BrazilLeading Singapore law firm Allen & Gledhill launches regulatory consulting arm
Allen & Gledhill, one of Singapore’s largest and most prestigious law firms, has launched a new compliance, risk and regulatory consulting arm: Allen & Gledhill Regulatory & Compliance.
In a move reminiscent of the recent fight-back from the global advertising sector big players of the consulting world, with the traditional ad-industry stalwarts launching consulting divisions almost by the week, one of Asia’s largest law firms Allen & Gledhill seems to have taken a similar tack against a play on the local legal services domain by the accounting and consulting Big Four with the launch of a new advisory arm.
The new practice, Allen & Gledhill Regulatory & Compliance (AGRC), will offer consultancy services to financial institutions and corporates on a range of both international and local compliance, risk and regulatory matters, such as through risk impact assessments, governance and controls gap analysis and review, customised training, and the development of compliance programmes, policies and procedures.
The new service lines, the firm says, will complement and enhance its existing regulatory, investigations and technology practices. Christina Ong, Co-Chairman and Senior Partner of Allen & Gledhill, said; “Our objective is to provide our clients with a single address for their regulatory and risk management needs. Legal advice has to be delivered as much as possible as a practicable solution, and this is where Allen & Gledhill Regulatory & Compliance will provide seamless advice and solutions.”
The Regulatory & Compliance arm of Allen & Gledhill will be led by appointed CEO Lawrence Low, a 20-year veteran of regulatory expertise who prior to joining the law firm served as Managing Director, Office of Regulatory Affairs for JP Morgan Chase based in Singapore – where he also held the role of Associate General Counsel for six and a half years. Previously, Low held Senior Legal Counsel positions with Deutsche Bank and Lehman Brothers for a combined eight years.
At JP Morgan Chase, Low was active in public policy advocacy and engaging with lawmakers and regulators across the Asia Pacific region, and through his various tenures has developed legal and compliance expertise in capital markets, derivatives, securitisation and asset management in jurisdictions spanning London, Hong Kong, Singapore and Tokyo – originally graduating with a law degree from the University of Cambridge in the UK.
In a statement, the firm said Low and the AGRC team will build on the expertise of and work seamlessly with Allen & Gledhill. Co-Chairman Ong said of Low; “With his operational experience and perspective, Lawrence and his team will work with our regulatory and technology lawyers to support our client organisations in ensuring their compliance and controls programmes are extensive and robust, yet realistic and effective.”
Low joins a firm with an exceptional pedigree of its own, having won the International Financial Law Review National Law Firm of the Year Award for Singapore 17 times since the award’s inception in 2000, and with a decorated alumni roster including former chairman Lucien Wong who now serves as Singapore’s Attorney-General. Established in 1902, with a regional network extending to Malaysia and Myanmar, Allen & Gledhill is considered one of Singapore’s Big Four legal firms.
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