Diane Yarrow 

Qualifying in 2003, Diane practices as a commercial solicitor, and has over 20 years’ experience advising a diverse range of clients – from start-ups to scale-ups, including privately owned businesses, multinational organisations and not-for-profit enterprises.  

Her practice spans various sectors and focuses on all aspects of commercial business operations, including trading and commercial relationships, facilitating routes to market, enabling business start-ups, the contractual implications of restructuring, compliance and risk management. 

What I love most about my work is the variety and my ability to influence business decisions. No one client or matter is the same. It is immensely satisfying to get to know each different business and work with them as an extension of their team. This allows me to provide ideas and legal solutions that help facilitate a business’s operations and plans, consistent with how they operate in practice, while helping to manage risk at a level the business finds acceptable.  

Diane’s experience includes acting as outsourced legal counsel for the UK subsidiaries of global businesses and providing in-house legal support, notably during her time with the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, where she prepared contracts for the operation of major sporting events.  

Her recent work includes advising a fintech services company on high-profile customer contracts with organisations such as major high street brands and national tour operators, negotiating sub-contracts with TfL, and preparing ESG policies for a global data centre operator in response to a customer audit. Diane also has significant experience in the tech sector, including drafting software licences in the rail sector and advising customers on IT procurement terms. 

Each contractual relationship is different. Whatever type or size of business and whatever sector a client operates in, the core functions of any contract or policy are to manage expectations, clarify responsibilities and apportion risk. 

My role is to simplify the issues and potential solutions, helping each client navigate complexities with confidence and clarity. This enables the client to fully understand the implications of the options open to them and make informed decisions that set them up for long-term success. 

Diane has a particular passion for supporting third-sector clients including charities and social enterprises, advising on governance, restructuring, trading arrangements, and regulatory compliance. She brings practical experience to these clients, having held leadership roles in the sector, including as a trustee of the Prince Philip Trust Fund and as an Executive Board Member of Henley Women’s Regatta.  

Diane’s approach is solution-focused and collaborative, with a strong emphasis on understanding her clients’ objectives and tailoring her advice accordingly.  

I believe good legal advice should empower clients. I aim to provide advice that’s not just legally sound but also understandable, practical and commercially relevant.   

Diane has been recognised as a ‘highly recommended’ lawyer in the Legal 500 for her corporate and commercial expertise.  

Diane lives in Northumberland with her young family and enjoys skiing (when she can), walking two greyhounds and playing in the North Sea.