Howard Morris
Civil and Commercial Mediator
Practice Overview
Howard brings to mediation a rare combination of legal expertise, commercial insight and leadership experience at the highest levels of the legal profession. An accredited mediator and former Chief Executive of an international law firm, he is trusted by boards, investors, entrepreneurs, and institutions to resolve complex and often sensitive commercial disputes. Howard is particularly effective at helping parties move from entrenched positions to practical, workable outcomes. He combines deep listening skills with a calm, strategic mindset and a strong grasp of risk, reputation, and relationships.
Howard is known for his clarity, empathy, and discretion — and for helping resolve disputes that might otherwise escalate or fail to settle through traditional means.
Professional Experience
Howard has over three decades of experience as a solicitor and restructuring expert. He led one of the largest law firms in the world through transformational mergers, and advised global financial institutions, investors, and boards on cross-border insolvency, governance and strategy.
His legal background includes senior leadership roles at Dentons, where he served two terms as Chief Executive before becoming Global Integration Partner in New York, and later as Head of Business Restructuring & Insolvency at Morrison & Foerster. He is also a member of the International Insolvency Institute and has advised on landmark UK and US restructuring cases.
Howard has developed a mediation practice focused on disputes with a financial, governance or strategic dimension, including:
• Commercial contracts and partnerships
• Board and shareholder issues
• Business and professional services disputes
• Insolvency-related matters
• Complex multi-party negotiations
He also works as a strategic adviser and non-executive board member in financial services, risk, and fintech, and is well-versed in reputationally sensitive or confidential negotiations.
Endorsements
“...Howard is a brilliant listener, innovator and solutions-builder, able to pull together consensus with calm, curiosity and professionalism. I would not hesitate recommending Howard at all.”
Senior Counsel, Global Investment Company
“An outstanding communicator and consensus builder — he gets people to move without feeling pressured. That’s rare.”
Senior Insolvency Practitioner
“...Howard has genuine empathy allied to his focused determination which is a rare and formidable combination”
European General Counsel, Global Investment Firm
Other Experience
• Board Member, International Insolvency Institute
• Former Chair, National Migraine Centre and ME Trust
• Co-founder of architectural media platform Greyscape
• Member, General Technical Committee of R3
• Speaker, writer and trainer on insolvency law reform, corporate governance, and mediation
Personal Interests
Howard is a writer, architecture enthusiast and public speaker. He is passionate about modernist architecture and runs an online publication and Instagram account with a large following. He enjoys reading, photography and political history.
Areas Of Specialism
Commercial, Contract, Financial Services, Insolvency, Partnership, Professional Negligence, Shareholder Disputes, TOLATA, Trusts, Wills and Probate