Recognition
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We always strive for high standards in our exciting and challenging legal specialisation in the never dull gambling industry, and believe we are the market leading law firm. We are delighted that our work and commitment to the gambling industry is recognised by the prestigious legal directories, Chambers & Partners (UK and Global) and The Legal 500, and by VIXIO GamblingCompliance.
Harris Hagan has been ranked Band 1 in Chambers UK and Tier 1 in The Legal 500 since the firm was established in 2004.
Our partners are ranked in Band 1 in Chambers UK 2024. Seven lawyers are individually ranked, representing over 25% of UK ranked lawyers.
Our partners and senior lawyers are ranked as Leading Individuals and in the Hall of Fame in The Legal 500 2024.
We have four lawyers ranked in Chambers Global 2024. Julian Harris and John Hagan, ranked in Band 1, Bahar Alaeddini, ranked in Band 2, and Hilary Stewart-Jones, ranked as Senior Statesperson.
Harris Hagan
“The individuals at Harris Hagan have a deep knowledge of not just the British gambling laws, but also of the way in which the regulator operates.”
“There’s no one else to go to other than Harris Hagan for everything gaming. One stop shop for all your needs. They deliver trust, confidence and integrity.”
“An incredibly professional, highly efficient, responsive, dedicated group of individuals, who are a pleasure to work with, but most importantly, a firm that we can, and do, always rely upon. Harris Hagan are always there at our side, a valued partnership that has played a significant role in the success of our business”.
“Advice is always clear, friendly and constructive; advice always demonstrates the highest integrity and reflects the firm’s deep commitment to the sector and to its proper and realistic regulation.”
“Harris Hagan have continued to stand out among legal firms not only for the strength and depth of their expertise in gambling legislation and regulatory practice both domestically and overseas…but for their consistent and sustained commitment to helping make the industry more socially responsible.”
“Harris Hagan consistently exceeds its well-established reputation as a leading international regulatory firm”.
“My investment fund clients and I rely on Harris Hagan for all of our gaming regulatory needs in the UK. Julian, John and Bahar are an incredible team. They are experts in the field, responsive and a pleasure to work with”.
“Harris Hagan has provided [us] with unparalleled support, insight, training and representation. Its people, processes and services are of the highest order”.
“Harris Hagan is, by a considerable distance, the leading adviser to our sector”.
“Harris Hagan are, in my opinion, the pre-eminent gaming/gambling law firm in the UK. I work with a lot of gambling/gaming lawyers globally and I can confidently say that Harris Hagan are among the best gaming/gambling law firms in the world”.
“The team at Harris Hagan is comprised of experts in their field and is very accomplished at handling the complex landscape of gambling regulation in the UK.”
“They understood the market entirely and were able to implement complex commercial requirements into the agreements with ease.”
“The lawyers at Harris Hagan are top legal specialists in the remote gaming industry and have been able to assist with all our requests, with the ability to adapt our business and commercial expectations.”
“It is a super team which you sense really cooperate to the benefit of the client. They have a respectful and professional relationship with the regulators and managed to make very workable solutions…They are extremely pleasant to work with and you feel very safe with them as advisers.”
“From partner to associate they are super competent. They have a great depth of knowledge, understanding and are very strategic in their provision of advice.”
“They provide exemplary service and respond immediately with advice which is both technically accurate and also reflective of the commercial constraints of their clients.”
“Harris Hagan is undoubtedly the market leader in this sector – highly skilled, supremely well informed about the sector, always responsive and with a consummate ability to translate regulation into effective advice. It offers a comprehensive service to clients in the sector and its experience in wider governance areas enables it to recommend tailor-made solutions for its clients reflecting both internal resource, size of business and other key drivers.”
“They have an in-depth understanding of the gambling industry and especially online channel. They also have empathy with the needs of the operator in what is now a highly regulated industry. They have individuals who have been in the sector since its inception and provide experience and pedigree in making the right decisions.”
