson Reuters Foundation), the world’s largest pro bono innovation and connection platform and a Senior Advocate at the international development charity ActionAid. Before that she was a Senior Associate and Solicitor Advocate in the Dispute Resolution team at Herbert Smith Freehills.