Consultant Senior Contentious IP Solicitor in Guildford

We are looking for an experienced Senior Contentious IP Solicitor with a minimum of 8–10 years PQE to join Harper James on a consultancy basis. This is an exciting opportunity to work with a growing and diverse client base ranging from innovative start‑ups to established national and international businesses, advising on complex and high‑value intellectual property disputes within a modern, tech‑enabled law firm.

As a consultant within our flexible model, you will manage your own caseload while benefiting from the support, infrastructure and collaborative culture of a forward‑thinking national firm.

What you'll be doing

You will take the lead on a broad range of contentious intellectual property matters, advising businesses on the protection and enforcement of their IP rights and helping them navigate disputes with clear, commercially focused advice. You will have day‑to‑day responsibility for managing a varied caseload across the full spectrum of intellectual property rights. This will include independently running complex litigation before the Intellectual Property Enterprise Court (IPEC), the High Court, and resolving disputes through alternative dispute resolution (ADR), including mediation, expert determination and arbitration.

Your work is likely to include advising on matters such as:

• Patent infringement and validity disputes
• Copyright and design rights litigation
• Trade mark infringement and passing off claims
• Database rights and trade secret misappropriation
• Breach of confidential information disputes
• Domain name disputes, including recovery and enforcement procedures
• Patent entitlement and ownership disputes

You will also work closely with founders, in‑house counsel and senior leadership teams, helping them take a pragmatic approach to dispute resolution while protecting their commercial interests. As part of the wider Harper James legal team, you will collaborate with colleagues across Corporate, Commercial, Data Protection and Employment where intellectual property disputes arise within transactions, product development, commercial arrangements or business expansion.

What we're looking for

• Minimum 8–10 years PQE
• Strong experience in contentious intellectual property matters
• Proven experience managing complex IP litigation, including matters before IPEC and the High Court
• Experience handling disputes relating to patents, trade marks, copyright, design rights and confidential information
• Familiarity with alternative dispute resolution processes including mediation and arbitration
• Ability to manage matters independently while delivering pragmatic, commercially focused advice
• Strong client relationship and stakeholder management skills
• Confidence advising founders, senior leadership teams and in‑house legal teams

The Harper James difference

We are a tech‑driven, agile law firm where lawyers are empowered with modern legal technology to maximise efficiency, productivity and work‑life balance. Our consultant model offers experienced solicitors flexibility, autonomy and the ability to work remotely, while remaining part of a supportive national team. At Harper James, we keep things straightforward. We are relaxed and informal but well organised. There is no politics and no big egos — if people around us succeed, so do we. We welcome proactive, self‑motivated solicitors who thrive in a modern legal environment and are passionate about delivering exceptional client service.

You’ll excel as part of the HJ team if you:

• Are a quick learner, ready to adapt to new systems and technologies with enthusiasm
• Are excited about adopting and using AI tools to boost efficiency and productivity
• Have a solid working knowledge of Microsoft 365 products (e.g. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
• Can confidently navigate SharePoint to manage and collaborate on projects
• Have a keen eye for detail when drafting documents, ensuring consistency and professionalism

The Bottom Line

This is an opportunity to play an important part in the growth of the business, with a great team of people who all play a fundamental part in our continued success. An environment with no politics and no bureaucracy. We are offering a competitive consultancy rate with flexible working as part of a fully remote but collaborative team.