Freeths supports LDC on its backing of Harper James

The Private Equity team at Freeths has advised LDC, part of Lloyds Banking Group, on its backing of Harper James.

The transaction is subject to approval by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).

Founded by CEO Toby Harper and headquartered in Birmingham, Harper James delivers tailored legal support to SMEs across the UK through a transparent and cost-effective subscription-based model that can scale according to their needs.

LDC’s investment, led by Chris Handy, Karen Mann and Matt Newbold, will support continued organic growth through further investment into Harper James’ differentiated, technology-enabled model and will also support Harper James to target complementary acquisitions that broaden the firm’s range of services and add even more value for its clients.

The Freeths team was led by Partner and Head of Private Equity Lee Clifford and Private Equity Partner Mohammed Abbas. They were supported by a multi-disciplinary team across the firm including Olivia Johnson (Corporate), Kate Rogers (Corporate), James Dyson (Leveraged Finance), Amy McVey (Leveraged Finance), Rebecca Banner (Leveraged Finance), Alex Angelides (Tax) and Sarah Bogues (Employment).

Commenting on the deal, Lee Clifford said: “We were delighted to work with Chris, Matt and Karen and the wider LDC team on this investment. Harper James is a disruptor in the legal services market and is playing a key part in an overall redefinition of how legal services are delivered to startups, scale-ups and SMEs across the UK. This transaction also reflects the continued appetite for investment in disruptive professional services models. LDC has a strong record of being a trusted investment partner for ambitious management teams from all corners of the UK in every sector, and we look forward to watching Toby and his management team drive Harper James to its growth potential with LDC’s backing.”