Wright Hassall
Location
Wright Hassall LLP Solicitors, Olympus Avenue, Leamington Spa CV34 6BF

Contact Details
Contact: Barry Sankey
Tel: 01926 884 630
Email: barry.sankey@wrighthassall.co.uk
Website: www.scienceparklawyers.co.uk

Wright Hassall's science park team saw increased levels of activity in 2010 amongst their science park clients. Team leader Barry Sankey and colleagues attend most UKSPA Members' Meetings each year up and down the country and were invited to speak at the Durham NETPark meeting in September 2010. Barry and Tim Reid (property litigation) led a workshop on issues relating to leases, licences and virtual tenancies. The discussion ranged from rent arrears and the conflict between compliance with legal procedures on the one hand, to the provision of virtual tenancy facilities for micro businesses on the other. Issues raised that related to the latter included registration and compliance requirements under the Money Laundering Regulations, and protection of a science park's own brand should such a facility be misused. Once again, science parks' cooperative ethic to help businesses work through financial crises was highlighted, as was their willingness to explore innovative, alternative ways of helping start-ups take off without being shackled by large overheads. Copies of their presentation are available on the Wright Hassall website or from Barry.

Wright Hassall's location, in the heart of England and at the centre of the West Midland's transport hub – but away from congested city centres – is one of many attractions for both its science park clients, and other technology-driven businesses (many of whom are themselves science park tenants), as well as a growing portfolio of education-related clients. Of particular relevance to Science Parks, Wright Hassall's team include core areas such as commercial property, planning, construction, banking and finance, and commercial disputes, supporting a Science Park's own needs, and additionally – to assist their tenants – from IP protection and exploitation through to visa issues for overseas staff.

Wright Hassall distinguishes itself by its 'unfussy' approach to advising clients and the understanding that legal matters are just part of a myriad of commercial issues that clients need to contend with. To this end, a strong commercial acumen helps to guide Wright Hassall's advice, ensuring it is relevant and targeted to its clients' own objectives. This is particularly important to Science Parks and their tenants, who are often operating research-intensive, innovative, high precision, fast-moving businesses. Wright Hassall's lawyers' no-nonsense approach brings flexibility, a 'can-do' attitude and the ability to turn, metaphorically, on a sixpence when a fast response is needed. This approach has been endorsed by others, with accolades from the recently published legal directories which note that it offers: 'excellent service, advice and results', 'the friendly style is a refreshing change from the 'mightier than thou' attitude of many law firms' (Chambers UK 2010); a property team 'that puts itself out to meet clients' needs and deadlines' (Chambers UK 2011); and 'large enough to have an all-round skillset whilst local enough to give personal attention', 'speedy responses and turnaround times', and 'a refreshingly modern and engaging culture' (Legal 500 2010).

From first idea through to fully operational science park, Wright Hassall will work with a management team and its other advisers, on all aspects from site assembly, infrastructure, planning and construction, funding (including State Aid issues) and through to public/private joint ventures. Once built, Wright Hassall can also help deal with day-to-day matters, including the granting and managing of leases and licences – online – virtual tenancies and the MLR, through to rent recovery and covenant enforcement and the effective management of tenant insolvency.

Wright Hassall also provides online access for clients: this is a firm-wide initiative that is being led by the Science Park team with its first live web portal for Warwick. But it also helps clients to have 24x7 access to documents and transactions over the web, wherever and whenever they might need information. Realtime updating of transactions in hand is also under development, along with online advice and links to specialist team members via the same web portal services.

'The client portal provided by Wright Hassall is the best system of its kind that we have used. We had a vision of where we wanted this technology to take us and Wright Hassall's system has been developed to add real value to our organisation today – and with their proactive IT Team will continue to evolve further.' David Grindrod, University of Warwick Science Park

Wright Hassall's work in the Science Park sector is led by consultant solicitor Barry Sankey, who has been working with science and technology parks and incubation/innovation centres since their inception in the UK in the early '80s. Working with many of the UK's leading science and technology parks, on matters from set-up and funding, to their day-to-day long term management, Barry is actively involved with the Association and is a frequent contributor to, and co-author of, a number of its publications. Barry can draw upon the resources of his now twenty-strong firm-wide team to deliver the advice and guidance a Science Park – and its tenants – need.

'We have enjoyed working with Barry Sankey for many years. He interprets legal matters into straightforward language, and supports us brilliantly in legal negotiations. He has an excellent understanding of property law and commercial reality applied to our needs as a science park.' David Rowe, University of Warwick Science Park

To find out more about Wright Hassall's support for Science Parks and the assistance they can offer, call Barry Sankey on 07831 880 269 or 01926 884630 or email barry.sankey@wrighthassall.co.uk – he and other team members are always ready to help guide a Science Park so it takes the right steps into the future.