Harrison Drury

Harrison Drury: solicitors serving the North of England

Harrison Drury is a law firm that presents itself as a people business with relationships at its heart. It offers a full range of legal services to businesses, individuals and families, with offices in Preston, Lancaster, Kendal, Clitheroe and Garstang. The firm states that it has been making things possible for over 125 years and describes its approach as can-do, positive and solutions based, working in partnership with clients and communicating clearly and simply.

Private client work

For individuals and families, the firm covers contentious probate and trusts, divorce, employee advice, estates, wills and trusts, family law, land and property dispute resolution, probate and estate administration, and residential conveyancing. It also handles claims against solicitors and unregulated will-writers, including overseas matters.

Within private wealth, the practice includes trusts disputes, financial matters, writing and reviewing wills, lasting powers of attorney, children’s issues, cohabitation agreements, collaborative law, pre- and post-nuptial agreements, and separation agreements. It also deals with commercial property disputes, residential property disputes, and rural, land and agricultural property disputes, and provides information on how much probate costs and on buying and selling a property, including conveyancing quotes and professional attorney services.

Business and commercial services

On the business side, Harrison Drury advises on terms and conditions, manufacturing, distribution and agency agreements, outsourcing, marketing and sponsorship agreements, and supply of goods and services agreements. Its commercial dispute resolution and avoidance work includes alternative dispute resolution, banking and finance disputes, civil fraud, company, director and shareholder disputes, contract disputes, franchise disputes, injunctions, media and reputational management, partnership disputes, and professional negligence.

The firm also covers banking and secured lending, charity property development, landed estates, landlord and tenant, mixed-use schemes, pension property, property acquisition and sales, renewables and natural resources, residential development and plot sales, rural and agricultural property, statutory agreements, and wayleaves, telecommunications and utility agreements. In corporate work it handles conflict management and dispute resolution, project and transactional matters, corporate governance, EOT and employee incentive schemes, group reorganisations, mergers and acquisitions, and private equity.

Employment and HR services include contracts, policies and compliance, conflict management and dispute resolution, employment litigation and tribunals, the Employment Rights Bill, HR Compass, HR consultancy, flexible working, and advice for other professional firms. The regulatory, compliance and licensing practice covers change-overs, club premises certificates, CVA’s, administrations and insolvencies, defence of enforcement, due diligence and reporting for acquisitions, investments or funder requirements, licensed estate management, magistrates’ court appeals, new premises licences and variations, pavement licences, premises licence audits, S.E.V’s, temporary event notices, and training for area managers and other support functions.

Specific licensing areas include animal and wild animal licensing, coroner’s inquests, firearms, fire safety enforcement, health and safety enforcement, insolvency service investigations and prosecutions, solicitors investigations and enforcements, music and film licensing, noise nuisance and pollution, professional regulation and discipline, taxi licensing, trading standards investigations and prosecutions, tree felling and conservation, and waste and environmental licensing.

Sector focus

Harrison Drury organises part of its work around specific sectors: education; landed estates, rural and agriculture; leisure, hospitality and tourism; property development and construction; and renewables and natural resources. Within leisure, hospitality and tourism it lists sports clubs, hotels and guesthouses, bars and nightclubs, the events industry, pubs, restaurants and breweries.

Client base and locations

The firm states that it works with a range of clients from SMEs and owner-managed businesses to sole traders, PLCs and large corporates, as well as with individuals and families of all shapes and sizes. Its office locations are Clitheroe, Garstang, Kendal, Lancaster, Lytham, Manchester, Preston, Southport and Stoke.

History and recognition

Harrison Drury describes itself as award-winning and states that it has been making things possible for over 125 years. The firm also publishes information about its awards and rankings, its history, corporate social responsibility, diversity report and environmental policy.