“They are hugely knowledgeable and very approachable. They talk clearly and in a manner in which lay people understand. They get the boring detail right and manage the client well. It’s almost as if they are an in-house team.”
“Harris Hagan continues to have four lawyers individually ranked for Chambers & Partners’ Global Market Leaders Rankings (Gaming & Gambling).”
Band 1
“It is a highly professional firm with talented partners and associates – they would be my first point of call for any legal matters relating to gambling.”
Band 1
“The firm is highly skilled, supremely well informed about the sector, always responsive, and has the consummate ability to translate regulation into effective advice, offering a comprehensive service to clients.”
Band 1
“Harris Hagan is a super firm to work with. They have the best lawyers who are at the highest academic level and at the same time business-oriented, thus you get solutions that are very efficient. They have a second-to-none global network of the best gaming and gambling lawyers and can thus provide first-class advice around the globe.”
Tier 1
“Easily accessible, knowledgeable and have their finger on the pulse of the latest developments. Always keen to share thoughts and highly professional.”
Tier 1
“Harris Hagan is highly skilled, supremely well informed about the sector, always responsive and with a consummate ability to translate regulation into effective advice. It is able to offer a comprehensive service to clients in the sector; its experience in wider governance areas enables it to recommend tailor-made solutions for its clients, reflecting internal resource and other key drivers. The firm is very proactive, very easy to deal with and closely aligned to its clients’ needs.”
Tier 1
“Julian Harris and John Hagan are considered as top professionals and their experience in this sector is simply unparalleled.”
Tier 1
“Harris Hagan is an extremely reputable firm within the gambling industry. The whole team is very solid in their practice.”
Tier 1
“Harris Hagan really get to know their clients and provide much-welcomed advice which is both straightforward and clear. This is refreshing due to the increasingly complicated legislative environment of gambling.”
Tier 1
“They are world class in all areas of gambling law”
Band 1
“without a doubt, the premier gaming and betting practice in the UK”
Tier 1
Clients say that the team is “extremely knowledgeable about the industry” and “provides a common-sense approach to regulatory issues.”
“They are experts in the gaming industry.”
“The firm has first-class experience and knowledge in this industry”
“The team understands the issues clients typically face and always provides solutions”
“The firm pleases with its professionalism and is invested in the client’s success”
“They are experts in the gaming industry”
“Provides a common-sense approach to regulatory issues”
“an excellent firm with a personal touch”
“no one knows the regulatory aspects of the gaming industry as well as they do”
“They know the regulatory environment backwards and they’ve also got good contacts with the UK Gambling Commission. They give good legal and practical advice, especially in relation to the Commission.”
“They’re a fantastic firm to deal with from both a knowledge and responsiveness perspective. They’re very focused on the sector in a period of great change.”
Our Lawyers
John Hagan
“John is clearly one of the top legal minds in our industry.”
“John Hagan, Julian Harris and Bahar Alaeddini are prominent leaders in the gaming law field.”
“John is extremely well versed in handling complex issues and is dedicated to his clients.”
“John is the go-to person for reliable, practical and sensible advice. He has vast experience across the gambling sector and is able to draw on this to support our business.”
“He brings enormous experience and first-rate advice to the table.”
“We work with Bahar Alaeddini and John Hagan. It is longstanding cooperation which we value very much. Great industry insight. Super legal solutions and very service minded. You trust the advice you get and it is a pleasure to work with both. At the same time you get value for money.”
“extremely deep knowledge and real understanding of client challenges with regulators”.
Band 1
“John Hagan has been fantastic. He clearly knows the regulations, expectation and processes and can clearly communicate the requirements.”
Band 1
“He is one of the best: a tremendous lawyer with an impressive knowledge of regulation.”
Band 1
“modern mind and ability to understand what the operators want.”
Band 1
“he knows the regulatory law inside out and is extremely well respected by everyone.”
Band 1
UK-based John Hagan is praised “absolutely excellent” by market sources.
Band 1
He is well regarded for his significant expertise in advising an array of leading gaming and gambling clients on complex regulatory matters.
