Harrison Drury strengthens corporate team in Preston with new partner appointment

Northern law firm Harrison Drury has bolstered its corporate team with the appointment of Andrew Clare as a partner.

Andrew, who will be based primarily at the firm’s Preston office, brings more than three decades of experience to the team, having held senior roles at law firms including Simmons and Simmons, TLT, DAC Beachcroft and Napthens. 

He will support clients across Lancashire and the wider region with a range of corporate transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, disposals, joint ventures and investment structures.

Andrew has advised businesses across a wide range of sectors and has particular expertise in the technology sector. 

He also spent several years working in Tokyo, most recently as foreign general counsel for Accenture Japan, where his working language was Japanese.

Mark Traynor, partner and head of Harrison Drury’s corporate team, said: “Andrew is a highly regarded corporate legal heavyweight who brings an impressive mix of domestic and international expertise to our Preston team.

“His experience will enable our clients to approach growth and investment opportunities with confidence, including complex transactions that may have a cross-border element. This is another appointment that reinforces our commitment to delivering high-quality corporate legal advice across the region.”

Andrew added: “Harrison Drury stood out to me as a firm with a strong local identity and solid values that is prepared to support ambitious business owners. It immediately felt like the right fit for me, both in terms of how it supports its people and how it serves clients. 

“Being from the area, it’s great to see how vibrant and ambitious the business community in Lancashire is right now, and I’m looking forward to helping my clients navigate a broad range of corporate transactions, whether that is locally, nationally or internationally.”

Harrison Drury’s corporate team recently retained its ranking in the 2026 edition of Legal 500 and the 2026 UK edition of Chambers and Partners, two of the industry’s most respected client guides to the legal profession.