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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.

Innovation without inertia: How law firms can move from thinking to doing

Posted on by Alex Molyneux

How can law firm leaders address the difficult decisions behind change and ensure that innovation is successfully embedded across the firms they manage?

This was one of several questions posed to our co-managing partner Charlie Leveque and chief operating officer Andy Wansell in our fireside chat at this year’s LegalTechTalk. Chaired by Line Lolk Thomsen, chief transformation officer at Plesner, the discussion centred around the challenges faced by law firms which often stall progress and the approach leaders can take to overcome the many obstacles.

Charlie and Andy spoke of their respective experiences, highlighting the importance of embracing innovation and seeing it, and the rapid development of AI and technology, not as a threat but as an opportunity to strengthen relationships with clients by meeting their evolving expectations. The most successful firms will be those that are agile and ensure that they act quickly and decisively. In addition, firms must have the bravery to halt a project that isn’t working and moving onto something new – what you aren’t doing is as important as what you are doing.

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.

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.

Harbottle & Lewis advises Primer on its $100 million Series C round

Posted on by Dea Dragashi

We have advised our long-standing fintech client, Primer, on its $100m Series C round to accelerate the development of its AI-native payments infrastructure and its growth in the US.

Founded by former leaders of Braintree and PayPal, Primer is the unified infrastructure for global payments. Its single platform gives finance and payments teams the visibility and control to reduce complexity, improve performance, and capture more revenue. Trusted by leading companies including Get Your Guide, Dialpad, Rail Europe, Printful, Lime, and loveholidays across ecommerce, travel, fintech, and digital platforms, Primer has to date raised $170 million from investors including Sofina, Peak XV Partners, ICONIQ, Tencent, Accel, Balderton and Speedinvest.

This Series C round was led by Sofina, with participation from Peak XV Partners and existing investors. The proceeds from the round will be used to invest in Primer’s AI capabilities and to drive the company’s expansion in the US market, where Primer aims to grow its revenues to account for more than a third of its business by 2028.

The transaction was led by co-managing partner Charlie Leveque, partner Tom Macleod and managing associate Rosie Marston, with support from associates Julia Routledge and Alexander Vinogradov-Wouters.

On working with Harbottle & Lewis, Primer co-founder Gabriel Le Roux commented:

“The Harbottle team has been by our side since we founded Primer and they have been brilliant partners for us on our journey; their advice and support has been invaluable at every stage.”

Charlie Leveque added:

“We are proud and delighted to have supported the Primer team on achieving this milestone. The success of this fundraising round is testament to their talent, hard work and vision, and paves the way for an exciting new chapter for the business.  

We have advised Primer since it was founded on various corporate, regulatory and commercial matters, as well as its investment rounds. Our work for Primer demonstrates the depth and breadth of our offering to emerging companies as they scale, as well as our ability to advise on complex and high-value later stage investments.”

We advise on a broad range of corporate and corporate finance transactions including investments, mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures and private equity transactions. Learn more about our corporate practice here.

Renewed partnership with SXSW London

Posted on by Anna Weeden

For the second year running, we have partnered with South by Southwest (SXSW) as the official legal services supplier for SXSW London, taking place from 1-6 June 2026.

SXSW is a globally acclaimed event that has been at the forefront of celebrating innovation and creativity since its inception in Texas in 1987. Known for its ground-breaking conferences and festivals, SXSW brings together leading voices across technology, film, music, education and culture.

This renewed partnership reflects the strong alignment between SXSW’s visionary approach and our expertise in the creative industries. We are excited to continue to support and contribute to this vibrant gathering of leaders and creators as it enters its second year in London.

For more details about the conference, please visit the official SXSW London website.

Finalist for Business Services Team of the Year at the Legal Business Awards 2026

Posted on by Jess Brady

We have been shortlisted for Business Services Team of the Year at the Legal Business Awards 2026.

The Legal Business Awards is a key annual event in the UK legal sector, highlighting excellence in law across more than 26 different categories. The awards aim to showcase individuals, teams and firms in the UK legal space who have made a significant mark in the profession or within their firm. The awards ceremony will take place on the evening of Tuesday 29 September at the JW Marriot Grosvenor House London, where the winners will be announced.