Band 1
“…with over 20 years’ of gambling law experience, John is recognised as a leading gambling lawyer by operators, suppliers and regulators throughout the world.”
Hall of Fame
“Julian Harris and John Hagan are considered as top professionals and their experience in this sector is simply unparalleled.”
Hall of Fame
“John Hagan and Bahar Alaeddini are very good lawyers with a remarkable knowledge of the gaming and gambling market, as well as operators, platforms and payment providers and affiliates. They have an impressive international network. They both have a great sense of humour and keep a clear mind in situations with a lot of pressure.”
Hall of Fame
John Hagan is a highly regarded UK-based practitioner, recognised for this extensive experience advising on a wide range of international gaming and gambling matters. Impressed market source remark: “He is very eloquent and does a fantastic job being an advocate through the industry.”
Band 1
“he knows the regulatory law inside out and is extremely well respected by everyone.”
Band 1
John is recognised by The Legal 500 as having “unparalleled” industry knowledge, and gives “clear, concise and actionable advice”.
Hall of Fame
“excellent reputation in the industry.”
“extremely deep knowledge and real understanding of client challenges with regulators”
Sources commend his “modern mind and ability to understand what the operators want,” with others stating that “he knows the regulatory law inside out and is extremely well respected by everyone.”
“Astute”
Bahar Alaeddini
“Bahar is a powerhouse for any legal matters related to gambling.”
“Bahar is a master at solving complex issues and has an encyclopaedic knowledge of gaming laws and regulations.”
“John Hagan, Julian Harris and Bahar Alaeddini are prominent leaders in the gaming law field.”
“Bahar Alaeddini and Jessica Wilson get full marks.”
“I appreciate her level of detail.”
“Always available, always responsive and always with answers. From partner to associate, the competence and knowledge was exemplary, notable names being Bahar Alaeddini and Jessica Wilson – I would go as far as saying our dream team in gaming law.”
“We work with Bahar Alaeddini and John Hagan. It is longstanding cooperation which we value very much. Great industry insight. Super legal solutions and very service minded. You trust the advice you get and it is a pleasure to work with both. At the same time you get value for money.”
“very pragmatic and straightforward. She is very knowledgeable, provides advice, which is clear and helpful, and is very approachable.”
Band 2
“She offers extensive experience and excellent client communication.”
Band 2
Bahar Alaeddini is highly regarded in the gaming and gambling sector for her considerable strength in advising an array of clients on complex regulatory and licensing matters.
Band 2
“a rising star, exceptional and creative and of “sharp intellect and a practical approach to advice.”
Leading Individual
“Bahar stands out as an highly intellectual lawyer at the top of her profession who deals with her clients in a an easy manner.”
Leading Individual
“John Hagan and Bahar Alaeddini are very good lawyers with a remarkable knowledge of the gaming and gambling market, as well as operators, platforms and payment providers and affiliates. They have an impressive international network. They both have a great sense of humour and keep a clear mind in situations with a lot of pressure.”
Leading Individual
Bahar Alaeddini is praised by market sources for her considerable expertise in advising major international clients on UK gambling law matters. She is particularly noted for her skill in licensing and regulatory compliance issues.
Band 1
“Bahar Alaeddini is a focused and common-sense lawyer who excels in the regulatory law field, being able to confidently analyse a given set of circumstances and give straight forward advice.”
Leading Individual
“Exceptional and creative”
“She is very pragmatic and straightforward. She is very knowledgeable, provides advice which is clear and helpful, and is very approachable.”
“Considered “an excellent gaming lawyer,” peers describe her as “very commercial, very straightforward – she makes things understandable.””
“She has an uncanny intuition for all things related to gambling commissions, as well as being very technical and straightforward with a commercial bent.”
“sharp intellect and a practical approach to advice”
Julian Harris
“Julian is knowledgeable and experienced.”
“His presence alone is reassuring and his ability and dedication to his clients are almost without parallel.”
