Business Legal Services
Employment Law
Our employment solicitors know employment law inside out. We support employers with all aspects of employment, from drafting policies to defending employment claims.
Your people are often your biggest asset, but if employment goes wrong, it can cost you time, money and stress. Put yourself on the right track from the start and let our industry-leading employment experts take the hassle out of your HR.
Our employment law solicitors can support your business with:
Absence and sickness management
Effective sickness absence management protects both your people and your business. Our employment law solicitors can help you implement robust policies and handle tricky cases with confidence, balancing empathy for your people with the needs of your business.
Business immigration
Navigating the latest rules in business immigration law can be complex and time-consuming. If you need help hiring talent from outside the UK, our specialist business immigration solicitors can guide you from recruitment through all stages of the employment relationship.
Defending Employment Tribunal claims
Our Employment Tribunal experts will be by your side for every step of the process. We’ll quickly get to grips with case background and agree a strategy with you. We can draft ET3 defence forms, organise representation and take care of the overall process and documentation. Our expertise in agreeing settlements means we can also carry out sensitive negotiations for you.
Employment status and IR35
Understanding employment status is critical. Whether you engage contractors through personal service companies or hire freelancers directly, misclassifying their status can expose your business to unexpected tax liabilities and employment rights claims.
Employment contracts and staff handbooks
Clear, well-drafted employment contracts and staff handbooks are the backbone of healthy working relationships. Our employment solicitors can help you create robust, legally compliant contracts that protect your business and set clear expectations from day one.
Employee share schemes
Our extensive knowledge of employee share schemes allows us to recommend the best scheme for your staff and circumstances. We’ll factor your budget and any regulation compliance into our solutions.
HR policies and procedures
Getting your policies and procedures right is essential to protect your business and support your people. Our employment solicitors combine deep legal knowledge with practical, real-world experience to help you create fair, clear, and robust policies tailored to your needs. We’ll guide you on what to include, how to implement it, and how to keep everything up to date, giving you peace of mind and a stronger foundation for your business.
HR and employment law training
We can provide tailored training to help your business identify, manage, resolve and prevent employment related issues in the workplace and stay up-to-date on the ever-changing UK employment laws.
HR compliance audit
Follow best practice, identify missing documents, ensure compliance with current employment legislation and avoid costly disputes with an HR Audit. This is a fixed fee service conducted by senior employment solicitors.
Managing disciplinary and grievance procedures
Making sure your disciplinary and grievance procedures are clear, compliant and protect your business is an important job that our specialists can manage for you. A general review of your employment policies, procedures and contracts can reduce grievances and staff issues. We can also advise on the best way to handle the disciplinary and grievance process.
Redundancies and business reorganisation
We understand how hard it is to reorganise your business or make redundancies. Talk to our experts early on in the process and let us guide you through the practicalities and legalities of a correct and fair redundancy process.
Senior employee exits
Senior employee departures can be high-risk moments for your business. Whether you’re negotiating an amicable exit or handling a contentious dismissal, careful planning is vital to protect your commercial interests, confidential information, and reputation.
Settlement agreements
Our experienced employment solicitors can draft settlement agreements, make settlement proposals and negotiate these on your behalf.
Sexual Harassment Compliance Support
Tackling workplace harassment isn’t just a legal obligation; it’s a business imperative. Our employment lawyers help you put the right policies, training, and procedures in place to prevent sexual harassment and meet your new proactive duty under the law.
Transactions and TUPE advice
TUPE transfers can make managing people through business sales or service changes complex. Our employment solicitors provide practical, commercial advice to help you protect your business, stay compliant, and support a smooth transition for your workforce.
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 6,500 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.
How can our employment law solicitors make a difference to your business?
Save time and money
Employment law is constantly evolving, so we stay up to date so you don’t have to, saving you time and reducing compliance risks. Early advice on your policies, procedures, and employee issues can help prevent costly problems later.
Lessen the risk of future employment claims
Getting us involved early on can resolve workplace issues quickly and reduce the risk of Employment Tribunal claims. Claims are not only costly but also disruptive and damaging to your reputation.
