Cooley (UK) LLP Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement

This statement is published in accordance with Section 54(1) of the Modern Slavery Act 2015.

Our business

Cooley (UK) LLP (‘Cooley UK’, ‘we’, ‘our’) is a limited liability partnership registered in England and Wales. Cooley is an international legal practice with offices across the United States (through Cooley LLP) and with affiliated practices in other jurisdictions, including England and Wales through Cooley UK (together, ‘Cooley practices’). The Cooley practices are separate legal entities which have been established under, and operate in compliance with, applicable local laws and work together to function as an integrated international law firm.

Cooley focuses on technology, life sciences, venture capital and fund formation, but it has experience in a wide array of practice areas, as well as a litigation and disputes practice. We have zero tolerance for modern slavery and are committed to taking all legally required steps to prevent it from happening anywhere in our business or supply chain.

Our services

As a professional services organisation, we consider the risk of modern slavery within our business to be very low. As a result, we do not maintain separate policies in relation to those matters; however, we do provide training to our staff that are involved in procurement. We have a Concerns at Work Policy published on our intranet which enables any member of the firm to report known or suspected breaches of ethical or legal standards – including slavery, human trafficking, and forced or child labour – without fear of retaliation and allows the firm to take any necessary corrective action.

Our supply chain

In relation to the provision of professional services, our “supply chain” is straightforward and mainly consists of other regulated professional services – banks, intermediaries, accountancy practitioners, other law firms, barristers, expert witnesses, etc. As such, we believe the risk is low with respect to issues of trafficking and modern slavery, and we do not at this stage take or propose to take any specific action in connection with our supply chain. We may revisit this position if our experience or perception of the risk changes.

We consider the supply of internal (nonprofessional) services and goods – being for the most part not professionally regulated and/or sourced from countries with less well-developed legal protections against exploitation – may carry a marginally greater risk of slavery or human trafficking than the supply of professional services. These services include catering, office cleaning, security and maintenance, photocopying, transport, and hotel and travel booking. At no point before the date this statement was published have we had any reason to suspect the existence of exploitative practices (slavery, child labour or trafficking) in our supply chain.

Nonprofessional supplier requirements

The conditions for being an approved supplier will apply to the renewal of existing contracts and to new supply relationships we enter into after the date of this statement. Each Cooley UK supplier has undergone due diligence to assess the risk of it being involved in slavery or human trafficking. Information on the services provided and the contract value have been collated and the level of risk noted. Each supplier either has its own internal Modern Slavery Act statement or has signed up to a code of conduct, which includes requirements that the supplier shall:

  • Take reasonable measures to protect the health and safety of its workforce and workers in its own supply chain.
  • Not use or permit the use of any slavery or child labour in the fulfilment of any supply of goods or services to us.
  • Comply with local law requirements as to maximum working hours and minimum pay and rest breaks, etc., as well as with other workforce rights applicable under the law and best practices of the relevant country.
  • Both contractually and actually allow its workforce freedom to leave their employment without the unlawful withholding of money or identity papers to deter or prevent this.
  • Take reasonable steps to prevent the unlawful treatment of its workforce by internal management or third parties.
  • Not engage in bribery or similar unethical practices.

Corporate responsibility

Responsibility for Cooley UK’s compliance with the Modern Slavery Act lies with the London office’s co-partners in charge and the compliance officer for legal practice. They will keep under review the steps taken to comply with the Modern Slavery Act and will make any necessary changes to the policies and procedures of Cooley UK as they deem fit.

Updated January 2025