Our shortlisting recognises the contribution of our business services function in shaping the firm’s strategy and driving its success, with particular focus on the achievements of our People & Culture team, including its provision of HR consultancy directly to our clients. Through our innovative Client Sight framework, which forms the architecture of how the firm operates, we put our clients and their priorities first by understanding how they see us, what they value and what they need.

Client Sight underpins the firm’s approach to all aspects of its business service function and guides our decision-making, from people and recruitment, to innovation, to business development and marketing. This enables us to foster genuine collaboration and build relationships across all functions, pushing us outside the more restrictive lines of a traditional law firm. We are delivering measurable outcomes, attracting remarkable talent and creating deeper client relationships.

This latest recognition of the firm’s business services function follows the news of us winning Business Development Team of the Year at the LexisNexis Legal Awards 2026. We were also recently named as a finalist for Law Firm of the Year: The Independents at The Lawyer Awards 2026.

Harbottle & Lewis advises Sinay SAS on its acquisition of MariTrace Limited

Posted on by Dea Dragashi

We have advised our client Sinay SAS, a sector leader in end-to-end marine environment monitoring solutions, on its strategic acquisition of MariTrace Limited.

Based in the UK, MariTrace provides vessel tracking solutions for a range of customers including commercial vessels, insurance and security providers, and yachts. The acquisition significantly strengthens Sinay’s platform and offering.

The transaction team at Harbottle & Lewis was led by co-managing partner Charlie Leveque and associate David Jones.

On working with Harbottle & Lewis, CEO of Sinay SAS, Yanis Souami, commented:

“The acquisition of MariTrace represents an important milestone for us – it is central to our mission to become the leading full end-to-end ocean data & intelligence platform for all maritime industries.  The Harbottle team guided us expertly through the transaction and we felt brilliantly supported throughout”

Co-managing partner, Charlie Leveque said:

“We are very pleased to have supported Sinay SAS in achieving this significant strategic milestone. This transaction highlights Harbottle & Lewis’s expertise in advising on complex cross-border acquisitions, particularly within the technology sector. We look forward to seeing Sinay SAS continue to expand its reach and drive innovation in the maritime industry.”

Harbottle & Lewis advises After Party Studios on its sale to SISTER Group

Posted on by Dea Dragashi

We have advised the shareholders of After Party Studios, a digital-first creative production company, on the sale of a majority stake to SISTER Group.

Co-founded by content creator Callum McGinley (aka “Callux”), director Ben Doyle (aka “RVBBERDUCK”), entrepreneur Richard Mansell, and CEO Joshua Barnett, After Party Studios is a pioneering production company which operates at the intersection of mainstream and digital media. Their client roster includes Sky, Netflix, JustEat, Red Bull, Paramount and Channel 4. 

The investment from SISTER Group fuels the company’s ambitions to supercharge its award-winning original IP, branded entertainment and digital-first slate and sees them join complementary founder-led, best-in-class partner companies within the SISTER Group spanning TV and film, podcasting, publishing, and music and live experiences.

The team was led by partner Ed Lane, with support from managing associate Katerina Capras, associate Julia Routledge and trainee solicitor Hugo Carter. Partner David Scott advised on tax and managing associate Mark Primrose advised on employment.

On working with Harbottle & Lewis, After Party Studios CEO Joshua Barnett commented: 

“Harbottle & Lewis truly assembled the avengers supporting us with this deal. You’d be hard pushed to find a team more dedicated to the cause, and all delivered with such good grace. Thank you for your diligence, your patience and taking the time to educate us through every turn. Forever grateful.”

Ed Lane, partner at Harbottle & Lewis, added:

“We are extremely proud to have advised Josh and the team on this huge milestone. The deal with SISTER Group is a testament to their talent and hard work over a number of years, and I can’t wait to see what they do next!”

At Harbottle & Lewis, we have been immersed in the film & television industry since our founding in 1955, and it remains a key part of our heritage. We advise founders and creative businesses on a broad range of corporate and commercial matters, including fundraises and investments, M&A, commercial development and production work, specialist IP advice and litigation.

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.