Recruit and retain productive employees
Finding the right people – and keeping them – is vital to any business. Fair, transparent, and well-structured talent policies help attract and keep the best people.
We’ve also produced lots of useful resources and advice on legal matters for employers in the employment law area of our Knowledge Hub.
Who we help
We work with employers of all sizes, from ambitious start-ups and growing scale-ups to established national brands. Whether you’re a founder or manager of a small team and need help putting the right HR foundations in place, or you’re and HR director managing complex people issues across multiple sites, we’ll tailor our support to your business. We understand that no two organisations are the same, which is why our advice is always shaped around your goals, your challenges and how you work.
And because we operate remotely, we can support businesses across the UK – quickly, efficiently, and without fuss.
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
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 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
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
Harper James have been a pleasure to work with. We dealt with another firm before approaching them who we had to leave because they were too slow and unresponsive. By the time we met Harper James we were urgently needing to progress quickly. They turned our project around at lightning speed for us and saved the day. Thank you!
Adam Bateman
Director,
Push Security Ltd
Over the years Harper James have helped us navigate complex legal issues and red tape, providing distilled options and legal consultancy that far exceeds the service levels we’ve previously experienced from more traditional law firms. The team act like our own in-house counsel so, regardless of which lawyer we work with, we feel supported and that they truly have our best interests at heart.
Michael Edwards
Co-Founder,
Inspire Group
Quite frankly I was stunned at the low cost of the service given the value it provided us.
Dr Matthew Carr
CEO,
Luffy.ai
Harper James never fail to impress with the speed and efficiency of their service, no matter the query. The team are friendly, knowledgeable and always on hand.
Karis Walker
Project Managing Officer,
Thyssenkrupp
For us, the support of Harper James Solicitors has been a gift. The collaboration we have had has been of tremendous importance. The service has been superb value for money.
Iraklis Bourantas
COO,
Novoville
We often need legal advice quickly, especially during sales with new customers, and Rob is very responsive and always available for meetings. When I was looking for a law firm, I wanted that full range of services, as I knew we’d need advice outside of the tech remit. The flexibility has been really positive.
Ivan Harding
CEO and Co-Founder,
Applaud
Harper James have been incredibly professional and responsive. They immediately understood the challenges we have. Not only those of any small business, but those relating to building a piece of complex tech, and they have been able to help us navigate that from a legal perspective.
Alastair MacGregor
Founder,
Do IT
Harper James removes the stress for us. I know that we can get advice quickly, without some sort of golden clock being turned on when you pick up the phone. This means we can focus on running the business.
Tom Davenport
Co-Founder,
TalentPool
We initially turned to Harper James for help in one part of our business but quickly realised we could benefit from their support in other areas too. The level of service has been impressive. What I like about Harper James is they seem to take a proactive approach to legal services provision. They’ve looked at our business and made suggestions as to areas where they can best focus their support and expertise. It is reassuring to have a legal services provider like that working alongside you.
Heidi Ayton
Chief of Compliance,
Croud
Harper James are our trusted legal adviser and having them by our side at key moments in our business growth, knowing we are protected, is immensely reassuring.
Chris Mason
CEO,
Namos Solutions
Experience of your team and how they make it simple to understand the options and what is required.
Value for money.
Paul Smith
COO,
Incuto
Stephen was very helpful, pragmatic and where appropriate, entertaining. We were grateful for the way Stephen advised us in layman’s terms, showing patience to ensure we understood the transaction and were able to move to completion. I value the relationship we have developed with Harper James over the last few years and would recommend them to others.
Jon Arcos
Founder & CEO,
Axis Spine Technologies
As an extend client with Harper James I like the assurance of having a legal services provider which is there as and when the business needs it.
Will Richardson
CEO,
Wayland Additive
The team at Harper James has got to know our business over 3 years and is super responsive, adaptable and versatile to our needs. The lawyers are helpful and just really nice people who we’ve come to trust.
