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Business Legal Services
Commercial Law Solicitors
Service overview: Commercial legal services
- Our Commercial Law Team specialise in advising on and drafting a wide variety of agreements that businesses enter into on a daily basis.
- This includes agreements for a wide range of industries and business types: from sole traders to SMEs; OMBs and large corporations, including PLCs.
- Our Commercial Law experts can assist on a broad range of contracts and transactions such as agency agreements, joint venture agreements and commercial contracts. Find a full list of our services below.
- Whatever your agreement, proposal or issue the Harper James Commercial Team are well equipped to advise swiftly, pragmatically and with your business needs in mind.
- Along with advising on commercial arrangements our corporate team can assist with your business structure and governance.
- Our commercial solicitors have all been recruited from top 100 firms or inhouse at international companies, and several specialise in both commercial and corporate law.
Experts in commercial law
Our team can assist you across all areas of commercial law, including:
What we do: Commercial law practice areas
Everything that your business does hinges on its ability to understand and manage the commitments, potential risks and timescales of the agreements it enter into. These will often be influenced by industry or sector so being able to rely on someone who understands your challenges and fight your corner is essential.
Our commercial team is the largest and most varied of all our business legal support services. We support all businesses, no matter their shape or size, to trade (under English and Welsh law) and go about their daily activities. Our commercial solicitors can advise you on a variety of commercial trading and business arrangements including:
- Agency agreements
- Collaboration agreements
- Commercial contracts
- Confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements (NDAs)
- Consultancy agreements
- Copyright, trademarks and IPR advice and agreements
- Data Protection
- Exploitation
- Franchising
- IT contracts
- Joint venture agreements
- Lease, hire and maintenance
- Licences
- Partnerships
- Reseller agreements
- SaaS agreements
- Service agreements
- Sponsorship agreements
- Subcontractor agreements
- Supplier/Purchase contracts
- Terms of business
Who we help
We advise a wide range of companies and business owners in the UK, ranging from high growth companies, start-ups and investors, to medium-sized enterprises. across multiple sectors on how to make effective commercial decisions – focusing on the issues that matter to you.
We have an in-depth and comprehensive understanding of commercial law and are able to assess, prepare and negotiate all forms of your business arrangements.
Testimonials
What our clients say
We make it possible for businesses to focus on doing rather than be bogged down in the legals. Our clients have peace of mind knowing that we’re not just hear to tick a box or provide a one size fits all ‘solution’.
The on-demand service we get from Harper James allows us to combine their expertise with that of our own in-house counsel. It means we can get quick and trustworthy legal advice from specialists in every legal area, as and when we need it. There are no hidden extras and the service we have received has always demonstrated an awareness of our fast-moving commercial requirements.
Amelia Guilfoyle
Head of legal,
Zoopla
Our solicitor is a pleasure to work with - very commercial and usually quick to turn around. I am looking forward to working more with her and to her becoming an "external" extension of my commercial legal team!
Natalie Salunke
Vice President & Head of Legal,
AllStar Business Solutions
We rely on Harper James to provide us with support across a full range of service areas, from commercial contracts and employment issues to fundraisings and investments. The team at Harper James are always available to provide us with cost effective, pragmatic and commercially focused advice.
Nick Holzherr
CEO,
Whisk.com
Harper James provide a cost effective, responsive and versatile service and provide us with access to legal teams that are experienced, commercially focused and well-resourced. Most importantly they are extremely familiar with the SME market and know the venture capital sector well.
Roger Woods
Owner and Director,
MidVen
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
Harper James has been the ideal law firm for Paragraf because of the flexibility that’s built into the on-demand subscription package. With HJ, I have all the legal expertise and answers I need at the end of an email. We have ambitious plans to fulfil, pushing our product lines overseas and bringing graphene electronics to the masses. There’s no better partner to help us get there than Harper James.
Cathy Cranton
Financial Director,
Paragraf
How engaged, knowledgeable and personal HJ lawyers are. They offer pragmatic and practical advise with a quick turnaround.
Barbara Opala
General Counsel,
Norton Motorcycle Co.
It's been fantastic - I've worked with 3 lawyers to date (commercial, incentive, employment) and all three have been very competent in their areas.
The value for money is unbeatable - I have already recommended it to another start up who plans to reach out shortly.
Colin Blakely
Head of Finance,
Qargo Tech Limited
Knowing that we have Harper James to help us through complex situations and difficult negotiations is very reassuring. Sarah knows our business inside out and we can rely on her to provide clear and timely commercial advice.
And on the odd occasion that we’ve needed help through a dispute, Ian Carson has always stepped in and dealt with the situation before it gets out of hand.
