How can we help?
To access legal support from just £145 per hour arrange your no-obligation initial consultation to discuss your business requirements.
Sectors
Creative Industry Solicitors
Creative business legal advice
We provide expert legal advice and representation in relation to all creative endeavours, including clients in advertising and marketing, television, theatre, music, art, publishing, architecture, technology, and all spheres of design.
As Harper James is a full-service commercial law firm, our creative industries solicitors can tap into the combined knowledge of our other legal specialists for a seamless and holistic legal service.
We understand the importance of protecting the reputation and interests of those we represent. Everything we do and recommend will be done so with confidentiality and your reputation in mind.
Our creative industries lawyers can offer a range of strategies to resolve any disputes. When it comes to contentious matters, we are strong advocates for alternative dispute resolution methods in the first instance, as these can lead to amicable resolutions which are realised faster, with less cost, and without long term damage to relationships.
Our offices are in Sheffield, Birmingham, Cambridge, Manchester and London if you need a meeting, but we typically work remotely to keep our overheads low which enables us to offer our innovative pricing packages.
Our services to creative businesses cover
Areas of law
What our creative sector lawyers do
At Harper James, we are proud to advise the UK’s creative industries. Our creative sector solicitors keep abreast of the latest cases, legislative changes, and industry developments, to ensure our clients receive smart, pragmatic, insightful, and tailored legal services.
Our creative industries solicitors work closely with a range of sector stakeholders in the areas of design and fashion, broadcasting, and the arts (including music, literature, film, theatre and television), on all of their legal matters. We advise and represent designers, musicians, directors, writers, performance artists, content creators, television and radio presenters, software and IT, architects, publishers and cultural institutions such as libraries, museums, galleries, theatres and exhibition venues.
Our creative industry solicitors possess specific knowledge of the matters which underpin the following areas of law:
- Advertising, influencers and marketing
- Art
- Brand merchandising
- Intellectual property protection and infringement, including intellectual property disputes and intellectual property strategy
- Creative rights management
- FMCG
- Fashion and beauty
- Product design and development
- Media, entertainment and publishing
- Finance and investment
- Commercial contracts
- Data protection & privacy
- IT & commercial technology
- Immigration law (for example, Tier 1 Exceptional Talent)
Assisting creative business growth
Legal advice for creative industries
Regardless of your legal requirements, or creative specialism, we are here to assist you. Our media and creative solicitors appreciate how much skill, time, and determination it takes to produce quality creative work. As such, we will work to protect your creative assets, mitigating the exploitation of your rights, assets, and intellectual property.
Furthermore, thanks to our experience in this sector and focus on start-ups, entrepreneurs and SMEs, we can help develop creative businesses and will support your business during its key stages of inception, funding (and funding agreements), growth, partnerships, acquisition, and sale.
And because Harper James is a full-service law firm, we can advise and represent you on all aspects of commercial law beyond the creative aspects. We can assist in relation to property, employment, disputes, reputational management, and commercial law. This is what sets Harper James apart; the advice and legal strategies we recommend are considered from all possible perspectives.
Creative industries agreements and contracts
Our team of specialist creative industries lawyers will work with you to determine your specific requirements and objectives and those of your business, making recommendations and add value wherever possible. As a creative industries law firm, our solicitors can advise and represent you in drafting and reviewing a wide range of creative law agreements, contracts, and legal documents, including:
- Management, agent & distribution agreements
- Copyright assignments and notices
- Provision of services
- Creative commissioning contracts
- Digital marketing agreements
- Finance and funding agreements
- Commission and royalty agreements
- IP assignments
- Licenses
- Publishing contracts
- Terms and conditions of business
- Trademark, patent, and design right applications (UK and international)
- Transfer of creative rights (including syndication)
Testimonials
What our clients say
We pride ourselves on delivering an excellent service for clients, but don’t just take our word for it.
Harper James is a brilliant example of a company disrupting a traditional industry. Suddenly Solicitors become relevant and accessible for start-ups & small enterprises, with the best in-class knowledge of all major legal areas. I’ve used the business now for a year, and the Enable plan has been perfect for budgeting my company’s outgoings, and has given me a piece of mind when tackling key, decisive issues. Thank-you HJS!
Koral Ibrahim
Founder & MD,
The Ready House
Friendly, knowledgeable and efficient. Harper James Solicitors have provided invaluable advice and the necessary instruments to raise capital from investors for our startup. The firm will remain as our solicitors of choice for the future.
Ellis Lynas
CEO,
LynasMedia
Really easy to engage your services, timely responses, nice to get advice from specialists within their field.
Will Coleman
Artistic Director,
Golden Tree Productions
Fast, flexible access to specialists.
Derek Moore
CEO and Co-Founder,
Coffee & TV
Sarah was incredibly responsive to my e-mails and was accurate with rough timelines for completion. She was also very approachable and down to earth on an agreement that contains a lot of jargon and isn't that user friendly for people from a non legal background. She also took the time to get to know the purpose the document will be used for to make it accurate and legally binding.
