Laura Harper will head up the firm’s developing IP and creative industries team in Manchester along with associate Carol Isherwood. Both Laura and Carol join Shoosmiths from Ward Hadaway.
Laura has a range of legal expertise in the field of IP protection and commercial exploitation including advising technology companies, gaming companies, fashion and retail brands, communications agencies including advertising, PR and digital agencies, film and television production houses and publishing and design companies.
Both Laura and Carol have a specialism in digital and creative industries. They also act for singers, writers, artists, performers, producers, labels, bands and their related companies. As well as established brands in the sector, their clients include some of the most successful digital starts-ups in the North West.
Laura Harper said: ‘Manchester has strong and vibrant creative and digital sectors. The City Council’s aim to make Manchester one of the most digitally connected cities of the future makes this the most exciting place to be working in our field.
‘Joining Shoosmiths in Manchester now places us within one of the UK’s most innovative national law firms and allows us build and grow our national client base.’
‘We’re looking forward to continuing to support the businesses and professionals in the creative and digital sectors and to working with our colleagues at Shoosmiths to widen the firm’s base in the North West.’
Carol added: ‘Working with creative professionals not only during our legal careers but also prior to embarking upon them gives us a unique insight into the needs and demands of the creative sector. By working at the Sharp Project – Manchester’s multi-million pound digital and media production hub – we hope to remain attuned to our client’s needs while providing them with the very best legal advice right on their doorstep.’
Both Laura and Carol will be based at the Sharp Project as well as at Shoosmiths’ Spinningfields headquarters.
Head of Shoosmiths Manchester office, Harold Brako, said: ‘Laura’s hire again demonstrates our commitment to building our presence here in Manchester with class-leading experts.
‘Manchester is a very dynamic marketplace and we want to further develop our client-centred approach and exceed clients’ expectations every time.
‘For the digital and creative industries sectors, the hire of Laura and Carol is a real boost. It gives us a strong IP platform on which to build and places us at the very centre of Manchester’s digital & creative economy.’
