Howard Kennedy promotes Rebecca Atkinson to General Counsel

London law firm Howard Kennedy is pleased to announce the promotion of Rebecca Atkinson to General Counsel.

The change reflects Howard Kennedy's growth strategy and the increasingly complex legal landscape that has contributed to the importance of the General Counsel role. Rebecca has continued to develop her role in recent years, leading on commercial contracts the firm enters, as well as advising on the ever-increasing legal compliance requirements. This also reflects the evolution of the role of General Counsel in law firms, which now focus heavily on risk and compliance in relation to the legal and regulatory implications of the firm's key decisions, strategies and transactions.

Rebecca is currently Director of Risk & Compliance where she leads the firm's internal risk and compliance function. She sets the firm's risk and compliance vision and strategy to ensure the firm has a robust, transparent, and accurate approach towards its external and internal compliance obligations. Rebecca will continue to head up the firm's risk and compliance function and be the firm's Compliance Officer for Legal Practice, Money Laundering Reporting Officer and Money Laundering Compliance Officer as well as the Data Protection Officer, a role shared with Head of Technology and Security, Jonathan Freedman.

Rebecca is a Barrister (non-practising), New York Attorney and Solicitor of England & Wales. She sits on the Board for the Law Society Legal Compliance Bulletin, is a Member of the Law Society Regulatory Processes Committee and sits on Practical Law Company Compliance and Management Consultation Board.  Rebecca has authored three books, Assessing and Addressing Risk and Compliance in Your Law Firm, Financial Crime A Compliance Manual and Risk and Compliance Questions and Answers. She has also authored multiple Practical Law Company Practice Notes and written dozens of articles as well as being the editor for the AML Chapter of Cordery on Legal Services. Rebecca also provides training via the Law Society and MBL.

Commenting on the promotion, Craig Emden, Managing Partner at Howard Kennedy, said: “We are delighted to announce Rebecca's promotion to General Counsel, which reflects her changing role over recent years, recognising her accomplishments and her continued commitment to the firm. As we continue with our ambitious growth plans, we are mindful of the increasingly complex regulatory landscape and the breadth of Rebecca’s role in providing guidance.” 

Rebecca Atkinson said: “I am very pleased that my work and commitment to the firm over the past years has been recognised. My new title as General Counsel now reflects the responsibility that comes with this role that looks after the firm’s legal and compliance strategy.”