Steph Darrah
Business Development Manager,
Playtonic Limited
Harper James has been invaluable. They drafted the relevant agreements and gave us sound legal advice in an area that we did not have prior experience in. As a start-up, having advice and feedback from an organisation that specialises in early-stage enterprises was instrumental in us having the confidence to push forward with our product
Dean Bryan
Co-Founder,
Yyoma
Jas did an excellent job in pulling together what was a complex deal, not least because it involved co-ordinating parties in America, the UK and at the British Business Bank. But her perseverance and willingness to get the job done for us shone through and we were very impressed by the standard of service we received.
Peter Gerwe
Investor,
Storyfirst
As a small team, we’ve been so grateful for the support Harper James has given us over the last year at what was a pivotal moment in our business journey.
Jessica Valsler
Senior Project Account Manager,
Creative Lives in Progress
The help we’ve received from Harper James to move our operations online gives us real peace of mind knowing we’ve done everything correctly for our new community of learners.
Laura Berridge
Founder ,
Arts Insight
I'll sum it up in three words: Expertise, versatility and experience
Sarah Enuwhure
Account Manager,
Curva Digital Ltd
Kara has really become a part of our team. She has been meticulous in following up with the other side and is extremely proactive in reviewing our lease agreements. I liked that we were always working with Kara on every occasion, she understands our business goals and that was very important to us when seeking legal advice.
Florence Roosendaal
Head of Expansion and Projects,
The Park Playground
Harper James is a brilliant example of a company disrupting a traditional industry. Suddenly Solicitors become relevant and accessible for start-ups & small enterprises, with the best in-class knowledge of all major legal areas. I’ve used the business now for a year, and the Enable plan has been perfect for budgeting my company’s outgoings, and has given me a piece of mind when tackling key, decisive issues. Thank-you HJS!
Koral Ibrahim
Founder & MD,
The Ready House
Friendly, knowledgeable and efficient. Harper James Solicitors have provided invaluable advice and the necessary instruments to raise capital from investors for our startup. The firm will remain as our solicitors of choice for the future.
Ellis Lynas
CEO,
LynasMedia
Really easy to engage your services, timely responses, nice to get advice from specialists within their field.
Will Coleman
Artistic Director,
Golden Tree Productions
Fast, flexible access to specialists.
Derek Moore
CEO and Co-Founder,
Coffee & TV
Sarah was incredibly responsive to my e-mails and was accurate with rough timelines for completion. She was also very approachable and down to earth on an agreement that contains a lot of jargon and isn't that user friendly for people from a non legal background. She also took the time to get to know the purpose the document will be used for to make it accurate and legally binding.
Steph Darrah
Business Development Manager,
Playtonic Limited
Harper James has been invaluable. They drafted the relevant agreements and gave us sound legal advice in an area that we did not have prior experience in. As a start-up, having advice and feedback from an organisation that specialises in early-stage enterprises was instrumental in us having the confidence to push forward with our product
Dean Bryan
Co-Founder,
Yyoma
Jas did an excellent job in pulling together what was a complex deal, not least because it involved co-ordinating parties in America, the UK and at the British Business Bank. But her perseverance and willingness to get the job done for us shone through and we were very impressed by the standard of service we received.
Peter Gerwe
Investor,
Storyfirst
As a small team, we’ve been so grateful for the support Harper James has given us over the last year at what was a pivotal moment in our business journey.
Jessica Valsler
Senior Project Account Manager,
Creative Lives in Progress
The help we’ve received from Harper James to move our operations online gives us real peace of mind knowing we’ve done everything correctly for our new community of learners.
Laura Berridge
Founder ,
Arts Insight
I'll sum it up in three words: Expertise, versatility and experience
Sarah Enuwhure
Account Manager,
Curva Digital Ltd
Kara has really become a part of our team. She has been meticulous in following up with the other side and is extremely proactive in reviewing our lease agreements. I liked that we were always working with Kara on every occasion, she understands our business goals and that was very important to us when seeking legal advice.
Florence Roosendaal
Head of Expansion and Projects,
The Park Playground
Creative industry solicitors experts
Creative industry solicitors with sector expertise
Our solicitors have all been recruited from top 100 law firms or international businesses, and come with a wealth of experience and expertise in all areas of the creative sector. Our team spans several legal practice areas, so whatever legal advice you need, we have a business solicitor with experience advising creative businesses and able to deal with your needs quickly and cost-effectively.
Some of their previous work within the creative/arts sector includes:
- Renegotiating a well-known children’s book illustrator’s relationship with his publishing company leading to greatly increased revenues from merchandising, theatrical and TV productions
- Consumer product personalisation and brand merchandise deals for major children’s TV characters
- Acting for a number of fashion designers throughout London Fashion Week
- Acting for high end shoe designers on cases of intellectual property infringements
Pricing and service plans
Legal support designed
to fit your business needs
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:
Engage
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.
Enable
Purpose built legal support for start-ups and smaller businesses
Monthly subscription plan for £215 per month, with £145 monthly credit and access to all legal services at 50% discount on our Standard Rates.
Extend
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 34% discount on our Standard Rates.