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Author: Nikhita Sagar

Harbottle & Lewis advises Kord on $6.4 million series A round

Posted on by Nikhita Sagar

Harbottle & Lewis has advised Kord, formerly known as Checkboard, on its $6.4 million Series A funding round.

The investment was led by Guinness Ventures, with participation from Beringea, SFC Capital and a group of angel investors.

Founded by James Owusu in 2019, Kord is a UK-based fintech company which provides an end-to-end platform for firms in regulated industries, enabling seamless client onboarding, identity verification, compliance checks, document management and payment processing. Its innovative modular system addresses the inefficiencies of traditional fragmented legacy systems, offering a streamlined and secure solution for businesses.

Kord’s platform is already trusted by estate agents, law firms, conveyancers and financial services companies, helping them to mitigate fraud risks and improve operational efficiency. The Series A funding will enable Kord to accelerate its growth, expand its team, enhance product development and acquire new customers.

The Harbottle & Lewis team was led by partner Tom Macleod and managing associate Rosie Marston, with support from associate Suzie Hamilton.

On working with Harbottle & Lewis, Kord founder and CEO James Owusu said:

“Harbottle & Lewis provided high-quality support during this pivotal stage for Kord. They clearly have great expertise in handling fast-paced venture capital transactions and combine this with a very pragmatic approach. The team’s dedication and collaborative approach around the clock made them an invaluable partner and we’re excited to move forward with their guidance as the business grows.”

Commenting on the transaction, Tom Macleod at Harbottle & Lewis added:

“Supporting innovative companies like Kord on their growth journeys is always incredibly rewarding. This funding marks an exciting milestone for Kord as they continue to transform client onboarding and compliance processes for regulated industries. We are proud to have worked alongside James and the Kord team on this transaction and look forward to seeing their continued success as they scale their platform and expand their reach.”

Harbottle & Lewis advises Poolhouse on $55 million series A round

Posted on by Nikhita Sagar

Harbottle & Lewis has advised Poolhouse on its $55 million growth equity investment led by Bluestone Equity Partners, a global private equity firm focused on the sports, media and entertainment industry.

This Series A round represents the next significant step in Poolhouse’s trajectory and the round will be used to fund the continued global rollout of Poolhouse’s venues, as well as to expand BillyQ, Poolhouse’s proprietary vision-processing platform.

Co-founded by long-standing Harbottle & Lewis clients Steven and Dave Jolliffe (the founders of Topgolf and co-founders of Puttshack) alongside CEO Andrew O’Brien, Poolhouse brings a new dimension to social entertainment. By fusing the timeless game of pool with cutting-edge technology and world class hospitality, Poolhouse has quickly established itself as a standout name in the leisure and entertainment space.

Harbottle & Lewis has advised Poolhouse since the company’s inception, including on its $34 million seed funding round in 2025. The seed funding round was led by Sharp Alpha (a US leisure-focused venture capital investor) and DMG Ventures (DMGT’s consumer venture capital fund) and paved the way for the opening of the company’s highly anticipated flagship London venue at Liverpool Street.

The Harbottle & Lewis team was led by partner Tom Macleod and managing associate Rosie Marston, with support from associates Elizabeth Compton and Suzie Hamilton, and trainee solicitor Hugo Carter.

On working with Harbottle & Lewis, Poolhouse CEO Andrew O’Brien commented:

“Harbottle & Lewis has been a trusted adviser to Poolhouse since the company’s inception and has supported us through each important stage of our development. Tom, Rosie and the wider team went above and beyond throughout this transaction, combining excellent legal judgment with a genuine understanding of what matters to us as a business. Their commitment was exceptional, and we are extremely grateful for their continued support as we enter the next phase of Poolhouse’s growth.”

Commenting on the transaction, Tom Macleod said:

“We are delighted to have supported the Poolhouse team once again on this significant milestone. Having advised the business from its very earliest days and through its seed round last year, it is incredibly rewarding to see the company’s continued growth and momentum. We are excited to see what comes next.”

Broadened recognition for private wealth expertise in Chambers High Net Worth 2026 Guide

Posted on by Nikhita Sagar

Chambers and Partners has today published its High Net Worth 2026 Guide, in which we have received an increased spread of individual and departmental rankings across multiple practice areas.

In total, seven departments and 20 individuals have been recognised, with many achieving rankings in the higher bands.

Our rankings this year build upon our strong performances in recent guides. Notably, we have been ranked in the Private Wealth Disputes category for the first time, reflecting the growth in size and prominence of our contentious practice in recent years. Other highlights include an array of new and improved individual rankings for lawyers across multiple categories.

These results reflect the firm’s leading reputation for advising high net worth and ultra high net worth individuals, families and their businesses on their increasingly complex personal and commercial affairs.

The Chambers High Net Worth Guide identifies the leading law firms and advisers serving high net worth individuals and families. Based on extensive independent research and client feedback, it is regarded globally as a benchmark of excellence in the private wealth sector.

View the full rankings here.

Five partners recognised as leading family lawyers by Spear’s

Posted on by Nikhita Sagar

Five of our partners have once again been recommended by Spear’s as leading family lawyers for HNW and UHNW individuals in the 2026 Spear’s family law index, published today.

Senior partner Catherine Bedford has been recognised as Top Flight, Nicholas Westley and Mark Irving are Top Recommended, whilst Lidia Cantele and Alex Ward are Recommended. The index recognises the leading family lawyers advising on high value divorces, cohabitation disputes, child custody, nuptial agreements and mediation and is compiled using extensive data from advisers themselves, as well as submission forms, nominations, peer reviews, data from third-party sources, references, recommendations and hundreds of interviews.

You can see the index in full here.

