Business Life Cycle
It may feel like a giant leap, but we’re with you every step of the way
Need to sell shares, divide new ones, shift the power/control to someone else? Perhaps you are going through a management buy out or being bought by someone else entirely.
Understanding your situation
At the inception of your exit plans, our lawyers are able to represent your interests, support you in a handover, and ensure the right legals are in place for a smooth transition.
Here are some of the challenges you may encounter:
Strategy, timing, and process are all key to the success of a company exit or disposal. Our lawyers provide strategic holistic guidance on a complete end-to-end commercial strategy, looking outside the business transaction at hand to ensure your best interests are fully protected.
Corporate Governance Lawyers
We handle these sensitive disputes between directors, between different classes of shareholder, and between directors and shareholders, for businesses of all sizes experiencing internal disagreement.
Carefully drafted documents such as shareholder agreements, directors service agreements and articles of association should all anticipate the possibility of a future dispute and set out ways to manage them in the best interests of the business.
Understanding what you need to achieve from the sale and making sure that our negotiations and all the required documents reflect those needs
Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A)
Management buy-outs and management buy-ins offer vast opportunities. Management teams have a chance to buy the business they work for or rejuvenate business strategy of a target company, while lenders and investors can make great returns when a company succeeds, and sellers can achieve a pain-free exit.
Acquisition & Leveraged Debt
Employee Ownership Trusts (EOTs)
Management Buy-Outs &-Buy-Ins
Taking the decision to go public is a major step that requires careful planning and expert advice to ensure a successful flotation. Our expert IPO lawyers will work alongside you every step of the way, from helping you restructure your business pre-IPO, setting up a comprehensive data room, drafting your prospectus and admission documents, and working closely with you throughout the listing process itself.
Corporate Governance Lawyers
Initial Public Offering (IPO)
If you or your business is struggling to keep up with payments or you want to wind up your affairs efficiently and cost-effectively, we can help you find the best solution. By sharing our in-depth knowledge and experience of insolvency and business recovery processes, we can help you choose a recovery or exit strategy that’s right for you.
Insolvency & Corporate Recovery
Redundancies and Business Reorganisations
Our support in action
Join us in celebrating the successes of our clients and discover what we’re doing to champion growing businesses across the UK. Here’s a selection of our latest insights and updates.
Client stories
22 May 2025
Over the past 15 years, Korus Health has grown from a small independent provider of ultrasound services into a thriving NHS contractor...
Read more
Updated 8 months ago
Corporate Law
How to sell your business in the UK: a legal guide
Article
7 mins read
Updated 1 year ago
Insolvency & Corporate Recovery
How much does it cost to close a limited company and what are my options?
Article
9 mins read
Updated 2 years ago
Employee Share Schemes
Employee Ownership Trusts (EOTs): FAQs for businesses looking to exit
Article
10 mins read
Updated 2 years ago
Business Disputes
How do you resolve a shareholder dispute?
Article
7 mins read
Updated 1 year ago
Business Disputes
Restoring a Dissolved Company
Article
5 mins read
Client stories
Client stories
Client stories
How we can help
We can scale our support to match your changing needs
With a wealth of in-house and industry experience
Your objective friend, our lawyers are impartial advisors
Fast, focused and considered advice
Work with specialists in each area of business law
Testimonials
We pride ourselves on delivering an excellent service for clients, but don’t just take our word for it.
Our Extend plan with Harper James allows our in-house counsel instant access to specialist support. We relied on their valued guidance to get us through the acquisition process with accuracy and confidence.
Alison Conway Senior Advisor, Trust Payments
We engaged early with Harper James on this acquisition and I felt the level of support and advice throughout was excellent. Callum was flexible in terms of attending meetings and his knowledge of the subject area was extensive and gave me full confidence in the work he was undertaking for us. He assisted in meetings with the target and helped both parties through the acquisition process.
Mike Green Financial Director, Eurotank
The Harper James team led by Adam Kudryl and supported by Callum Giliker were hands-on, commercial and proactive throughout the transaction. Both Adam and Callum worked tirelessly with other advisors and principals to sensibly solve problems as they arose during the transaction and were integral to seeing the deal through to a successful completion.
Patrick Lynch Director, PV3 Technologies
We rely on Harper James to provide us with support across a full range of service areas, from commercial contracts and employment issues to fundraisings and investments. The team at Harper James are always available to provide us with cost effective, pragmatic and commercially focused advice.
Nick Holzherr CEO, Whisk.com
The support, advice and guidance from Harper James was absolutely vital. Shubhu, Callum and the team there were always on hand to deal with any issues that we needed help with as the deal progressed. This is an exciting new stage in the development of the business.
Sam G Bose CEO and Founder, IntelliSense.io
Pricing and service plans
Our three transparent service plans are designed to give you the widest possible access to high-quality legal advice, whatever the size and nature of your business:
Flexible access to senior solicitors at highly competitive rates
An alternative to our subscription plans, offering access to full service legal expertise on a project-by-project basis.
Purpose built legal support for start-ups and smaller businesses
Monthly subscription plan for £259 per month, with £174 monthly credit and access to all legal services at 50% discount on our Standard Rates.
Comprehensive legal partnership for established businesses
Fully account managed and scalable annual subscription plan with support from a curated team of partners and senior solicitors, with up to 33% discount on our Standard Rates.
Learn more about our service plans
Meet Our Team
Our service is delivered by lawyers who understand how businesses operate in the real world, with many coming from industry themselves. We take a holistic approach designed to mitigate risk and maximise opportunity.
Director of Legal Strategy and Operations & Head of Corporate
Adam is Director of Legal Strategy and Operations & Head of Corporate, responsible for the legal services aspects of Harper James.
Partner - Commercial
Before joining Harper James, Rob worked for Santander bank as an IP/brand management lawyer and also at Shakespeare Martineau.
Partner and Head of IP and Brand Protection
Ben is a dual-qualified solicitor and Chartered Trade Mark Attorney (qualifying in 2016) and assists clients with trade mark clearance searching, brand strategy and world wide trade mark protection as well as dealing with a range of intellectual property disputes and litigation.
Partner and Head of Employment Law
Simon acts for employers of all sizes, particularly tech and manufacturing, and specialises in managing people matters, including TUPE, sales and acquisitions of companies, and restructures/redundancies.
Partner and Head of Dispute Resolution
Ian joined our dispute resolution team in 2016 and has over 25 years of experience in handling a broad range of commercial disputes.
Director of Legal Strategy and Operations & Head of Commercial
With over 24 years’ experience advising on commercial matters, Stephen brings a wealth of technology expertise having previously worked in-house as senior counsel to BT before joining private practice.
Business life cycle
Previous
You’ve got targets in mind and an ambitious vision for the future of the business. You’re structuring for a certain scale, internationalisation and even potential exits.
Scaling up
Next
Are you ready to do it all again? Whether it’s your first time or fifth time setting up a business, you’re probably thinking about protecting your idea as you start to consider funding and structuring how to launch.
The big idea