Introduction

This statement constitutes our modern slavery and human trafficking statement for the financial year ending 31 March 2026, pursuant to section 54 of the Modern Slavery Act 2015. It outlines the steps we have taken to identify and prevent slavery and human trafficking in our business and supply chain and reflects the continued development of our approach.

About our business

Boodle Hatfield LLP is a law firm incorporated in England and is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (no. 566793). We provide a range of legal services to clients internationally from our offices in London and Oxford. Further information about the firm, its history and the services offered can be found on our website here.

We take the issue of modern slavery seriously and are committed to ensuring that we have fair working practices and uphold the highest ethical standards.

Our people

We are committed to ensuring we follow fair policies and procedures when recruiting partners and staff. As an inclusive employer we ensure that we treat all those working for us, directly or via an agency, fairly.

It is important to us to create a working environment in which all people can excel. We are well known in the market for having an open, friendly and supportive culture that enables our people to thrive.

We ensure all salaries are fair and comparable by undertaking an annual benchmarking process. Salaries are compliant with the London Living Wage and the National Living Wage, and we offer a comprehensive benefits package, and a wellbeing programme designed to support personal wellbeing. We comply with health and safety laws and provide a safe and comfortable environment within which to work.

Supply chain

We use a range of suppliers to support our business. Our suppliers primarily fall into categories including professional advisers, financial institutions, IT and infrastructure providers, facilities management and office services suppliers, most of whom are UK-based.

As part of our ESG framework we strive to work with local businesses and social enterprises where appropriate. This helps with our carbon reduction targets whilst supporting our local community.

During the reporting period, we undertook further review of our supplier landscape to better understand the nature of our supply chain and the types of services on which we rely. This included differentiating between ongoing suppliers, and incidental or ad-hoc suppliers in order to ensure that our modern slavery risk assessment remains proportionate and focused on areas of meaningful exposure and leverage. As with many professional services firms, our visibility beyond our direct (tier 1) suppliers is developing, and we continue to build our understanding of our indirect supply chain. We work with suppliers with good reputations who are committed to acting responsibly. We expect them to uphold the highest professional standards and comply with all laws and regulations. We continue to review our approach to supplier engagement to ensure that expectations relating to modern slavery are communicated and applied in a sustainable and risk-based manner.

Risk assessment

We undertake a modern slavery risk assessment on an annual basis, updating our assessment periodically where there are material changes to the firm’s operations or supplier base.

Oversight of modern slavery risk sits with our Risk and Compliance team, with senior management having ultimate responsibility for the firm’s approach. This statement has been informed through internal consultation with relevant teams and through review of supplier data and procurement practices.

No instances of modern slavery were identified within the firm’s operations or supply chain during the reporting period.
Due to the nature of our business, we have assessed that there continues to be a low risk of slavery or human trafficking occurring within the firm. The firm is a regulated professional services firm based in and operating from the UK with no overseas offices and is governed by UK laws and regulations, which include comprehensive labour rights. We do not operate in sectors or adopt practices typically associated with higher risk, such as high-volume production or reliance on low-skilled labour. All partners and staff undergo rigorous screening checks as part of our standard recruitment processes, and we engage with prospective hires directly or via reputable agencies. The firm adheres to employment legislation and SRA Standards and Regulations and follows best practice in professional ethics, recruitment and the promotion of personal wellbeing.

We have reviewed our supply chain to identify, assess and manage modern slavery risks. We have assessed these risks based on the supplier’s industry type, their location and known operating jurisdictions, and their commitment to modern slavery prevention. This is informed by internal review of supplier data and procurement practices, together with relevant publicly available sources and guidance. We work with reputable suppliers who are mostly UK based or otherwise based in jurisdictions with equivalent labour rights. We assess that there continues to be a low risk of modern slavery occurring within the firm’s supply chain, although recognise that there are some higher risk areas which will be more closely monitored.

Training & awareness

We provide mandatory modern slavery training to all partners and staff and the firm has a Modern Slavery Policy in place which provides guidance and procedures for reporting modern slavery concerns. Our Risk and Compliance team oversee compliance with our policies and provide ongoing training and guidance to the firm on regulatory compliance.

During the reporting period, we hosted a training session for partners and staff, delivered by a UK registered charity specialising in modern slavery. This included training on risks present within the UK, which has helped to inform our understanding of localised risk and reinforces that modern slavery is not limited to high-risk jurisdictions overseas. Partners and members of staff are required to report any known or suspected breaches of laws or ethical standards. Our whistleblowing policy supports those who wish to raise concerns about any matter, including slavery and human trafficking.

Monitoring & review

We continue to monitor our practices and supply chain to ensure compliance with our commitment to tackle modern slavery. We aim to improve our training and policy materials, monitor the effectiveness of our actions, and to continue to raise awareness of modern slavery issues. Over the coming reporting period, the firm aims to build on this foundation by further integrating modern slavery considerations into procurement and supplier engagement practices where appropriate.

During the reporting period, we developed draft procurement guidance and a draft supplier questionnaire intended to support future pre-contract and ongoing supplier due diligence.

Approval

This statement was approved by the firm’s Senior Partner and Chief Operating Officer.

Andrea Zavos, Senior Partner
Brian Aris, Chief Operating Officer

May 2026