Aela Callan
Co-founder,
Head Set Studio Limited
Harper James is the right fit for us, I was attracted to the firm by the experience and reputation of their large team of specialist solicitors. And best of all, I have this support at a price point that’s very competitive compared to their competition.
Andrew Worsley
Chairman,
Harbour Healthcare
Ease of use, a familiar legal team supporting my business who understand my business, and provide value for money.
Daniel Lawrence
CEO,
Bots For That Ltd
Always a very efficient service, communication is also excellent. Feel in safe hands.
Kate Fraser
Compliance Manager,
Premier Education Group
I was put in contact with Ella Bond about an employment issue. Ella was most helpful. She always responded to my emails quickly and gave us some options to think about to try to solve the matter. Thank you Ella.
Jo Phillibrown
Office Manager,
Ascend Broking Group Ltd
Harper James has been instrumental in our growth and success. Their expert guidance has transformed the way we operate, enabling us to implement best practices across various areas of our business. Thanks to their support, we now operate with a level of maturity and sophistication that sets us apart from other organisations of our size.
Nick Clapham
Managing Director,
VirtueUK
The Enable plan is such a great fit for an organisation like ours. It gives us the benefit of tapping into different experts when we need them, helping our business grow.
Nick Clapham
Managing Director,
VirtueUK
The employment team, particularly Sean Walsh, has been instrumental in providing real-time advice on the challenges that arise with a rapidly growing team
Raj Batra
Founder,
Diistil
The teams have been incredibly efficient. They're not only easy to communicate with, but also highly knowledgeable, and consistently able to meet even tight deadlines. What truly sets Harper James apart is the access we have to a comprehensive range of legal experts – spanning employment law, commercial law, and data protection – all within an affordable subscription model that offers greater flexibility. This allows us to implement processes and put appropriate measures in place, without the typical charging constraints of a traditional law firm.
Raj Batra
Founder,
Diistil
For any small business looking for the right law firm to guide you through an acquisition I would highly recommend Harper James. My personal experience was with Matt Shakesheff who looked after my sale and passed me over to their team who looked over my new contract of employment as I was staying with my buyer for a 2 year handover. They delivered on budget and on time.
Richard William Turbutt
Director,
CorroGuard
In my experience, solicitors speak a completely different language than anybody else, which can be confusing – especially if the matter at hand is a stressful topic. Simon and the team’s advice has been invaluable. They are solution-driven and didn’t quote the law at us but took the time to deliver advice clearly and concisely, making the legal position easy to understand.
Petra Felgen
UK & Ireland’s Managing Director,
CEWE
Getting in touch with a law firm with diverse expertise for a gap analysis is vital - there are often areas requiring legal input that you might not anticipate. The solicitors at Harper James have taken the time to understand our business model and create specific contracts that have helped us unlock partnerships with large groups
Dr Charles Carslake
Co-founder and CEO,
Vet Vision AI
Excellent service!
Incredibly helpful with their advice and practical options at every stage. They communicated clearly and quickly, including outside of normal working hours over Christmas.
I highly recommend using Harper James, we certainly will use them again in the future
Sara Thompson
HR Advisor,
AKG
I recently worked with Simon at Harper James Solicitors on an employment law case, and I couldn't be more impressed with their service. Simon was incredibly responsive and proactive, always thinking several steps ahead and providing expert guidance throughout the process. He clearly explained complex legal matters in a way that was easy to understand, and I felt confident in his expertise and advice.
Minogue Wong
General Manager,
Zung Leon UK
We have worked with Harper James for a number of years now and it works really well for us as a business in that we can access their diverse team easily depending on our requirement at that time. They are a great team and good to work with.
Sarah Booth
Commercial Director,
Caterers Choice
I have worked with HJ for the past five years primarily on employment matters, including immigration/visas. The employment team are always readily available and responsive and have worked with us on some very challenging matters through to conclusion. Myself and my team always appreciate Simon, Ella and Shaun's pragmatic approach to situations that align with the best strategic outcomes. A sense of humour is always very welcomed given the demanding nature that specific situations can generate.
