Business Legal Services
Software Licence Agreements
Protect your business with specialist legal advice and software licence agreements from solicitors who are experts in commercial technology.
Most businesses cannot operate without software. Signing up to a software licence that does not meet your business needs or exposes you to unexpected liabilities could be an expensive mistake to make. Our specialist solicitors take the time to understand your IT and business needs so that your software licence agreements meet your business requirements.
Experts in IT & commercial technology
In addition to drafting, negotiating and reviewing software licence agreements, our team can assist you across all areas of IT & commercial technology law, including:
Business protection by specialist software licence agreement solicitors
Our team of IT and commercial technology solicitors can support you with:
Advice on software licence agreement types
Such as Software as a Service (SaaS) or Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS).
Software disputes and resolution.
Business set up software for entrepreneurs
Including software as part of larger cloud-based services or multi-tenanted software solutions.
Bespoke customised, tailored or developed software and software licence agreements to meet your software needs on an agile or waterfall basis.
Software-related service agreements
For example, a master software and services agreement (MSSA).
Advice on managed services contracts for software and service level agreements.
Multi-office and international software requirements
Ensuring that there are no unexpected jurisdictional, Intellectual Property or licencing issues.
Copyright protection, patent, and design rights advice applicable to software.
Encryption of data in software services.
Software distribution agreements
Including value added re-sellers.
Data protection and security considerations with software services.
Software and IPR licensing considerations
Ensuring the software provider has the right to authorise the use the software in the jurisdictions in which your business operates with appropriate IPR indemnity in the event of a third-party claim.
Non-customised software licence agreements
As although your planned software may be off-the-shelf your software licence agreement still needs to meet your specific business needs.
Software agreements for professional services companies
With specific requirements on data security or compliance with regulatory bodies.
Tailoring software licence agreements to your requirements
You may think that a software licence agreement is a routine agreement but to protect your business you need the right legal advice on the agreement to ensure you understand the terms and that it meets the needs of your business.
We will work with you to understand your current and projected software licence needs and we will help answer the following questions when drafting your software licence agreement:
- Is the description of the software clearly defined in the agreement?
- What is the duration of the software licence agreement? Is it automatically renewed annually on payment of an annual licencing fee or is it for a fixed term?
- What is the extent of the software licence being granted? Is the licence exclusive or non-exclusive?
- How will your business access the software? Will additional services be provided such as online or in-person training and ongoing technical support?
- Are there any limits and restrictions on the use of the software, for example, the number of permitted users or the devices that the software can be installed on or the location? How does this impact on employee homeworking?
- What are the penalties for breach of the software licence agreement? Are the software user restrictions acceptable, taking into account your current and future business needs?
- What acts are permitted under the terms of the software licence agreement or under law? Are the rights clearly defined in the agreement? For example, the right to make a necessary back-up copy of the software in certain circumstances, or the right to decompile or the right to test the functioning of a programme?
- What is the functionality of the software and is there a record retained of the functionality at the time of the software licence agreement?
- Does the software licence agreement allow for the software to be configured for your business requirements? If not, will the proposed software meet the needs of the business?
- Will the software licence agreement contain a maintenance and support package? Does the agreement detail the minimum level of service?
- What warranties are included in the software licence agreement?
- What will happen if there are faults with the software or the minimum levels of service are not maintained? Does the software licence agreement limit the liabilities of the provider?
- Does the software licence agreement contain provision for service credits if service standards are not met? How are the service credits calculated? Is there a maximum level of service credits?
- Can your business sub-licence the software?
- Is there a mechanism for dispute resolution in the software licence agreement?
- Does the software licence agreement contain provisions for termination of the agreement? Are there any penalties for early termination?
Benefits of an expertly drafted software licence agreement
Competitive advantage
With the right software and software licence agreement in place, your employees should be able to work more efficiently leading to reduced costs and better results for your customers.
Access improved technology
With sector-specific research on your software needs you can access the latest technology and, depending on the nature of your business, benefit from multi-tenanted software systems so you get the IT you need at an affordable and cost-effective price.
Keep up to date
Most software licence agreements include regular software updates and some include additional support and training packages so you can keep up to date with the latest software advances to enable your business to maintain its competitive edge.
Finding the right legal partner
Why work with Harper James
Choose a legal partner you can trust: we’ll help protect your goals, your business and your people so you can move forward with confidence and focus on growing your business.
Affordable, transparent and predictable pricing
Clear itemised invoices, subscription plans with up to 50% discount, and fixed fee products help you plan and manage legal spend – with no nasty surprises.
Proven track record and measurable results
We’ve supported over 8,000 businesses since 2014, with an ‘Excellent’ rating on Trustpilot and a Net Promoter Score (NPS) of 60+ from monthly client surveys.
Straight-talking, responsive advice
We’re here to make things easier, not add complexity. That means fast response times, practical expert legal advice delivered in plain English, and dedicated client service and account management support.
Risk and compliance assured
We’re an SRA regulated firm, but more importantly, we build quality, data, and compliance best practice into everything we do.
Appointing a legal partner is a big decision. That’s why we’re open about our values, culture and model, so you can see what makes us tick. And because a productive partnership starts with understanding, we always begin with a conversation – listening to your goals, pressures and plans, then tailoring our support to fit.
Who we help: From start-ups to SMEs and established international companies
We support a wide range of UK-based clients from entrepreneurs to multi-nationals with all areas of legal support that a growing business could possibly need. Our aim is to make business legal services more accessible to ambitious entrepreneurs who may have previously found commercial legal support unattainable. When you call on the integrated team of solicitors at Harper James, we will quickly assess your requirements and tailor our approach to suit your business goals. No waiting around. No lengthy onboarding processes. We’ll get to the matter at hand swiftly, while ensuring you get tailored legal support from partner level solicitors with our cost-effective legal subscription plans.
Testimonials
What our clients say
Why choose Harper James Solicitors?
We know it can be difficult to negotiate the software licence agreement your business requires. Even if your business is in professional services or emerging technology, your IT function may not be used to analysing and reviewing software licence agreements to ensure that the terms are fit for purpose.
Our commercial technology solicitors provide easy-to-understand legal advice, working with your business to support you with all your commercial requirements so you can get the software agreement your business needs, leaving you to focus on expanding your business and getting the best out of your chosen software package. The Harper James commercial technology team has substantial experience in the preparation of software licence agreements and in software licence dispute resolution. We offer expert legal advice that is commercial, pragmatic and business-focused.
Plus our solicitors have been recruited from top 100 UK law firms or from large international businesses and have the experience and technical expertise to advise you, however complex your software licence requirements or whatever your level of technical knowledge and understanding. Find out more about the team here:
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 £239 per month, with £159 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 33% discount on our Standard Rates.
