Nick is a versatile business lawyer with extensive experience in three main areas: governance, compliance and ethics; legal risk and crisis management; and commercial contracts and advice.
He has particular experience supporting clients in manufacturing and exports, professional services/consulting, security and risk management, hospitality and retail, and public relations (PR).
Nick helps his clients take smart, risk-based decisions, applying pragmatism and cutting through complex issues to provide commercially balanced and actionable advice.
Nick helps his clients operate confidently and sustainably. He has advised on business expansion (new services and new territories), including advising on and resolving major legal and operational risks, compliance concerns and contracting frameworks. If clients find themselves in difficult situations, Nick supports them in responding calmly and effectively to mitigate the harm and manage the risks.
On occasion, Nick also acts as a fractional general counsel (GC) to companies seeking additional support.
Nick understands that businesses need to take sensible, risk-based decisions. He looks to add value by providing legal advice that is focussed on achieving the best outcome for the client. He is always responsive and diligent in his approach to problem-solving.
Nick Allan, Group CEO
Control RisksNick is an exceptional lawyer. He combines a depth of experience and knowledge with a level of pragmatism that is rare in commercial law, often helping us think through issues that go beyond purely legal boundaries. He adds a huge amount of value to our team, and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend him.
Gabe Winn, CEO and Founder
BlakeneyNick’s advice is clearly considered, practical and deliverable. As we launched our new business venture, Nick went beyond his role as a lawyer to provide broader strategic business advice.
Flic Beasley and Tor Ayres, Founders
TroveNick is accessible, positive and resolute, always seeking to achieve the best outcome for his client. Nick explains complex legal issues clearly and succinctly and is a pleasure to work with.
Tim Jephson
EntrepreneurNick is agile, responsive and attuned to our business. He focuses on practical solutions, which he combines with a deft legal touch. It is refreshing to work with a lawyer who can navigate legal matters and communicate them in plain English.
Amy Lashinsky and Ambrose Carey,
Founders of AlacoNick's governance and compliance recommendations were business-friendly and readily digestible, giving us a clear action plan. His experience means he knows exactly how in-house teams operate; it was an enjoyable process not a chore!
Caroline Coates, VP Legal,
Oxbotica
Expertise
Governance, compliance and ethics
- Russia sanctions and export controls
- Data protection, cookies and electronic marketing
- Anti-bribery and anti-corruption
- Ethics, standards and conflicts of interest
Legal risk and crisis management
- Business continuity and organisational resilience
- Crisis preparedness and response
- Risk assessments and reviews
- Risk registers and mitigation programmes
Commercial contracts and advice
- Framework and master services agreements
- Standard terms of business
- Supplier and contractor engagement and management
- Preliminary and ancillary commercial arrangements
Experience
Russia sanctions and export controls
- Advised financial services businesses, trustees, corporate service providers, aerospace manufacturers, and exporters and retailers extensively in relation to compliance with the UK’s Russia sanctions and export controls regimes.
- Prepared and advised on due diligence programmes and standards relating to compliance with Russia sanctions and export controls.
- Prepared and advised on policies and procedures relating to compliance with the UK’s export controls regime.
- Prepared and advised on policies and procedures relating to compliance with the UK’s Russia sanctions regime.
- Provided detailed written advice on compliance with Russia sanctions, including asset freezes, prohibitions on distributions to/for the benefit of designated persons, questions of ownership and control, prohibitions relating to luxury goods, prohibitions covering specified services and persons “connected with” Russia, prohibitions on dealings in transferable securities, reporting obligations, and OFSI licensing regimes (including reliance on general licences and applications for specific licences).
- Analysed and advised on the categorisation of products under the Harmonised System (WTO), under the Common High Priority Items List, and in relation to classifications of items as civilian or as dual use.
- Considered associated government guidance and related Russia sanctions and export controls laws and regulations.
Data protection, cookies and electronic marketing
Anti-bribery and anti-corruption (ABC/ABAC) and economic crime
- Advised business consultancies, technology companies, investigations and business intelligence firms, and security companies.
- Prepared and advised on policies and procedures covering anti-bribery and anti-corruption, gifts and hospitality, anti-money-laundering (AML), tax evasion, and insider trading / share dealing.
- Advised on directors’ duties and liability associated with corporate malfeasance and lack of adequate controls and procedures.
- Created and advised on policies for supplier, contractor, and subcontractor risk management, and on associated procedures to oversee their identification, vetting, selection, approval, and engagement (including reflecting related compliance and risk management issues).
Ethics, standards, and conflicts of interest
- Advised businesses in the technology, investigations and business intelligence, security, fashion, hospitality and leisure, and cyber sectors.
- Created and advised on the adoption of codes of ethics and standards of conduct, ethical risk, and standards of integrity.
- Devised and produced an ethical action plan for a consulting business in relation to client onboarding, operational standards and procedures, and project/task management.
- Created and advised in relation to safeguarding policies and procedures.
- Advised in relation to conflicts of interest and prepared policies, guidance, and processes for the avoidance, identification, and mitigation of risks associated with conflicts of interest.
