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Sectors
Life Sciences Lawyers
Life sciences law
Our multi-disciplinary life sciences legal team has specific sector experience, and our life sciences lawyers cover a range of areas such as risk assessment and management, manufacturing and supply chain issues, compliance review and advice including product liability, intellectual property issues and the development of IP strategies, data protection and GDPR advice, licensing and contractual issues, financial advice and mergers and acquisitions, as well as disputes and litigation management.
We have particular experience in funding and financial matters including venture capital and equity funding.
As a non-traditional law firm with a modern approach, our focus and specialism has always been on market disruptors and high growth companies, so we work with a number of university spin outs specialising in the clinical and life sciences sectors.
Our life science solicitors provide legal advice to existing businesses, as well as inventors who wish to find new opportunities to exploit their ideas and want the dedicated support of a life sciences lawyer.
Our offices are in Sheffield, Birmingham, Cambridge 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 life science businesses cover
What our life sciences lawyers do
The highly regulated field of life sciences, comprising the development of new medical and diagnostic devices, medtech, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology, is as complex as it is fast-paced.
Such a rapidly-changing area requires its advisors to have a depth of current as well as historic knowledge and an understanding of the latest technology. Our life sciences lawyers come from a variety of backgrounds, with considerable experience advising on the wide range of matters that are particular to this discipline.
We understand that it’s essential to place commercial realities at the heart of their advice in the life sciences field, at the same time as having an in-depth appreciation of the science and technology that underpins the sector. Some of our life sciences solicitors have worked in-house in life sciences companies, and have extensive experience in advising clients from start-ups to publicly quoted companies, academic and research institutes like universities and other R&D organisations.
Harper James life sciences solicitors have experience in the following areas:
- Biotech related issues such as compliance and regulatory matters
- Medical devices, diagnostics and medtech, including IP, product compliance and product liability matters and R&D, and the regulation of medtech and devices
- Legal issues arising in pharmacy/pharmaceuticals/pharma businesses including commercial disputes
- Contractual relationships with regulatory bodies
- Partnership/practice agreements for organisations in the medical and pharmaceuticals fields
- Partnership/practice disputes
- Fundraising and venture capital issues
- Service-sharing agreements in the public and private sectors and collaboration agreements
- NHS and private healthcare issues relating to life science law
- Advising universities on their R&D, including spinning out commercial ventures
- Advising dental practices on commercial and developmental matters
- Public procurement
- Manufacturing issues in the life sciences field and the implementation of new technology
Legal advice for life sciences businesses and businesses dealing with the life sciences sector
Whether you are an inventor of a new device or product and are looking for a life sciences lawyer to advise on IP protection or the establishment of a manufacturing network, are already in production and have supply chain or contractual/licensing issues or are seeking new finance, or more generally want a life science solicitor to help you understand the maze of regulatory issues arising in the field of pharmaceuticals or biotechnology, get in touch.
You may be a scientist entrepreneur with a new idea, having issues with manufacturing your device or supply chain issues, be concerned about protecting your intellectual property or have an IP dispute, want advice on contracts and commercial issues, or involved in a transaction like a merger or acquisition.
Equally, you may work within the NHS or other public sector body and seeking to collaborate or share services with another in a similar field, or be a university looking to set up a commercial body to exploit ideas. We have individual life science lawyers and multi-disciplinary teams to assist you.
Technical knowledge and expertise
As well as providing specialist legal advice in the life sciences sector, our life sciences solicitors have experience and technical knowledge to assist in matters such as:
We can help in relation to R&D, collaboration and shared services agreements, licensing and supply agreements, technology transfer, manufacture and clinical trial agreements.
We can advise on setting up life sciences companies, funding and venture capital advice to start ups and existing companies, funding rounds, mergers & acquisitions.
We can help develop an IP strategy for your technology and life sciences business. We also have experience advising on privacy, data protection, and GDPR.
Regulation and compliance.
We can assist companies in the life sciences field, including advising on alleged breaches and resolving disputes with regulators, as well as product liability advice.
Testimonials
What our clients say
Harper James provides my small growing business with a scalable, reliable, team-oriented approach to legal advice. Whenever we face a problem, I know that Harper James are there to provide helpful and cost-effective advice, to scope out the options, make clear the costs and risks, and give me the information I need to make decisions.
Bryn Richards
CEO,
Aeristech
As a University spin-out getting the right team of lawyers to support our emerging business was fundamental and the team are always available to provide us with the invaluable guidance and support we require.
David Hodgson
CEO,
Amalyst
Our longstanding relationship has enabled us to get deals over the line quickly and efficiently, with minimum fuss or kickback from opposing lawyers representing the companies we’re investing in. I find the legal team at Harper James efficient, smart and personable. Speed is of the essence for early stage investing and Harper James recognises this and acts accordingly.
Kieran Hill
COO,
Ascension Ventures
The team at Harper James have demonstrated time and again that they have a deep understanding of the issues facing entrepreneurial businesses and their funding.
Charles Smith
Director,
Interpac Limited
They adopted a proactive approach to overcoming issues, and their knowledge of the sector and investors and preparedness to identify novel solutions has proved extremely beneficial.
Charles Smith
Director,
Interpac Limited
Harper James swiftly solves problems with a minimum of fuss. I strongly recommend them and they are a pleasure to work with.
Jean de Fougerolles
CEO,
Ascension Ventures
Harper James provides my small growing business with a scalable, reliable, team-oriented approach to legal advice. Whenever we face a problem, I know that Harper James are there to provide helpful and cost-effective advice, to scope out the options, make clear the costs and risks, and give me the information I need to make decisions.
Bryn Richards
CEO,
Aeristech
As a University spin-out getting the right team of lawyers to support our emerging business was fundamental and the team are always available to provide us with the invaluable guidance and support we require.
David Hodgson
CEO,
Amalyst
Our longstanding relationship has enabled us to get deals over the line quickly and efficiently, with minimum fuss or kickback from opposing lawyers representing the companies we’re investing in. I find the legal team at Harper James efficient, smart and personable. Speed is of the essence for early stage investing and Harper James recognises this and acts accordingly.
Kieran Hill
COO,
Ascension Ventures
The team at Harper James have demonstrated time and again that they have a deep understanding of the issues facing entrepreneurial businesses and their funding.
Charles Smith
Director,
Interpac Limited
They adopted a proactive approach to overcoming issues, and their knowledge of the sector and investors and preparedness to identify novel solutions has proved extremely beneficial.
Charles Smith
Director,
Interpac Limited
Harper James swiftly solves problems with a minimum of fuss. I strongly recommend them and they are a pleasure to work with.
Jean de Fougerolles
CEO,
Ascension Ventures
Life science lawyers with sector expertise
As a law firm specialising in life sciences, we understand the ethical, commercial and scientific context within which legal issues arise in the sector, as well as the wider budgetary constraints it faces. Each life sciences lawyer within our practice is highly skilled and knowledgeable about these issues, and brings a practical and commercial approach, enabling you to bring new products to market and fully exploit your innovative ideas, safe in the knowledge that your valuable life sciences legal assets are protected.
Our solicitors come with a rich and varied background of life sciences sector experience. Examples of their previous work includes:
- Acting for large universities in successfully defending a number of claims for discrimination, unfair dismissal, whistleblowing and breach of contract claims.
- Advising on a new activity tracker specific to the healthcare market, from patent registrations, industry-specific regulations, consumer trials and putting the legal documentation in place for the operation of the company.
- Resolving partnership disputes between healthcare professionals, often arising from clinical issues.
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.