Legal

Code of Ethics

Last updated: June, 2026

Arbor Law’s Code of Ethics is intended to guide how we work day-to-day: with each other, with clients, with suppliers and with other third parties.

We are committed to conducting our business responsibly, ethically and with integrity. As an SRA-regulated law firm, we recognise our professional obligations to act independently, protect client interests, maintain confidentiality and uphold the rule of law.

Our standards for ourselves

We will:

act with honesty, integrity, independence and respect;
uphold the professional standards expected of an SRA-regulated law firm, including our duties to clients, the court, regulators and the public interest;
protect client confidentiality and handle information responsibly, lawfully and securely;
promote a working environment based on collaboration, support, openness, trust and respectful challenge;
encourage team members to raise concerns without fear of retaliation or adverse treatment;
support fair, transparent and respectful working practices for all team members;
not tolerate discrimination, harassment, bullying or victimisation;
recognise and value diversity, inclusion and different ways of thinking and working;
seek to reduce the environmental impact of our activities where reasonably practicable;
conduct our business and supplier relationships in good faith and on fair commercial terms;
be fair and reasonable in our financial practices, including seeking to pay suppliers promptly;
not offer, request, accept or give bribes, kickbacks, facilitation payments or improper favours;
not tolerate child labour, forced labour, human trafficking or any form of modern slavery in our business or supply chain;
comply with our legal, regulatory, tax, anti-bribery, anti-money laundering, sanctions, data protection and professional obligations;
meet our tax obligations and not seek to put in place artificial, complex or unusual structures designed to evade tax or improperly reduce tax liability;
make marketing, public relations and other public statements honestly, responsibly and transparently;
only make environmental, social, sustainability or impact-related claims where they are accurate, clear, verifiable and capable of substantiation;
be transparent about the positive and negative impacts of our operations where relevant and appropriate.

Our expectations of clients, suppliers and third parties

We expect clients, suppliers and other third parties to deal with Arbor Law and our people honestly, respectfully and in good faith.

We expect those we work with to:

treat our people with courtesy, respect and professionalism;
provide information honestly, accurately and transparently;
respond to reasonable requests for information in a timely manner;
respect our professional independence and regulatory obligations;
not ask us to act in a way that would conflict with our legal, regulatory, professional or ethical duties;
not engage in abusive, discriminatory, harassing, threatening or inappropriate behaviour towards our people;
not offer, request or encourage bribes, kickbacks, facilitation payments or improper favours;
not misuse Arbor Law’s name, work product, advice or correspondence;
respect confidentiality, data protection and information security requirements;
conduct their own business, so far as relevant to our relationship, lawfully and ethically.

Ethical decision-making and client acceptance

We reserve the right not to act for, or to cease acting for, a client where doing so would conflict with our legal, regulatory, professional or ethical standards.

We may require internal escalation and approval before accepting instructions where there is a material ethical concern about a prospective client, matter, sector, transaction or source of funds.

Where conduct falls below the standards we expect, we may take appropriate steps. These may include limiting communications, requiring a change in working arrangements, pausing work, declining instructions or ceasing to act where permitted by our professional obligations.

Review and governance

We will review our ethical standards periodically and update them where required by changes in law, regulation, professional standards or our business.

This Code is supported by our internal policies and procedures, including those relating to professional conduct, anti-money laundering, sanctions, data protection, anti-bribery, equality and diversity, complaints and whistleblowing.