Harton & ValeLegal, home page 0191 498 0620Call 0191 498 0620 Make an enquiry

Solicitors in the North East

Clear advice.Considered outcomes.

Legal guidance for individuals, families and businesses across the North East, delivered with clarity, care and commercial understanding.

Speak to our team Explore our services
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The Old Low Light at North Shields, a plain three-storey Georgian brick building on the Fish Quay

How we work

Good legal advice should leave you clearer than when you arrived: knowing where you stand, what your options are, and what each of them is likely to mean in practice.

01

Clear communication

Plain English from the first call. You will know what we are doing, why, and what it is likely to cost before any work begins.

02

Practical advice

Advice shaped around what you are trying to achieve, not just what the law allows. We set out the options and the trade-offs in each.

03

Senior attention

The person who takes on your matter stays involved in it. Experienced lawyers review the advice that matters most.

04

Long-term relationships

We aim to be the firm you return to as your family or business changes, so we keep careful records and remember the context.

Services

Two routes, one standard of advice.

Whether the matter is personal or commercial, you work with a named lawyer who explains things plainly and keeps you informed.

For individuals5 areas

  1. Family lawCalm, practical advice on separation, divorce, finances and arrangements for children, one step at a time.
  2. Wills, trusts and probateWills, lasting powers of attorney, trusts and estate administration, handled with patience and careful attention to detail.
  3. Residential conveyancingBuying, selling or remortgaging a home, with a named lawyer who keeps you updated from offer to completion.
  4. Employment advice for individualsClear advice for employees on settlement agreements, dismissal, redundancy, discrimination and problems at work, when you need it.
  5. Personal dispute resolutionHelp resolving disputes over property, money, inheritance and home improvements, favouring sensible settlement over costly court battles.

All services for individuals

For businesses5 areas

  1. Corporate and commercialPractical advice on company structures, shareholder arrangements, commercial contracts and buying or selling businesses, sized to the deal.
  2. Commercial propertyCommercial leases, acquisitions and property management advice for landlords, tenants and owner-occupiers across the North East.
  3. Employment law for employersPractical employment advice for employers on contracts, policies, people issues, restructuring and tribunal claims, before problems escalate.
  4. Commercial dispute resolutionCommercially minded help with contract disputes, unpaid debts and shareholder disagreements, resolved in proportion to what is at stake.
  5. Business succession planningJoined-up planning for business owners on exits, handovers, shareholder protection and personal estate arrangements, in good time.

All services for businesses

Featured expertise

Three areas clients ask us about most.

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01 · Family law

When a family changes shape

Separation is rarely just a legal process. We help you put arrangements for children, the home and finances on a footing that can last, and we favour agreement wherever it is safe and realistic.

  • Separation and divorce
  • Arrangements for children
  • Financial settlements
  • Cohabitation and pre-nuptial agreements
Family law
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02 · Corporate and commercial

Deals, structures and the contracts behind them

For owner-managed and growing businesses, we handle the legal side of buying, selling, investing and trading, with an eye on what the business needs next year as well as this one.

  • Buying and selling businesses
  • Shareholder and partnership agreements
  • Investment and restructuring
  • Commercial contracts and terms
Corporate and commercial
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03 · Commercial property

Property that supports the business

Leases, acquisitions and development land, handled with the commercial detail in view: the break clause you may need, the repair obligation you can live with, the rent review you can plan for.

  • Business leases for landlords and tenants
  • Purchases and sales
  • Portfolio management
  • Development and planning agreements
Commercial property

The firm

Personal attention, with a commercial head.

Most legal problems sit somewhere between the personal and the financial. A separation involves a business. A business sale involves a family. We are set up to see both sides.

For individuals

Advice that respects what is at stake for you and your family, with realistic expectations about time and cost.

For businesses

Advice that starts from how your business makes money, and treats legal risk as one factor among several.

About the firm Our approach
A lawyer listening closely during a meeting in a quiet, light-filled office

People

The lawyers you will work with.

Meet the whole team

Insights

Plain answers to common questions.

All insights

BusinessesJames Whitfield5 min read

What to consider before buying a business

Buying a business is usually a series of decisions rather than a single one, and the early choices shape everything that follows. This guide walks through the structure of the deal, the checks worth making and the contractual protections that are usually negotiated.

Make an enquiry

Start with a conversation.

Tell us briefly what has happened and what you would like to achieve. There is no obligation, and we will be straightforward about whether we are the right people to help.

Speak to our team
0191 498 0620 enquiries@hartonvale.example

  1. We read your enquiry

    A member of the relevant team reviews it, usually within one working day.

  2. A short, no-obligation call

    We ask a few questions, explain how we could help and outline the likely next steps.

  3. Clear terms before any work

    If you would like to go ahead, we confirm the scope, who will handle it and the costs in writing.