Marriage counselling for the client-lawyer relationship: building trust in an age of innovation

Posted on by Nikhita Sagar

Legal innovation is often discussed in terms of technology, adoption and efficiency. At this year’s LegalTechTalk, our director of innovation, Michael Vasalos, joined a panel where the focus of discussion was firmly on the client experience, and whether innovation is making legal services clearer, better communicated and more trusted.

The discussion explored the pressures currently shaping relationships between law firms and their clients. Clients increasingly want strategic partners, not just reactive advisers, while firms are looking to build loyalty in a market where work is often spread across multiple providers.

Against this backdrop, the panel considered how firms can move beyond transactional service delivery and build stronger, longer-term relationships. Topics included transparency around pricing and scope, the importance of clearer communication, and how difficult conversations can help strengthen trust and alignment.

The speakers also discussed the role of AI and emerging technology in reshaping aspects of legal delivery, particularly where work is repeatable or process-heavy. However, the discussion underlined that technology alone is not the answer. Its value comes from helping firms deliver a better experience for clients and making the work clearer, better scoped and easier to navigate.

LegalTechTalk is one of Europe’s leading legal technology and innovation conferences. Find out more here.

LegalTechTalk 2026: Driving innovation in the legal sector

Posted on by Nikhita Sagar

We will be part of this year’s LegalTechTalk, where three of our senior leadership team will be speaking on two panels to share insights on the legal innovation landscape, including how law firm leaders can successfully embed innovation across the business and the impact of innovation on the lawyer-client relationship.

Innovation without Inertia: How Law Firms Can Move from Thinking to Doing

In a fireside chat, our co-managing partner Charlie Leveque and chief operating officer Andy Wansell will discuss how law firm leaders can overcome the challenges which often stall progress and ensure a firm embraces innovation by being agile and acting decisively.

Marriage Counselling for the Client-Attorney Relationship

In a panel discussion alongside other experts, our director of innovation Michael Vasalos will explore the challenges that can put strain on the relationship between lawyers and their clients and discuss how to shift from transactional service delivery to genuine strategic partnership.

LegalTechTalk is one of Europe’s leading legal technology and innovation conferences, taking place on 17–18 June at the InterContinental London, The O2. Find out more about the event here.

Winner: Business Development Award at LexisNexis Legal Awards 2026

Posted on by Nikhita Sagar

We have been named as the winner of the Business Development Award at the LexisNexis Legal Awards 2026.

The LexisNexis Legal Awards highlight excellence, innovation and impact across the legal profession, celebrating organisations and individuals who are making a positive contribution to the industry.

This award recognises our innovative approach to business development and client engagement in which we place our clients’ needs at the centre of everything we do.

Our Client Sight framework underpins how we understand and respond to client needs. By taking an ‘outside-in’ approach and looking at our services through the lens of those we work with, we are able to shape strategies that are genuinely aligned with what our diverse client base values most. This includes globally recognised brands, large corporates, entrepreneurs, startups, high net worth individuals and prominent talent.

Sarah Zokay-West, director of business development and marketing, said:

“We are delighted to have been recognised for the enormous progress we have made in elevating the firm’s approach to business development in recent years. This is a significant achievement which reflects our commitment to shaping how we take the firm to market in ways that genuinely align with what our clients value most. This success is not only down to the hard work of everyone in the BD & marketing team, but also achieved in collaboration with everyone across the firm adopting a shared mindset of aligning our strategy and all of our processes and decisions with the wants and needs of our clients.”

View the full list of winners here. 

Finalist for Law Firm of the Year: The Independents

Posted on by Nikhita Sagar

We have been named as a finalist for Law Firm of the Year: The Independents at The Lawyer Awards 2026.

We have been shortlisted in recognition of our sustained growth and strategic evolution over the course of our 70-year history. This shortlisting also recognises our client-centric approach of shaping our strategy entirely around the needs and ambitions of our clients. We do this through our innovative Client Sight framework which has redefined how we operate and deliver value, aligning our processes, structures and investments with our clients’ needs.

Being named as a finalist marks another important milestone in our story.

The winners will be announced at the awards ceremony, which takes place on Tuesday 16 June at The Grosvenor Hotel, London.

To read more about the awards, including a full list of the nominees, click here.

Caroline Roberjot and Melanie Benson recommended by Spear’s as leading property lawyers

Posted on by Nikhita Sagar

Caroline Roberjot and Melanie Benson have been recognised by Spear’s as leading property lawyers in the Spear’s Property Advisers Indices 2026, released today.

Caroline is Top Recommended for securing trophy buildings in the Property Lawyers Index, whilst Melanie is Recommended for landlord and tenant issues. 

The Property Lawyers Index highlights lawyers trusted by high net worth individuals to offer expert advice in the real estate sector. It is collated using information collected from and about the advisers through evaluating submission forms, gathering nominations, conducting peer reviews, analysing data from third-party sources, obtaining references and recommendations and carrying out hundreds of interviews.

Caroline’s profile can be found here and Melanie’s can be found here.

Five partners recognised as leading reputation and privacy lawyers by Spear’s

Posted on by Nikhita Sagar

Five of our partners have been recognised by Spear’s as leading reputation and privacy lawyers in the newly-released Spear’s Reputation Indices 2026.

Gerrard Tyrrell has once again been named as Top Flight for media and information law. John Kelly and Michael Yates are Top Recommended for reputation protection, and international reputation and privacy law, respectively. Amy Bradbury and Andrew Terry are both Recommended in the indices, Amy for her work across the reputation spectrum and Andrew for intellectual property.

The Reputation & Privacy Lawyers Index showcases lawyers who are trusted to protect clients when their personal reputation or commercial interests are suddenly exposed to legal risk. They are compiled using nominations, client feedback and interviews with advisers, alongside independent research from the Spear’s editorial team.

The full index can be viewed here.