Siobhan Wright
Chief People Officer,
Trust Payments
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
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 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
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
Harper James have been a pleasure to work with. We dealt with another firm before approaching them who we had to leave because they were too slow and unresponsive. By the time we met Harper James we were urgently needing to progress quickly. They turned our project around at lightning speed for us and saved the day. Thank you!
Adam Bateman
Director,
Push Security Ltd
Over the years Harper James have helped us navigate complex legal issues and red tape, providing distilled options and legal consultancy that far exceeds the service levels we’ve previously experienced from more traditional law firms. The team act like our own in-house counsel so, regardless of which lawyer we work with, we feel supported and that they truly have our best interests at heart.
Michael Edwards
Co-Founder,
Inspire Group
Quite frankly I was stunned at the low cost of the service given the value it provided us.
Dr Matthew Carr
CEO,
Luffy.ai
Harper James never fail to impress with the speed and efficiency of their service, no matter the query. The team are friendly, knowledgeable and always on hand.
Karis Walker
Project Managing Officer,
Thyssenkrupp
For us, the support of Harper James Solicitors has been a gift. The collaboration we have had has been of tremendous importance. The service has been superb value for money.
Iraklis Bourantas
COO,
Novoville
We often need legal advice quickly, especially during sales with new customers, and Rob is very responsive and always available for meetings. When I was looking for a law firm, I wanted that full range of services, as I knew we’d need advice outside of the tech remit. The flexibility has been really positive.
Ivan Harding
CEO and Co-Founder,
Applaud
Harper James have been incredibly professional and responsive. They immediately understood the challenges we have. Not only those of any small business, but those relating to building a piece of complex tech, and they have been able to help us navigate that from a legal perspective.
Alastair MacGregor
Founder,
Do IT
Harper James removes the stress for us. I know that we can get advice quickly, without some sort of golden clock being turned on when you pick up the phone. This means we can focus on running the business.
Tom Davenport
Co-Founder,
TalentPool
We initially turned to Harper James for help in one part of our business but quickly realised we could benefit from their support in other areas too. The level of service has been impressive. What I like about Harper James is they seem to take a proactive approach to legal services provision. They’ve looked at our business and made suggestions as to areas where they can best focus their support and expertise. It is reassuring to have a legal services provider like that working alongside you.
Heidi Ayton
Chief of Compliance,
Croud
Harper James are our trusted legal adviser and having them by our side at key moments in our business growth, knowing we are protected, is immensely reassuring.
Chris Mason
CEO,
Namos Solutions
Experience of your team and how they make it simple to understand the options and what is required.
Value for money.
Paul Smith
COO,
Incuto
Stephen was very helpful, pragmatic and where appropriate, entertaining. We were grateful for the way Stephen advised us in layman’s terms, showing patience to ensure we understood the transaction and were able to move to completion. I value the relationship we have developed with Harper James over the last few years and would recommend them to others.
Jon Arcos
Founder & CEO,
Axis Spine Technologies
As an extend client with Harper James I like the assurance of having a legal services provider which is there as and when the business needs it.
Will Richardson
CEO,
Wayland Additive
The team at Harper James has got to know our business over 3 years and is super responsive, adaptable and versatile to our needs. The lawyers are helpful and just really nice people who we’ve come to trust.
Aela Callan
Co-founder,
Head Set Studio Limited
Harper James is the right fit for us, I was attracted to the firm by the experience and reputation of their large team of specialist solicitors. And best of all, I have this support at a price point that’s very competitive compared to their competition.
Andrew Worsley
Chairman,
Harbour Healthcare
Ease of use, a familiar legal team supporting my business who understand my business, and provide value for money.
Daniel Lawrence
CEO,
Bots For That Ltd
Always a very efficient service, communication is also excellent. Feel in safe hands.
