From board-ready to trusted.
Become the person the board calls when the situation needs judgement under pressure — not just process.
From keeping the record to being the chair’s most trusted adviser.
You’re competent and respected. What’s left isn’t more technique — it’s influence, foresight and standing. The move is from executing governance to shaping it.
Counsel is an ongoing advisory relationship, not a course — because trust is demonstrated over time, not awarded on completion. We work on the judgement, presence and discretion that make a board reach for you first.
Who this is for.
Senior & established.
A company secretary or governance professional ready to operate as a true board adviser.
Shaping, not servicing.
You want to influence the board agenda and the governance culture, not just administer them.
Across the emerging agenda.
Navigating ESG, mandatory climate disclosure and AI governance as they reach the board.
Chairs & directors
wanting a trusted, independent sounding board on governance.
What you'll work on.
Strategic counsel
shaping the board agenda around what matters and framing the hard questions for the chair.
Board effectiveness
designing and running board evaluations, acting on findings, planning renewal and succession.
Governance, risk & culture
connecting governance to risk appetite, reputation and the issues that move an organisation.
The emerging agenda
ESG and mandatory climate-related disclosure, and governing the responsible adoption of AI.
Counsel under pressure
board disputes, crises and regulator engagement, handled with independence and discretion.
The trusted-adviser relationship
building the credibility, reliability and intimacy (and the low self-interest) that earn a board’s confidence.
Developing others
mentoring governance staff and lifting the standing of the function.
How it works.
Start with a conversation
A confidential, no-obligation consultation to understand your situation, your role and what good looks like for you.
A program built around you
We shape the focus, depth and rhythm around your real work — the matters in front of you, your board and your goals. No fixed syllabus.
An ongoing relationship
Regular sessions on live situations, adjusted as you go — and continuing for as long as it’s useful to you.
What's included.
A confidential standing relationship with a senior governance practitioner
On-call counsel for sensitive, high-stakes matters
Board evaluation, succession and handover support
Discreet support through tension, conflict and crisis
An engagement shaped entirely around you.
The board calls you first — for judgement, not just process. You shape the agenda before it’s set, and you’re across ESG, climate and AI before they ask. You’re not the person who keeps the minutes; you’re the person the board can’t make a big decision without.
Coaching is provided by David Cantrick-Brooks. His career began in chartered accounting and led to senior company secretarial and governance roles in regulated, complex environments — the kind of judgement you can’t get from a textbook. Every engagement is tailored to the individual or small group. His full profile is on this site and on LinkedIn.
Common questions.
Is this a fixed program?
No — an ongoing advisory relationship, renewed by agreement.
Can you support a specific event — a handover, a conflict, a crisis?
Yes — succession, handover facilitation and conflict situations are covered.
I’m a director, not a company secretary.
Chairs and directors use Counsel as an independent governance sounding board.
Discuss your situation, confidentially.
A no-obligation 45-minute consultation, at no cost, to see whether this is the right fit.
Fees are tailored to the engagement and agreed in writing beforehand.