Spotlight on our solicitors – meet Callum Giliker

Get to know about the people behind the legal advice at Harper James in this series of interviews with our solicitors. In this spotlight on our solicitors, Callum Giliker, Senior Corporate Solicitor, shares his career journey in corporate law, specialising in mergers & acquisitions and investments.

How long have you worked at Harper James?

'I have been with Harper James since March 2020 – though it doesn’t feel quite that long. I frequently assist companies of all shapes and sizes (from start-ups to more established entities) in their needs relating to investment funding, acquisitions or disposals, and general corporate governance requirements – and many things in between those. A significant proportion of the companies I’ve worked with have been life sciences or technology related, especially university spin-outs.'

'I became a Senior Corporate Solicitor in early 2024, and in this role I have found myself continuing to develop particular specialisms. I am accustomed to working with non-standard company structures, including companies limited by guarantee and not-for-profit entities. I have primary responsibility for assisting clients who are interested in B Corp registration, and am always happy to chat about these issues.'

What inspired you to practise law in the first place?

'Using clear and concise words to come to an agreement between parties is at the heart of being a corporate lawyer, and this overriding aspect of law is what drew me to the field in the first place, perhaps because I am an avid reader and found an interest in the effect and consequences of words and their intent.'

Can you provide any tips for junior lawyers looking to progress in their legal careers?

'A good rule of thumb for junior lawyers is that the learning never stops. Good lawyers are always developing their own knowledge base, and in turn this can help the lawyer find new opportunities and areas of law that they find more rewarding and want to hone their skills toward. A good team always helps support those interests in self-development – something I’ve always found to be the case at Harper James.'

How does working with Harper James compare with other firms you have worked at?

'Other firms I have worked for have had much smaller teams. After joining Harper James, I quickly learned that there are so many different legal experts within a big team. This has made the cross-referral of work so much easier; I have been able to connect clients to other lawyers within the firm (for example in employment and dispute resolution). I think that this brings added value from a client's perspective because we offer easy access to legal experts in all key areas of business law.'

What’s the best piece of corporate advice you could give a business?

'Be proactive rather than reactive, as far as it is possible to do so. Getting the right documentation in place from the start can be invaluable, especially when working against tight timelines. It can always be beneficial to spend more time earlier really understanding and listening to the client’s needs, rather than catching up later.'

What has been the proudest moment of your career so far?

'Early on in my corporate law career, I acted for two shareholders selling their homegrown business for circa £7 million to a foreign acquirer. This was the first transaction that I carried out on my own from start to finish. It gave me a great sense of pride and achievement (in myself and my client). It was a great result, and it is always gratifying being able to be there to help inventors pass on the torch – it can be an emotional experience for them, and I’m always glad to be able to help them navigate it.' 

Do you have any hobbies? What do you do to unwind?

'I have a passion for rock climbing and mountaineering. I also enjoy reading – in 2019 I set myself a challenge and tried to read one foreign book each month (I got to 10 books because some were longer than I anticipated!). Most of all, I enjoy horror books and movies.'

Tell us a prediction for your practice area in the future

'One imminent trend that may continue to develop is the greater strictness in company law stemming from the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act. Companies House has been a fairly passive monolith for some time, and it is no surprise that the requirements are being tightened up for security purposes. I fully expect this to be a continuing process.'

'On a more optimistic note, my involvement with B Corp registrations makes me hopeful that over the next 5-10 years we will see more emphasis placed on the need for companies to have regard to additional considerations for wider society and communities. Of course not every company is a charity or has charitable ambitions, but I expect there to be other evolving models similar to B Corp which grant companies different ways to enshrine their commitment to the environment in particular.'