Spotlight on our people – meet our Business Development team

‘Throughout my initial conversations with Leah, our Head of Talent Acquisition, it was clear to me that Harper James’ culture was exactly what I had been looking for,’ says Business Development Executive, Ollie Rennie. ‘I had never thought about how legal support and business development would align until the role was explained to me.’

Senior Business Development Manager, Shrey Srivatsa, says it was our innovative business structure and our Founder and CEO, Toby Harper’s ambition that drew him to join us in 2019.

‘I wanted to be part of a business where I had the opportunity to make valuable contributions every day. Since joining, my personal development has grown from strength to strength, and I’ve been able to improve on the skills that allow me to partner like-minded businesses with trusted legal advisors.’

‘I liked the idea of working at a startup because it meant that I’d be able to work closely with the leaders of the business. Having that kind of mentorship at such an early point in my career really boosted my development,’ says Evan. ‘Although we’re scaling at the moment, that close-knit environment has continued, and I still feel like I can speak to anybody within the business about my challenges or concerns.’

‘During my first weeks and months, I underwent an immersive induction which included training on everything from our service plans and practice areas, through to comprehensive training on our CRM systems and best practices. This not only equipped me with the necessary tools to excel from day one, but it instilled a deep understanding of how to best support our clients’ objectives,’ Shrey says. ‘The training was hands-on, practical and matched my learning style perfectly.’

When asked about ongoing training opportunities, Shrey adds:

‘Over the years, I’ve attended various external workshops and seminars focused on business development and client relations. The mentorship programme here has also been instrumental in my growth, providing invaluable insights and guidance from seasoned professionals and I’ve always had a manager who has been there to support me with my professional goals.’

For Ollie, regular one-to-one training and self-reflection were key to his success when he first joined the team.

‘Initially, I met with Troy regularly for training sessions on all of our practice areas, the sales cycle and the types of language and messaging we use when speaking with potential clients. The training also included a SWOT analysis of my personal traits and characteristics – something I’d never done in a previous role, which helped me reflect on how to get the most out of my development.’

‘With most similar roles, you’re typically given on-the-job training and pretty much thrown straight in with a script to read from, Troy explains. ‘But I’ve found that doesn’t particularly set you up for success. At Harper James, we adopt more of a ‘classroom’ approach to training, including the fundamentals of the business and how to sell effectively before ever speaking with prospective clients. When I first joined, Toby played a key role in my training and would often join client calls with me so I could learn first-hand how to best support and advise prospective clients to help them assess their legal requirements and options available to them.’

‘Responding to any emails received is my priority at the start of the day, including responses to proposals from prospective clients I’ve already spoken with, or others giving the ‘greenlight’ to go ahead with onboarding them,’ says Ben. ‘We have regular morning standups so everyone is up to speed on ongoing tasks and so we can share highlights and any issues, making sure we’re all on the same page.’

As Head of Business Development, Troy’s role combines working proactively on implementing strategic projects involving business development and the wider firm, as well as supporting the business development team with any day-to-day challenges.

‘I structure my day based on the team’s priorities, strategic projects and any meetings, whether that be with Heads of Departments, lawyers or other functions across the firm,’ Troy explains. ‘No two days are the same, but one thing that remains a constant is my time with the team through regular one-to-ones, which focus on their growth, development and progress towards their targets.’

‘Professionally, I thrive on directing the current and future position of such a critical part of the business,’ Troy says. ‘I enjoy being able to help influence Harper James’ future, which is beyond what I expected to be able to contribute when I joined the business. Importantly, it’s about the people I work with as we work closely and spend a lot of time together, so creating a professional environment that is also enjoyable, while doing a job that can be both fast-paced and demanding, is essential.’

Like Troy, Evan also enjoys creating a positive environment – particularly for those who are new to the business.

‘I love seeing new people join the team and witness the buzz they get from winning their first client. It’s a fulfilling experience to watch them flourish, especially if I’ve had a hand in training them and helping them along their journey.’ Evan says.

Ollie’s favourite part of his role as Business Development Executive is getting to grips with understanding and identifying the legal needs of the businesses he speaks with.

‘I enjoy building relationships with new and existing clients and hearing their stories. It helps me to understand how we as a team can best support them and set them up for long-term success.’

‘I work with a diverse range of clients, from innovative startups through to established SMEs and larger businesses,’ Shrey says. ‘Each client presents their own set of unique challenges and opportunities and I thrive on being able to offer bespoke solutions that align with their goals.’

Ben adds: ‘I work with businesses of all sizes, from startups with exciting ideas and big plans looking to get their legal fundamentals in place, to sole traders who might have contractual issues, and larger-scale international clients with more complex needs.’

‘My role has changed in many ways since I joined, but it has always been for the better,’ Troy says. ‘My first role in the outbound sales team was exploratory to see how a traditional sales function might be effective within a professional services firm. I then began helping with recruiting and building out our inbound team, and over the last five years, that team has not only grown significantly, but we contribute substantially to the overall revenue of the business.’

In 2022, Troy transitioned into a more strategic role, which meant much of his focus would be on training and upskilling the team while implementing plans for what the future of the business development team would look like as the firm continues to scale.

Joining the team in 2017 as a Business Development Executive, Evan has been promoted a further three times to Senior Business Development Manager.

‘In the early days, I was prospecting for new clients and doing outreach to spread the word about Harper James. I’ve since moved up the ranks, and now manage a team of people, mentoring them on their day-to-day sales activities.’