Spotlight on our solicitors – meet Jenni Ferguson

Our Spotlight on our solicitors series allows us to highlight the talent of our legal professionals. With these interviews, we get to know more about the people behind the expert advice. Senior Corporate Solicitor and latest addition to our Corporate team, Jenni Ferguson, is next up in the series. Jenni joined the Harper James team in January 2024, following her time as a Senior Associate at top 200 law firm Gateley Legal.

How did you begin your career? What/who inspired your legal career?

‘Growing up, I was always aware of law as a career option – my dad was an ex-policeman who started his own private investigation business,’ says Jenni. ‘So, he worked closely with a lot of law firms here in Cornwall. That, coupled with a week of work experience at a small Cornish firm and watching too many episodes of Ally McBeal in the 90s, triggered my interest in the law.’

‘I surprised myself by becoming a Corporate lawyer,’ Jenni explains. ‘The work experience I did was with a family lawyer and initially, I thought family law was what I’d be best suited to. It wasn’t until I was doing my training contract that I realised corporate law was for me. Corporate law is challenging, fast-paced and I get to work with a variety of different clients in a range of industries. I’ve worked on transactions with deal values varying from under £500K all the way up to £100M.’

What are your main areas of corporate expertise? Do you cover any niche areas?

‘I mainly specialise in mergers and acquisitions and have worked with clients on both the buying and selling side. I also enjoy investment work, including investment rounds and management buyouts.’

How have you found working at Harper James so far? Any first impressions?

‘I’m still fairly new to Harper James, but everyone has been incredibly welcoming and helpful. There’s a clear focus on protecting their amazing culture from the moment you walk through the door. They’re genuinely innovative in terms of the pricing plans and they make good legal services accessible to all. ’

What do you think your clients value the most about how you work with them?

‘I take a human approach when working with clients,’ explains Jenni. ‘I aim to provide no-nonsense and realistic advice, simply so we don’t waste the client’s time or fees. Corporate transactions can become quite drawn out and it can be overwhelming for clients who are new to the process. I also appreciate clients have to get on with the day-to-day of running their business, so I try to take the pressure of the deal process away. It’s always important to keep things in perspective!’

Define corporate law in a sentence?

‘Corporate law is about helping businesses to move through the various stages of the life cycle, from setting up the company and investment right through to M&A and exit.’

What’s the best piece of legal advice you could give a business?

‘Get the affairs of your business in order from the outset, so you can avoid unforeseen issues and unnecessary expenses when it’s time to exit!’

Do you have any hobbies? What do you do to unwind?

‘Music is my first love,’ says Jenni. ‘If I wasn’t a lawyer, I would definitely be a musician of some kind. I love playing the piano – I’ll play anything from Debussy and Beethoven, to songs from the Foo Fighters and Damien Rice, to Disney songs to entertain my daughters.’

After working in the South East of England, Jenni made the move back to her hometown, a small village in Cornwall.

‘I’m making the most of being back in Cornwall – it’s where I grew up and after being in the South East for 17 years, I decided to move back home with my family in 2021. I love being out on the sea with my paddleboard, walking along the coast or just playing on the beach with my girls.’

What are three things on your bucket list?

‘I’d love to hire an RV and drive across America… maybe do Route 66, but I’d have to make a detour to Nashville! I also want to take a trip back to South America – I’d really like to see the Galapagos and Chile. The third thing on the list would have to be playing in a band again one day.’