If you are an entrepreneur seeking investment for your business, our lawyers can advise you through every step of the process. If you are a seed or venture capital fund, an angel investor or a family office looking to invest in a growing company, we can help protect you.
You may also be able to benefit from our established links to providers of capital or company deal flow – testament to our knowledge of, enthusiasm for and commitment to the early stage ecosystem.
We are committed to getting to know you so that we can offer you advice which is tailored to your specific goals. We develop long-term relationships and work with our clients from the inception of an idea and initial investment rounds to launch, growth, successful exit and beyond.
We advise both investors and entrepreneurs on:
- Investment – structuring, drafting, negotiating and advising on all relevant investment documents
- Commercial – the full spectrum of commercial, IP and technology agreements
- Tax – advising how best to structure investment tax efficiently, including the Enterprise and Seed Enterprise Investment Schemes (EIS and SEIS)
- Share schemes and benefits – advising on tax-efficient share incentive arrangements for senior management and other staff, including advising on enterprise management incentive (EMI) options to incentivise key employees
- IP – protecting, enforcing and exploiting IP rights (typically the key assets of early stage companies)
- Advising on data protection or privacy issues
- Employment – advising on employment arrangements to ensure that key staff are appropriately locked in.
Acting for companies
Smart Pension
We advised, fast growth, auto enrolment pension provider, Smart Pension, on its £15m Series B funding round.
Brandwatch
We advised leading social media monitoring company, Brandwatch, on its $6m Series A investment round led by Nauta Capital and its subsequent $22m Series B and $33m Series C investment rounds led respectively by Highland Europe and Partech Ventures.
Hopster
We advised the subscription based TV and learning app for pre-schoolers on a multi-million pound funding round led by Sandbox Partners.
Acting for investors
GMG Ventures
We advised GMG Ventures on its lead investment in Signal Media, the artificial intelligence-powered decision support platform, which was part of a $16m Series B round.
PROfounders Capital
We advised PROfounders Capital, the European VC fund backed by some of the UK’s most successful tech entrepreneurs, including Brent Hoberman and Michael Birch, in relation to its investments in easyCar (founded by Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou) to introduce the ‘Car Club’ to the UK and in CitySocialising, the UK’s leading Online2Offline subscription-based ‘socialising network’ for outgoing urbanites to meet new friends.
Ingenious Ventures
We advised Ingenious Ventures, the venture capital division of Ingenious Media, on its investments in a number of emerging UK companies.
Tony Littner
Co-Managing Partner
E: anthony.littner@harbottle.com
T: +44 (0)20 7667 5000
Colin Howes
Legal Consultant
E: colin.howes@harbottle.com
T: +44 (0)20 7667 5000
Charles Leveque
Co-Managing Partner
E: charles.leveque@harbottle.com
T: +44 (0)20 7667 5000
Mark Phillips
Partner
E: mark.phillips@harbottle.com
T: +44 (0)20 7667 5000
David Scott
Partner
E: david.scott@harbottle.com
T: +44 (0)20 7667 5000
Teresa Walker
Senior Associate
E: teresa.walker@harbottle.com
T: +44 (0)20 7667 5000
Tom Macleod
Partner
E: tom.macleod@harbottle.com
T: +44 (0)20 7667 5000
Emily Miles
Managing Associate
E: emily.miles@harbottle.com
T: +44 (0)20 7667 5000
