Category: News

Harbottle & Lewis has announced its financial results for the 2023/24 financial year.

This year’s published figures capture both the ten month period from 1 June 2023 to 31 March 2024, in light of the alteration of the firm’s year end to align with the tax year following HMRC’s basis period reform, and the twelve month period from 1 June 2023 to 31 May 2024.

• For the ten month period ending 31 March 2024, the firm reported income of £42.9m. This represents a 12.9% increase on the corresponding ten month period the year before, from 1 June 2022 to 31 March 2023, in which the firm generated income of £37.9m.
• For the twelve month period ending 31 May 2024, the firm reported income of £51.9m. This represents a 9.3% increase on the 2022/23 financial year, in which the firm reported income of £47.5m.

These results reflect the firm’s continued growth over a number of years. In the 2016/17 financial year, the firm reported income of £28.1m. This year’s results therefore represent an 85% increase in income over the last seven years.

Co-managing partner Tony Littner said:

“This is the first time that Harbottle & Lewis has generated fees of over £50 million in a twelve month financial year in its near 70 year history, so to reach and then comfortably surpass this figure is a significant achievement and historic milestone for the firm. Everyone at the firm has played their part in contributing towards our achievements and, on behalf of the senior leadership team, we thank them all for their dedication and commitment. Our strong performance not only demonstrates the progress we are making in implementing our strategy and realising our long term vision, but it also means we have strong foundations for further growth, whether through investment in innovation and new technology or through investment in our people via promotions or lateral hires. These results mean that we move forward with great optimism that we will continue our upward trajectory.”

Harbottle & Lewis has advised Mercuri, an early-stage venture capital fund, on its recent co-lead investments in Human Native AI and Ittybit, adding to the growing portfolio of its second fund, which closed last summer.

Human Native AI is a London-based startup founded by James Smith and Jack Galilee in 2024, which is aiming to empower content creators and owners of IP to take control of, and get paid for, their data being used for training AI models.

Mercuri co-led the investment in Human Native alongside LocalGlober in the company’s £2.8m seed funding round, which closed in May 2024.

Commenting on the investment, Alan Hudson, founding partner at Mercuri, said: “Rights holders are demanding greater control over how their works are being used to train AI systems, and we think Human Native AI is the answer to this problem, preserving human creativity in the face of rapid technological developments.”

Ittybit is a Salford-based startup founded by Paul Anthony Williams in 2021 to meet the rising demand for high-quality image, video and file uploads. Ittybit has developed an AI compression tool to reduce upload and download times, as well as reduce storage requirements for files. It also offers tools to filter unsafe uploads, enhance content searchability and automate the tagging and transcription processes.

Ittybit raised £1.5m in its seed funding round in May 2024, which was co-led by Mercuri and Sure Valley Ventures, with participations from Oxford Capital, Baltic Ventures and angel investors.

James Pringle, Mercuri principal and newly appointed investor director at Ittybit said: “As specialists in media and technology industries, we see Ittybit as a groundbreaking solution that excels in speed, quality, and cost-efficiency. While it’s still early, we are enthusiastic about Ittybit’s potential to significantly impact and grow within the dynamic media landscape.”

Both investments fit within Mercuri’s thesis of investing in companies at the intersection of media, entertainment and technology.

The Harbottle team which advised Mercuri in connection with these investments was led by co-managing partner Tony Littner and senior associate Rosie Marston.

Emma Wright, partner and head of our Technology, Data & Digital team, last night received the Outstanding Leader of the Year Award at the Digital Revolution Awards. This award looks to recognise an individual who has demonstrated exceptional guidance, direction, integrity, decision-making and inspirational leadership which has had a major impact on the success of their organisation; whether that be by accelerating growth, implementing innovative practices or empowering others.

The Digital Revolution Awards is a global cloud IT awards and fundraiser that recognises and celebrates the very best individuals and businesses working in the cloud tech ecosystem. The awards recognise a wide range of achievements, from exceptional digital transformation efforts and exemplary leadership to supporting vital cloud tech upskilling and dedication to diversity and inclusion. The winners were announced at last night’s ceremony which was held at Grosvenor House Hotel in Park Lane.

Emma’s inspiring work has been receiving widespread recognition. This latest win is in addition to several other awards collected by Emma this year, including Law Firm Leader of the Year at the Women & Diversity in Law Awards, a double award win at the Forward Ladies Leadership Summit and Awards, the Global Goals Impact Award at the CogX Awards and her continued listing in Computer Weekly’s Top 20 Most Influential Women in UK Tech.