Governance and compliance (general)
- Advised numerous clients on governance and compliance frameworks including board composition, non-executive/independent directors, board and other committees (nomination, remuneration, audit, risk, ethics, conflicts, compliance), the role of general counsel, internal risk management/risk oversight roles, and internal audit function.
- Prepared and advised on the interaction between different policies, procedures and controls.
- Co-author of a new (in 2025) private company governance chapter in Practical Commercial Precedents.
Business continuity, resilience, and crisis response
- Prepared and advised on business continuity plans, crisis response protocols / crisis management plans, so-called dawn raids, and associated policies, templates, communications, and processes for clients in the investigations and intelligence, security, technology, and manufacturing sectors.
- Supported businesses and individuals in the aftermath of terrorist attacks, RTIs (road traffic incidents) and other operational situations where fatalities or serious injuries were sustained or business continuity was threatened.
- Supervised interviews (including protecting the interests of the business and supporting affected personnel) conducted by external counsel concerning terrorist or kidnap incidents.
- Responded to statutory notices, demands and subpoenas issued by the SFO, the DoJ, the US courts, German police, and other authorities.
- A speaker and writer on crisis management from a lawyer’s perspective – Practical Law Practice Notes, articles and interviews: “Crisis management for in-house lawyers”, “How to create a crisis management or business continuity plan that is fit for purpose” (video), and “The in-house lawyer’s role in successful crisis management” (the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) annual conference).
Risk management and security
- Deep insight acquired while advising on compliance, procedures, and risk-based approaches within the security, business intelligence, investigations, and due diligence sectors.
- Advised in relation to the duty of care owed to staff, contractors, and consultants in a range of situations, including personnel operating overseas and in hostile, exposed, or dangerous environments.
- Advised on legal and ethical risk mitigation in the security sector, including advice on RUF (rules on use of force), PIPs (post-incident procedures), and MOUs with sovereign military forces and police authorities.
- Supervised and negotiated insurance programmes and portfolios covering multiple jurisdictions and a wide range of operations.
- Advised on business expansion, including opening new offices and expanding into new jurisdictions across Europe, sub-Saharan Africa and MENA.
- Considered and advised on the business risks and legal obligations arising from new services and commercial operations.
- Drafted and advised on standard operating procedures (SOPs) for new or modified services and business operations.
- Conducted numerous on-site business risk assessments and risk reviews (legal and compliance, operational, finance, ethics, etc.) in Europe (including Russia) and Africa.
- Implemented risk management frameworks for commercial operations in MENA and sub-Saharan Africa.
Commercial contracts and advice
- Advised on and negotiated a wide range of commercial agreements and relationships domestically and internationally on behalf of businesses in the security, public relations, cyber, engineering, investigations, and intelligence industries working with multinational corporations in the oil & gas, extractives, and technology sectors, the United Nations, the European Commission, the FCO / FCDO, sovereign wealth funds, and the EBRD, amongst others.
- Acted as fractional General Counsel to a major concierge / lifestyle services business.
- Produced MSAs and framework contracts for a broad range of professional consulting, security, and risk management services.
- Produced drawdown contracts such as statements of work (SOWs), purchase orders (POs), task orders (TOs), and call-off agreements.
- Produced standard terms and conditions of business for a variety of different businesses.
- Conducted gap and risk analyses assessing contractual and operational risks and exposures for a number of different services and businesses.
- Created a commercial contract playbook to help commercial colleagues negotiate standard terms and conditions of business.
- Prepared supplier, contractor, and subcontractor agreements.
- Provided preliminary agreements, including confidentiality agreements, NDAs, CDAs, memoranda of understanding, heads of terms, and heads of agreement (MoUs/HoTs).
- Produced specialist contracts relating to the provision of maritime security services (both armed and unarmed), mobile and static security (armed and unarmed), and governing relationships with sovereign military and police security forces.
- Responded to RFIs, RFPs, ITTs, and tenders for tasks and projects ranging in value from £5,000 to £25,000,000 and prepared accompanying written submissions, explanations of services, and summaries of policies, procedures, and SOPs.
- Advised on commercial partnerships, collaborations and introduction, referral, and commission arrangements with a variety of businesses spanning the public relations, insurance, medical, information security (InfoSec), financial analysis, logistics and litigation sectors.
- Supported and oversaw relationship initiation, management and winding down / termination.
- Oversaw due diligence into proposed business partners, contractors, subcontractors, suppliers and associates including related vetting procedures and ongoing management.
- Drafted memoranda for and delivered briefings to group and regional executive committees, group risk committee and board of directors regarding high-risk contracts, proposed new lease terms, captive insurance structures, local ownership requirements for overseas operations, and licensing and regulatory obligations.
- Advised on a wide range of issues concerning corporate growth and strategy.
- Advised on a range of legal and operational risks, including advice on triage and prioritisation.
Please note: The experience list above may include examples of work completed prior to joining Keystone Law.
Career
Nick qualified as a solicitor in 2003. Prior to joining Keystone Law in 2019, he worked at the following firms:
- Control Risks
- Cummins
- Berwin Leighton Paisner
- Dechert