Legal Support With New Partner Harper Macleod

The Cultural Enterprise Office is delighted to be partnering with law firm Harper Macleod as we continue to enhance our range of support services available to our creative clients.

As one of Scotland’s leading independent commercial and personal law firms, Harper Macleod has a strong corporate team who offer advice and support to Scottish start-ups and early-stage businesses and are particularly experienced in helping companies to scale up. The team cover many different sectors and business stages and can offer expertise on a range of legal matters, including incorporation, intellectual property, share options, and commercial contracts.

Teaming up with the Cultural Enterprise Office will facilitate Harper Macleod to become increasingly involved in the creative sector, and help start-ups in the industry deal with the unique challenges that come with sitting in a creative space. With an increasing number of creative start-ups in the West, we’re thrilled to welcome them on board to help our clients.

The team at Harper Macleod know that the requirements of a creative business can often be different, and their level of expertise means they can tailor their support on an individual basis. Solicitor Anisha Kaura said;

“We look at the whole client journey, helping them to work out timelines, find resources and realise their objectives. We also help to mitigate risks – quite often clients aren’t aware of the risks their business might face, so our services can help to prevent these from becoming reality.”

CEO adviser David Smith has been supported by Harper Macleod in his own business venture. David’s startup Bòtann is re-designing the welly and celebrating Scotland’s welly heritage, with the brand set to launch a Kickstarter in February 2019.

David said;

“To move from a start-up to a business which has ambitions to grow you need a lawyer, and we have seen a few on both sides of the Clyde but up until recently none of felt quite right. Then we met Jo and Anisha at Harper Macleod. They just seemed to get us right away and because they have been supporting Scottish Edge for the last few years, they know there is no pre-packed shape to what an exciting and ambitious company looks like. But they also know it is not about grey suits anymore, that the most interesting companies come from the most unusual and creative places. They are not traditional lawyers in the stereotypical sense, and although it is early days in our relationship, they already feel part of our team.

That’s why alongside our many other legal offerings at CEO we are working with them to bring their expertise to our client base. We are respectful to the growth ambitions of our clients, and if they want to stay small, great or if they see growth more holistically, then that’s also fine. But we might want them to ask – could they fulfill their creative ambition and grow a company at the same time? Harper Macleod might be able to help you answer that question, so keep an eye out for what we have coming up with them.”

In early 2019 we will be hosting an event with Harper Macleod and other guest speakers themed around legal support in the creative industries. We are also hoping for planning to arrange some one-to-ones with members of the team at the event, so please sign up to our newsletter if you’d like to be notified when we announce the dates.