Emma is currently leading and driving investHER, a not-for-profit focused on providing a voice to underrepresented groups in the tech and finance ecosystems in the UK, which earlier this year successfully campaigned for the Treasury to reverse its controversial investment restrictions on angel investors that had a disproportionate effect on women and other underrepresented groups eligible to invest.

Harbottle & Lewis today announces the promotions of Alexa Collis and Lizzie Williams to the partnership, with effect from 1 June.

Alexa advises individuals and families based in the UK and overseas on a broad range of cross-border estate planning matters, wealth structuring and personal taxation. Alexa has a particular focus on clients in the entertainment and creative industries alongside entrepreneurs and business owners. She combines her private client specialism with a deep understanding of the charity and philanthropy sector. Alexa has significant experience in tax and estate planning for individuals and families with US connections and is widely recognised as a specialist in this field. A former eprivateclient Top 35 Under 35 winner, Alexa joined the firm in 2020 having spent time at law firms in the UK and the Channel Islands.

Lizzie advises on corporate, commercial and individual disputes, with a focus on disputes in the technology, media and entertainment sectors. Lizzie has wide-ranging experience of High Court litigation and arbitration, including urgent injunctions, appeals and group litigation. Lizzie acts for a wide range of clients, from high net worth individuals to large corporates, including technology companies, public sector entities, startups, investors, founders, shareholders and established brands. Lizzie has a particular interest in disputes with a technology angle and has had various works published, including her book: A Practical Guide to Smart Contracts and the Law. Lizzie, who has also been admitted as a Solicitor Advocate, joined the firm in 2017.

Senior partner Catherine Bedford said:

“We are delighted to be welcoming two outstanding female lawyers, Alexa and Lizzie, to the partnership. Each have demonstrated their enormous talent and an unwavering commitment to providing our clients with the highest quality of service and their promotions will undoubtedly strengthen several key areas of focus for the firm. They have both built strong practices which are aligned with our strategic vision of advising the most innovative and creative people and businesses to help them overcome complex legal and personal challenges.”

Harbottle & Lewis today announces the appointment of Catherine Bedford as Senior Partner, with effect from Monday 1 April 2024.

Catherine succeeds Gerrard Tyrrell after a tenure of nearly 17 years as Senior Partner.

Widely regarded as one of the UK’s most revered family lawyers, Catherine joined the firm in 2017 to lead Harbottle & Lewis’s family team. Catherine’s practice encompasses the full spectrum of family law in instances of relationship breakdown and she is recognised for her work advising on the highest profile, highest value and most complex cases in the family courts, often faced by significant public and media scrutiny.

Catherine’s appointment follows the recent election of co-managing partners Charlie Leveque and Tony Littner in late 2023, with whom she will be working closely as part of the senior leadership team.

Charlie Leveque said:

“Catherine is an outstanding professional and rightly held in high regard by colleagues, clients and the wider professional community. Since joining the firm in 2017 Catherine has been instrumental in building our family offering, further enhancing our position as an adviser of choice for highly successful individuals, their families and their businesses. I know she will bring that same level of entrepreneurial drive, determination and commitment to excellence to the role of Senior Partner.

“On behalf of the whole firm I would like to congratulate Catherine on her election and we very much look forward to working with her and the wider leadership team to deliver on our long-term vision and ambition. I would also like to offer our thanks to Gerrard for his indelible contribution in the role of Senior Partner over the past 17 years – which has been a transformative period in our near 70-year history and has helped create the platform for success which we continue to build on together.” 

Catherine Bedford commented:

“I am honoured to have been elected to represent the firm at what is an incredibly exciting period of growth and transformation. It is also a real point of pride to be the firm’s first female Senior Partner, which is both a milestone for us but also, I hope, a further indication of the progress that continues to be made in the profession more widely.

“Much of my practice is centred on supporting clients who are facing some of the most difficult times of their lives. I have always tried to apply the lessons learned from these and all my other professional experiences to create a working environment grounded in trust, mutual respect and fairness – which, I feel, are key in differentiating what we offer as a firm both to clients and to colleagues.

“Alongside our reconstituted leadership team, and strengthened business services team, I am focused on supporting our ongoing growth while championing these values and everything that makes Harbottle & Lewis unique, and the firm of choice for the best legal talent looking to do interesting work for interesting people.”

We were delighted to see Emma Wright and Polly Broad each win awards at last night’s Women & Diversity in Law Summit and Awards ceremony.