“Julian Harris has a wealth of experience and is able to guide clients through complex issues. He understands not only the regulatory requirements of the industry but also appreciates business restraints; he is always able to provide solutions which meet not only the regulatory requirements but also reflective of clients’ business environments. He is focused on delivery and works as an integral part of clients’ teams ensuring that excellence is the outcome.”
“He is above anyone else in terms of knowledge.”
Band 1
“Extremely good at dealing with regulators.”
Band 1
“Draws wide-ranging praise as “amazing,” “phenomenal” and “a legend” in the field.”
Band 1
“highly experienced” and his “knowledge in the UK market is highly regarded and he is the go-to option for this field”.
Hall of Fame
“Julian Harris and John Hagan are considered as top professionals and their experience in this sector is simply unparalleled.”
Hall of Fame
“London-based Julian Harris offers a wealth of experience advising a broad range of operators and regulators on complex international gaming and gambling law issues.”
Band 1
“Julian has a wealth of experience and is able to guide clients through complex issues; he is particularly skilful at creating solutions which are designed to provide an effective business framework going forward.”
Band 1
“a heavyweight veteran in the field.”
Hall of Fame
“Highly experienced”
“Julian Harris’s knowledge in the UK market is highly regarded and he is the go-to option for this field.”
“draws wide-ranging praise as “amazing,” “phenomenal” and “a legend” in the field”
“extremely good at dealing with regulators”
Hilary Stewart-Jones
“She is the one to have by your side in complex matters and brings a real understanding of finance, corporate structure and the art of the deal.”
“Few people can match her judgement and understanding of gambling law and regulation.”
“She cares deeply and will fight hard for her clients.”
Tier 1
“probably the most predominant lawyer in the gambling and i-gaming space.”
Tier 1
London-based Hilary Stewart-Jones continues to be well respected for her significant experience in the international gaming and gambling industry, advising an array of operators on transactional and regulatory matters.
Senior Statespeople
“…a legal technician with a real business mind, which means her advice is really practical and useful. She has been a force in the industry for a long time.”
Senior Statespeople
“refreshingly straightforward, pragmatic and extremely knowledgeable in her field.”
Senior Statespeople
“Hilary Stewart-Jones is highlighted for her extensive experience advising an array of land-based and online operators in the gaming and gambling sector”. Sources remark: “Hilary is great and everyone in the market knows her.”
Senior Statespeople
“refreshingly straightforward, pragmatic and extremely knowledgeable in her field.”
Senior Statespeople
“She cares deeply and will fight hard for her clients.”
Key Lawyer
“She’s great, she deserves every bit of the reputation she has”
“Hilary Stewart-Jones is probably the most predominant lawyer in the gambling and i-gaming space.” Another source adds: “She cares deeply and will fight hard for her clients.”
David Whyte
“Dave is very responsive and knows the industry, regulations and landscape very well.”
“David Whyte brings not only technical excellence to the firm but, importantly, an excellent understanding of the regulatory environment. His wider experience provides an invaluable contribution to strategic discussions.”
“He gives detailed and actionable advice, and makes it easy for us to understand complex regulations. He also has inside knowledge of how the UK Gambling Commission works.”
Key Lawyer
Key Lawyer
“David Whyte is experienced from his background at the UK Gambling Commission and is also a pleasure to work with.”
Key Lawyer
Francesca Burnett-Hall
“Francesca is always available and very diligent.”
“John Hagan and Francesca Burnett-Hall provide prompt and timely advice, and help keep us focused and on track on longer projects. They are knowledgeable and willing to provide challenge in a constructive way.”
Key Lawyer
“She is diligent and has consummate attention to detail.”
Associate to Watch
Key Lawyer
Jessica Wilson
“Bahar Alaeddini and Jessica Wilson get full marks.”
“Always available, always responsive and always with answers. From partner to associate, the competence and knowledge was exemplary, notable names being Bahar Alaeddini and Jessica Wilson – I would go as far as saying our dream team in gaming law.”
Key Lawyer