Plain advice, properly given.

Harcourt Bell is an independent law firm, founded in Bristol in 1974, with offices in Bristol, London and Cardiff. We act for owner-managed businesses, farming families and estates, charities and housing associations, and the people behind them.

How we work.

The person you meet does the work. A partner leads every matter, and from the first letter you will know who is doing what.

Within the first week you get a short written view of where you stand, including what we think the likely outcome is. Before any chargeable work starts you get a fixed fee or a written estimate. If that estimate is going to move, you hear it from us first, not from the invoice.

We settle disputes where settling serves you, and go to court when it doesn’t. We have never merged, taken outside investment or paid for referrals, and we would rather keep it that way. The habits we hold ourselves to are written down.

What we do.

Seven practices, each described the way a client would describe the problem.

• Corporate & CommercialBuying, selling and investing in businesses, employee ownership, commercial contracts.
• Real EstateBuying, selling, letting and developing land and buildings, and building-safety remediation.
• Dispute ResolutionContract claims, professional negligence, property and construction disputes.
• EmploymentContracts, restructures, disciplinary matters, tribunal claims and senior exits.
• Private ClientWills, trusts, estates, lasting powers of attorney and the Court of Protection.
• FamilyDivorce, financial settlements, arrangements for children, nuptial agreements.
• Rural & EstatesAgricultural tenancies, farm succession and the division of landed estates.

“Write to the client as if they will read the letter twice: once when it arrives, and once on the worst day of their year.”

Where it started.

Eleanor Harcourt and Gerald Bell met in 1974 on opposite sides of a boundary dispute over a Somerset orchard. Gerald’s client won the argument; Eleanor’s client kept the trees. They decided they would rather be on the same side, and opened a two-room office above a bookbinder on Corn Street. Read the firm’s history.

Where to find us.

Our head office has been on Queen Square, Bristol, since 1988. We have had an office in Holborn since 1996 and on Cathedral Road, Cardiff, since 2011. Telephone any of them during office hours and a person will answer. Find an office, or tell us what you need.