More than three-quarters (79%) of directors of companies in the FTSE 100 and FTSE 350 say that proposed shareholder rights in the Company Law Reform Bill will lead to more claims against directors, a survey by City law firm Herbert Smith has revealed. A similar number of respondents (73%) anticipated that increasing claims will make it harder to recruit non-executive directors. The Bill, which is meant to modernise and simplify company law, is at the committee stage in the Commons. The respondents were split over whether the proposed codification of directors' duties would provide more clarity. Almost half (47%) said it would, while 43% said it would lead to greater cautiousness, greater risk-aversion and slower decision-making.