Bahar Alaeddini
Partner
Harris Hagan
harrishagan.comharrishagan.comClient SatisfactionLawyers
Chris Biggs
Associate
Before making the move to the UK, Chris was admitted as a Solicitor in the Supreme Court of Queensland in December 2020. He trained at a top Queensland law firm and gained experience advising medium to large businesses and regulators on both transactions and disputes in the insurance and corporate sectors, as well as advising on discreet sports law matters. Having developed an interest in sports betting and integrity at university, which included producing a thesis paper on this subject, Chris joined us with a unique perspective on the UK and Australian regulatory landscapes.
Chris is now gaining experience advising land-based and online gambling businesses and start-ups on legal classification, non-remote and remote licence applications, premises licensing, personal applications, change of corporate control applications, transaction due diligence, general compliance and reporting requirements, compliance assessments, regulatory investigations, corporate evaluations, operating and personal licence reviews, and developing associated remedial compliance programmes and action plans.
David Whyte
Partner
Before joining Harris Hagan in September 2019 as a Senior Associate, David worked in-house at a large land-based casino operator and as General Counsel for an online operator, gaining first-hand experience of both sectors and the commercial needs of operators. Prior to moving in-house, David trained and worked at the Gambling Commission for nine years in both the enforcement and legal departments. This provided him with a unique insight into the regulatory framework in Great Britain.
Specialising in all aspects of online and land-based gambling law, David advises land-based and online gambling businesses (B2C and B2B), as well as many start-ups. He advises on legal classification, non-remote and remote licence applications, personal applications, advertising requirements, terms and conditions, data protection, general compliance and reporting requirements, compliance assessments, regulatory investigations, corporate evaluations, operating and personal licence reviews, and developing associated remedial compliance programmes and action plans
Francesca Burnett-Hall
Associate
Gemma Boore
Senior Associate
Before joining Harris Hagan in August 2022, Gemma worked in the gambling team of a large London law firm, where she specialised in advising on corporate, commercial, and regulatory matters as they impact the gambling sector.
Specialising in all aspects of online and land-based gambling law, Gemma advises land-based and online gambling businesses (B2C and B2B), as well as many start-ups and affiliates. She advises on legal classification, non-remote and remote licence applications, personal applications, transactional due diligence, general compliance and reporting requirements, compliance assessments, regulatory investigations, corporate evaluations, operating and personal licence reviews, and developing associated remedial compliance programmes and action plans. Gemma is also a commercial advisor to the sector, drafting and negotiating key commercial agreements including B2C terms and conditions and rules of play, B2B game, software and brand licensing arrangements, affiliate agreements and data protection policies and procedures.
Hilary Stewart-Jones
Consultant
Hilary is a consultant and advises many of the world’s largest land-based and online gambling businesses (B2C and B2B), as well as many start-ups, investors and leading law firms. Hilary has extensive gambling legal, regulatory and licensing experience advising on legal classification, non-remote and remote operating licence applications, premises licensing, personal applications, change of corporate control applications, transaction due diligence, corporate investments and transactions, complex group restructuring and the rationalisation of group licences. She also has extensive compliance and enforcement experience advising on general compliance and reporting requirements, compliance assessments, regulatory investigations, corporate evaluations, operating and personal licence reviews, and developing associated remedial compliance programmes and action plans.
Hilary is a frequent conference speaker and contributor to industry publications; she is a contributing editor to the ICLG to Gambling since 2014, and contributor to Smith and Monkcom: The Law of Gambling (Fourth Edition). She has also drafted gambling legislation (secondary and primary) for the Isle of Man and Curacao.
Hilary is recognised by The Legal 500 as “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.”
Jessica Wilson
Senior Associate
John Hagan
Managing Partner
John co-founded Harris Hagan with Julian Harris in May 2004. Specialising in all aspects of online and land-based gambling law, and with over 20 years’ of gambling law experience, John is recognised as a leading gambling lawyer by operators, suppliers and regulators throughout the world. He advises many of the world’s largest land-based and online gambling businesses (B2C and B2B), as well as many start-ups, investors and leading law firms. John has extensive gambling legal, regulatory and licensing experience advising on legal classification, non-remote and remote operating licence applications, casino competitions and premises licensing, personal applications, change of corporate control applications, transaction due diligence, corporate investments and transactions, complex group restructuring and the rationalisation of group licences. He also has extensive compliance and enforcement experience advising on general compliance and reporting requirements, compliance assessments, regulatory investigations, corporate evaluations, operating and personal licence reviews, and developing associated remedial compliance programmes and action plans.
John is a regular conference speaker and contributor to industry and specialist legal publications.
Julian Harris
Consultant and Founder
Julian co-founded Harris Hagan with John Hagan in May 2004. He came to specialise in this sector representing the Gaming Board for Great Britain (the then British regulator) for five years early in his career.
Specialising in all aspects of online and land-based gambling law, and with over 30 years’ experience of gambling law, Julian is recognised as a leading gambling lawyer by operators, suppliers and regulators throughout the world. He advises many of the world’s largest land-based and online gambling businesses (B2C and B2B), as well as many start-ups, investors and leading law firms. Julian has extensive gambling legal, regulatory and licensing experience advising on legal classification, non-remote and remote operating licence applications, casino competitions and premises licensing, personal applications, change of corporate control applications, transaction due diligence, corporate investments and transactions, complex group restructuring and the rationalisation of group licences. He also has extensive compliance and enforcement experience advising on general compliance and reporting requirements, compliance assessments, regulatory investigations, corporate evaluations, operating and personal licence reviews and developing associated remedial compliance programmes and action plans. Julian has also advised a number of government and regulatory authorities on the drafting of gambling legislation (primary and secondary).
Julian is a regular conference speaker and contributor to industry and specialist legal publications. He is also co-editor of Chambers Global Practice Guide to Gambling and Thomson Reuters Practical Law Global Guide to Gaming Law and co-author of the UK chapter of the same publications.
Julian is recognised by The Legal 500 as “highly experienced” and his “knowledge in the UK market is highly regarded and he is the go-to option for this field”.