Nick Thompson
CEO,
One Beyond
The on-demand service we get from Harper James allows us to combine their expertise with that of our own in-house counsel. It means we can get quick and trustworthy legal advice from specialists in every legal area, as and when we need it. There are no hidden extras and the service we have received has always demonstrated an awareness of our fast-moving commercial requirements.
Amelia Guilfoyle
Head of legal,
Zoopla
Our solicitor is a pleasure to work with - very commercial and usually quick to turn around. I am looking forward to working more with her and to her becoming an "external" extension of my commercial legal team!
Natalie Salunke
Vice President & Head of Legal,
AllStar Business Solutions
We rely on Harper James to provide us with support across a full range of service areas, from commercial contracts and employment issues to fundraisings and investments. The team at Harper James are always available to provide us with cost effective, pragmatic and commercially focused advice.
Nick Holzherr
CEO,
Whisk.com
Harper James provide a cost effective, responsive and versatile service and provide us with access to legal teams that are experienced, commercially focused and well-resourced. Most importantly they are extremely familiar with the SME market and know the venture capital sector well.
Roger Woods
Owner and Director,
MidVen
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
Harper James has been the ideal law firm for Paragraf because of the flexibility that’s built into the on-demand subscription package. With HJ, I have all the legal expertise and answers I need at the end of an email. We have ambitious plans to fulfil, pushing our product lines overseas and bringing graphene electronics to the masses. There’s no better partner to help us get there than Harper James.
Cathy Cranton
Financial Director,
Paragraf
How engaged, knowledgeable and personal HJ lawyers are. They offer pragmatic and practical advise with a quick turnaround.
Barbara Opala
General Counsel,
Norton Motorcycle Co.
It's been fantastic - I've worked with 3 lawyers to date (commercial, incentive, employment) and all three have been very competent in their areas.
The value for money is unbeatable - I have already recommended it to another start up who plans to reach out shortly.
Colin Blakely
Head of Finance,
Qargo Tech Limited
Knowing that we have Harper James to help us through complex situations and difficult negotiations is very reassuring. Sarah knows our business inside out and we can rely on her to provide clear and timely commercial advice.
And on the odd occasion that we’ve needed help through a dispute, Ian Carson has always stepped in and dealt with the situation before it gets out of hand.
Nick Thompson
CEO,
One Beyond
Why choose our commercial solicitors?
As experienced commercial solicitors, we understand that your business decisions need to be supported by legally water-tight agreements that enable you to capitalise on opportunities while minimising legal risks.
We have an in-depth and comprehensive understanding of commercial law and are able to assess, prepare and negotiate all forms of your business arrangements.
Our commercial lawyers have all worked in top 100 law firms or in house at international businesses, so you can be assured of their commercial law experience. You can find out more about our commercial team here
Pricing plans
Legal support designed
to fit your business needs
Our three transparent pricing packages are designed to give you the widest possible access to high-quality legal advice, whatever the size and nature of your business:
City
Straightforward access to senior solicitors at a competitive rate.
An affordable solution for businesses needing one-off legal support. Receive ‘City’ partner-level expertise at a fraction of ‘City’ prices.
Enterprise
Have legal peace of mind for £189 per month with additional support from £125 per hour.
A monthly subscription legal support package specifically designed for start-ups and smaller businesses.
On-Demand
Providing you with priority access to a dedicated panel of highly experienced solicitors.
Fully account managed quarterly subscription service for businesses with more complex legal needs.
Examples of our work
Commercial FAQs
Is commercial law different to business law or company law?
Commercial law is part of company law, or business law, as it deals with the legal arrangements that govern a business’s commercial transactions, for example, agreements about how the company provides goods and services.
Is commercial law different from corporate law?
Yes. They are both branches of business law. Commercial law concerns how a business interacts with third parties in the course of providing its goods or services. That means it concerns contracts and agreements with third parties, and any disputes arising out of them. Corporate law is more about the internal lifecycle of a company and its people, so it deals more in formations and dissolutions.
What experience do our commercial lawyers have?
Our commercial lawyers have all worked in top 100 law practices, or as in-house legal counsel at large international companies. They are truly City-grade lawyers with rich legal pedigrees including CMS Cameron McKenna, DLA Piper, Edge & Ellison, SJ Berwin and Reed Smith. Their clients and inhouse positions include global companies in a vast range of sectors and industries, from engineering, finance and software, to media, sports and education.
Why should I use a specialist commercial solicitor instead of a normal solicitor?
Business transactions and agreements are very different from ‘private client’ work in other areas of law, and require specialist knowledge and experience. It’s important to instruct not just a business solicitor, but a business solicitor who specialises in contractual law and agreements? Most likely, your business is your livelihood. So why risk your business with solicitors who don’t specialise in the legal work needed to protect it?