Kate Fraser
Compliance Manager,
Premier Education Group
I was put in contact with Ella Bond about an employment issue. Ella was most helpful. She always responded to my emails quickly and gave us some options to think about to try to solve the matter. Thank you Ella.
Jo Phillibrown
Office Manager,
Ascend Broking Group Ltd
Harper James has been instrumental in our growth and success. Their expert guidance has transformed the way we operate, enabling us to implement best practices across various areas of our business. Thanks to their support, we now operate with a level of maturity and sophistication that sets us apart from other organisations of our size.
Nick Clapham
Managing Director,
VirtueUK
The Enable plan is such a great fit for an organisation like ours. It gives us the benefit of tapping into different experts when we need them, helping our business grow.
Nick Clapham
Managing Director,
VirtueUK
The employment team, particularly Sean Walsh, has been instrumental in providing real-time advice on the challenges that arise with a rapidly growing team
Raj Batra
Founder,
Diistil
The teams have been incredibly efficient. They're not only easy to communicate with, but also highly knowledgeable, and consistently able to meet even tight deadlines. What truly sets Harper James apart is the access we have to a comprehensive range of legal experts – spanning employment law, commercial law, and data protection – all within an affordable subscription model that offers greater flexibility. This allows us to implement processes and put appropriate measures in place, without the typical charging constraints of a traditional law firm.
Raj Batra
Founder,
Diistil
For any small business looking for the right law firm to guide you through an acquisition I would highly recommend Harper James. My personal experience was with Matt Shakesheff who looked after my sale and passed me over to their team who looked over my new contract of employment as I was staying with my buyer for a 2 year handover. They delivered on budget and on time.
Richard William Turbutt
Director,
CorroGuard
In my experience, solicitors speak a completely different language than anybody else, which can be confusing – especially if the matter at hand is a stressful topic. Simon and the team’s advice has been invaluable. They are solution-driven and didn’t quote the law at us but took the time to deliver advice clearly and concisely, making the legal position easy to understand.
Petra Felgen
UK & Ireland’s Managing Director,
CEWE
Getting in touch with a law firm with diverse expertise for a gap analysis is vital - there are often areas requiring legal input that you might not anticipate. The solicitors at Harper James have taken the time to understand our business model and create specific contracts that have helped us unlock partnerships with large groups
Dr Charles Carslake
Co-founder and CEO,
Vet Vision AI
Excellent service!
Incredibly helpful with their advice and practical options at every stage. They communicated clearly and quickly, including outside of normal working hours over Christmas.
I highly recommend using Harper James, we certainly will use them again in the future
Sara Thompson
HR Advisor,
AKG
I recently worked with Simon at Harper James Solicitors on an employment law case, and I couldn't be more impressed with their service. Simon was incredibly responsive and proactive, always thinking several steps ahead and providing expert guidance throughout the process. He clearly explained complex legal matters in a way that was easy to understand, and I felt confident in his expertise and advice.
Minogue Wong
General Manager,
Zung Leon UK
We have worked with Harper James for a number of years now and it works really well for us as a business in that we can access their diverse team easily depending on our requirement at that time. They are a great team and good to work with.
Sarah Booth
Commercial Director,
Caterers Choice
I have worked with HJ for the past five years primarily on employment matters, including immigration/visas. The employment team are always readily available and responsive and have worked with us on some very challenging matters through to conclusion. Myself and my team always appreciate Simon, Ella and Shaun's pragmatic approach to situations that align with the best strategic outcomes. A sense of humour is always very welcomed given the demanding nature that specific situations can generate.
Siobhan Wright
Chief People Officer,
Trust Payments
Meet the team
Our solicitors aren’t just technically excellent, they’ve worked at some of the UK’s leading law firms and held senior in-house roles at fast-growing companies. This means they don’t just understand the law, they also understand how businesses actually work. We know the pressures you’re under, the risks you’re trying to manage, and the importance of finding practical, commercially sound solutions – fast. It’s this blend of high-calibre legal training and real-world business experience that sets our team apart.
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 £219 per month, with £149 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 36% discount on our Standard Rates.
