A corporate lawyer with a broad range of legal experience in advising entrepreneurs and companies and corporations, both nationally and internationally, on realising value from their businesses, whether by buying or selling companies or businesses or creating joint ventures.

Tel: +44 (0)121 214 1012

Email: andrew_harrison@wragge.com

Best brains in ...

Difficult situations often require the ability to be on the ground with your client when a problem arises. I was visiting a client when Enron collapsed: we worked with them and the administrators to devise a structure to allow Teesside Power Station to continue to function in the uncertain aftermath of the failure of that business. As a result some 5,000 jobs were saved.

Sometimes it is necessary to sacrifice your own interests for those of your clients. I completed a large and complex sale within 2 weeks after being instructed, flying regularly between Geneva, London and Brussels to complete the deal some 4 weeks ahead of schedule because the wife of the finance dircetor had been taken ill. Not much sleep for any of us - but no warranty claims either.

I look to challenge the established way of doing a transaction; if there are material benefits that might accrue from a small change in structure, I like to propose them, even if we are not instructed to advise on those matters. I think the Wragge team and I saved my clients some £6m in the last eighteen months in tax savings on structures that had been proposed by their accounting advisers.

Highlight of your career so far?

It is hard to pick out one highlight. I had a lot of fun working with another partner here last year dealing with a difficult pre-emption right dispute, where our client, an entrepreneur, became involved in a dispute over an agreement by which he was entitled to acquire shares owned by shareholders in a food retail business. We worked effectively with bankers and corporate finance advisers to secure a great result for our client.

Most challenging job you've ever done?

In my first week as a trainee, I knocked over a very large stack of photocopying. The partner was away for a couple of weeks and it took me all of that time to figure out which page went where. One of the most difficult was acting as a middleman between buyer and seller (one of whom was English, the other Italian) who had fallen out but were very keen to reach agreement. It took a little time to establish a basis of trust with both and then agree fair and sensible terms for the sale and purchase of an international group. I understand that both are very happy with the outcome.

What about outside the UK?

A lot of my work is international. I have done deals in most Western jursidictions and in quite a few others.

What's your definition of going the extra mile ……. And when have you done it?

I recall working throughout Christmas and into New Year to sign a deal (at 10 to midnight on New Year's eve) so that the Chairman of a large US-listed company could get his bonus.

What's your single greatest contribution to Wragge & Co's corporate responsibility?

In recent years I have taken up running and every year try to get a group of people from the firm to run a half-marathon with me.

What's been written or said about you that you're most proud of?

I was shortlisted as partner of the year in the Lawyer's awards. Chambers & Partners described me as "very quick to spot the real issue".