Firm profile
Over the last 60 years, we have acted on behalf of some of the most creative, talented, entrepreneurial and successful people, businesses and corporates across the Private Client and Technology, Media and Entertainment sectors. Our clients range from start-up businesses to multinational companies; early stage entrepreneurs to established industry leaders; and household names to private individuals. We pride ourselves on providing strategic and pro-active legal expertise that is delivered with industry insight and a commercial approach.
Examples of some of our clients include:
Take-Two Interactive; F1 Arcade; Square Enix; KFC; Stormzy; Little Simz; Queen; Universal; Virgin Group; National Theatre; Hunter; Victoria Beckham; Antler; Sir Richard Branson and King Charles III.
Main areas of work
As a full service firm we provide innovative and specialist advice on corporate, commercial, employment, family, finance, intellectual property, litigation, private wealth, property and tax law. We also advise on regulatory matters and the legal issues faced by organisations and individuals in the media spotlight, such as defamation, information protection, privacy and image rights. Our service consists of giving in-depth commercial advice to clients in all areas of the communications and creative industries including advertising, broadcasting, charity, digital media, fashion, film, music, publishing, sponsorship, sport, television, theatre and video games. As we have been at the centre of many of these industries’ largest and most high profile transactions and cases, we have a strong reputation for our work in these areas.
Training opportunities
During your two-year training contract with us, you will be given the opportunity to thrive in our key practice areas, spending six months in four different seats which include; commercial litigation, corporate, employment, family, film, TV & theatre, IP litigation, media & entertainment, media & information (defamation/privacy), private client, tax & immigration, property and technology, data & digital. Our smaller trainee intake coupled with the firm’s unique positioning to provide clients with an end-to-end service, gives our trainees quality exposure to many different parts of the business, providing invaluable commercial knowledge and ensuring they have responsibility for a full range of legal tasks.
Additionally, we host internal weekly seminar programmes in both legal topics and industry know-how. An open plan office space , personable friendly and collaborative culture and our pragmatic entrepreneurial approach to legal practice will provide a stimulating working environment.
Other benefits
Lunch provided daily; season ticket loans; private medical insurance, group personal pension scheme; 25 days holiday; ; cycle to work scheme; free on-site yoga, massage therapy and fitness classes; employee assistance scheme; monthly one-to-one wellness sessions.
Diversity, inclusion and wellbeingBy drawing on individual difference, entrepreneurialism and excellence in all its forms, Harbottle & Lewis aims to develop strong and enduring relationships with our clients, as well as sustainable and engaging careers for our people.
We are committed to promoting an inclusive and equitable place to work, where everyone feels valued, is empowered to express themselves authentically, and is given the opportunity to grow.
The firm is proud to have worked in partnership with Aspiring Solicitors since 2018. Aspiring Solicitors is an organisation that works with law firms to increase diversity in the legal professional through mentoring, employability assistance, competitions and events. In 2021, 100% of the trainees we recruited were members of Aspiring Solicitors and in 2022 this figure was 67%.
More recently, Harbottle & Lewis have partnered with Rare and in using their contextual recruitment system, the firm has been able to recruit exceptional people from disadvantaged backgrounds, improving social mobility within the firm.
Harbottle & Lewis has an extensive wellbeing programme which continues to evolve and expand. Free yoga, meditation and fitness classes for all abilities are offered daily. One-to-one wellness sessions with a registered psychotherapist are offered monthly along with wellbeing talks. Some topics include resilience, mindfulness and imposter syndrome.