Emma, partner and Head of our Technology, Data and Digital group, was named Law Firm Leader of the Year (Small-to-Medium Sized Practice). This award was given to recognise an exceptional leader that sets and delivers on strategic goals while also ensuring their business operates ethically and with integrity and, in doing so, is an inspiration for future leaders. This further recognition for Emma follows her double award win at the Forward Ladies Leadership Summit and Awards, her Global Goals Impact Award at the CogX Awards and her continued listing in Computer Weekly’s Top 20 Most Influential Women in UK Tech 2023.

Polly, an associate who specialises in all aspects of private family law, won the Rising Star (Small-to-Medium Sized Practice) award. Polly won this award due to the exceptional start she has made to her legal career and by showing promise to being a future leader in her field.

These awards are given to recognise the exceptional individuals and teams making the UK legal profession more diverse and inclusive. The winners were announced on Wednesday 13 March at the ceremony which took place at The Brewery in London.

The Treasury has confirmed that it will reinstate the previous eligibility criteria to qualify as a high net worth or sophisticated investor, thereby reversing the changes announced in January to raise the wealth thresholds for angel investors.

These changes, which disproportionately affected the number of women and underrepresented groups eligible to invest, caused a major backlash in the angel investor community and led to the formation of investHER; a campaign formulated and driven by Emma Wright and several other prominent voices in tech, finance and industry which sought to give a voice to the underrepresented groups which had been overlooked when the Treasury initially consulted on changing the rules.

The campaign garnered huge support in a short space of time, including from the likes Dame Caroline Dinenage DBE MP, Dame Stephanie Shirley, Baroness Jan Royall and Baroness Alicia Kennedy, together with Grace Beverley, Mary Portas and Deborah Meaden. The open letter to the Chancellor amassed around 3,000 signatures in just over two weeks after a private letter with over 140 senior female voices was delivered to the Women and Equalities Committee asking for an inquiry.

Harbottle & Lewis has been proud to support investHER. Emma and the investHER team devoted their time and energy on a pro bono basis and we are delighted to see the impact the campaign has had in bringing change which will support greater diversity in both the angel investor community and founder’s ecosystem. We look forward to supporting investHER as her story just begins.

Harbottle & Lewis has advised Soho Studios Entertainment, the production company led by co-founder and chief creative officer Ian Lamarra alongside fellow co-founding directors Paul Sandler and Francis Ridley, on its strategic investment from Endeavour-backed Asylum.

Harbottle has advised Soho Studios Entertainment since it was founded in 2022. Since then it has co-produced Marcel Theroux’s two-part true-crime series The Playboy Bunny Murder for ITV and is in production on Tim’s Listening Party, a podcast featuring Tim Burgess. Asylum’s investment will enable the company to accelerate its growth on both sides of the Atlantic.

On working with Harbottle & Lewis, Ian Lamarra said “As a fledgling UK production company looking to partner with a big established US one, we needed the very best lawyers and certainly had that with Colin, Ed and the whole team at Harbottles”.

Commenting on the deal, Ed Lane said “It is wonderful to have advised Ian, Paul, Francis and the team at Soho Studios from the very beginning and through this huge milestone – that it has arrived so quickly for them is a testament to their talent and drive.”

The Harbottle team advised Soho Studios Entertainment on all aspects of the transaction and was led by Colin Howes and Managing Associate Ed Lane with support from trainee solicitor Julika Schmidt. Employment Managing Associate Sarah Verrecchia advised in relation to employment aspects of the deal.

We are delighted to have been ranked in 7th place in RollOnFriday’s Best Law Firms to Work At 2024. It is the first time we have been featured in this list and are proud to have been recognised for the collaborative, stimulating and supportive environment we provide for our people.

The rankings, announced today, aim to provide a definitive guide to the most pleasant working environments in UK law. In order to rank the 72 featured law firms, RollOnFriday sought feedback from over eight thousand people working in private practice who rated their firm’s pay, career development, management, culture, work/life balance and office.

Please click here to see the results in full. Over the coming weeks, RollOnFriday will publish a breakdown of their results for each category.

We are delighted to announce that Chris Moorcroft has been named as one of the 2024 eprivateclient 50 Most Influential.

This list identifies, recognises and promotes the leading UK and global offshore private client practitioners at the forefront of the profession today. Those listed are considered the leaders when it comes to providing the best possible advice and highest quality service for clients and driving innovation in the way the needs of wealthy individuals are met.

The 50 individuals listed have been selected by PAM Insight’s judges who considered the achievements, promotions and progress all potential candidates made in the past 12 months. As well as this judging process, an open call for nominations was made to eprivateclient readers and names put forward by this process were also considered.

You can see the full listing here: https://www.paminsight.com/epc/article/exclusive-2024-eprivateclient-50-most-influential-revealed