Harper James is a modern, full-service UK commercial law firm for ambitious businesses, from start-ups and scale-ups to established companies. We advise on the laws of England and Wales, combining senior legal expertise with practical commercial judgement and flexible support that adapts as your business develops.
Business decisions create legal questions at every stage. Whether you are protecting a new idea, raising investment, hiring your first team, entering new markets or preparing for an exit, our lawyers connect the legal issue with the decision in front of you. Explore support for your big idea, or see how we support businesses that are getting started.
You will have access to experienced lawyers who explain the options, trade-offs, risks, timing and costs in clear language. Our approach is focused on useful advice that helps founders, directors, finance leaders and General Counsel make informed decisions, not simply on identifying legal problems.
Harper James has more than 80 lawyers, with an average of 17 years’ post-qualification experience. Many have worked in leading law firms and in-house legal teams, bringing an understanding of both legal detail and the commercial pressures behind a decision.
Our full-service capability brings coordinated expertise together through one firm. Corporate, commercial, employment, intellectual property, data protection, disputes, property and other specialists can work together when a matter crosses several areas of business law.
Your legal needs will not always look the same. You may need a defined project, recurring access to advice or a managed legal function that works alongside your team. Harper James offers three service plans:
The plans are designed to give you choice as your needs change. Engage can suit an individual transaction or defined matter, while Enable and Extend provide ongoing arrangements with different levels of structure and support. Scope, responsibilities and the basis of charging are agreed clearly.
From your first shareholder agreement to a complex acquisition, our lawyers provide advice across the legal work that supports growth, risk management and change. This includes:
We also offer defined products for specific business needs, including a Data Protection Health Check, HR Compliance Audit, Lease ‘MOT’ Review Service, Outsourced Data Protection Officer, Share Plan Management, Company Secretarial Service and Trade Mark Monitoring Service.
Harper James works with founder-led SMEs, growing companies, established organisations and in-house legal teams. We support businesses in technology, life sciences, manufacturing, construction, professional services and financial services, as well as international businesses establishing or expanding operations in the UK.
Our lawyers work directly with business leaders and alongside internal legal teams. That means you can bring us a single matter, ask for specialist capacity or build a longer-term relationship with a team that develops an understanding of your business, priorities and risk appetite.
When your team is getting on with it, legal work often arrives alongside commercial priorities. A new contract needs reviewing, an employee issue needs addressing, a data incident requires a response or software licensing terms need checking. Our lawyers help you understand what matters, what can wait and what action is needed next.
As the business scales, the legal questions become more connected. Expansion, additional funding, acquisitions, international activity, new premises and a growing workforce each bring decisions that benefit from coordinated advice. Our scaling-up support brings the relevant legal considerations into view.
Harper James is remote-first and technology-enabled, with a head office in Birmingham and regional spaces in Cardiff, Cambridge, London, Manchester, Oxford, Sheffield and Southampton. Face-to-face meetings are available by arrangement.
Technology and dedicated business services reduce routine and administrative work, allowing our lawyers to focus on judgement, advice and client service. Technology supports our lawyers, it does not replace their responsibility for legal advice. This operating model supports competitive pricing while keeping senior expertise at the centre of the relationship.
Value is more than the cost of a piece of work. It includes the quality and usefulness of the advice, the clarity of the scope, the time involved, the commercial context and the way the support fits your business. Our service plans give you different ways to access expertise, whether you need occasional assistance or a managed outsourced legal function.
Since 2014, Harper James has supported more than 8,000 businesses. Client feedback has highlighted our scalable, team-oriented approach, clear explanation of costs and risks, and the flexibility of our service plans.
Harper James is ranked Band 1 for SME-focused Firms, UK-wide, in the Chambers UK 2026 and 2027 guides, and Band 1 for SME-focused Firms in the Midlands in the 2027 guide. We were also commended for New Law Business of the Year at The Lawyer Awards 2026.
Harper James Limited is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, SRA number 612099. We hold Cyber Essentials Plus certification and maintain professional indemnity insurance, giving businesses a clear and established framework for working with us.
Your next legal decision may involve investment, recruitment, a new premises, a contract, a dispute, a regulatory requirement or an exit. Harper James gives you access to relevant senior expertise and a service model that reflects the work you need done.
Find practical updates and guidance in our latest insights, or explore our approach to your legal needs to see how Harper James can support your business from its first idea through growth, change and beyond.