Welsh-headquartered law firm Hugh James has appointed Jonathan Askin as a Partner in its Commercial practice in the London office, strengthening its Corporate and Commercial team.
Jonathan joins the firm with more than 20 years’ experience as a commercial lawyer, including having held Head of Commercial roles at Top 50 UK law firms. His appointment marks a further investment in Hugh James’ London capability alongside its established national practice.
In private practice, Jonathan has advised a wide range of clients, from PLCs and multinational organisations to owner-managed businesses and start-ups. He has also held senior in-house positions, including time with the UK Government as Senior Legal Counsel (Commercial), advising on complex commercial and procurement matters.
His practice covers commercial agreements, data protection and business relationships, with sector experience spanning hospitality and leisure, technology, media and entertainment, gaming, manufacturing, retail, travel, rail, sport and the public sector. He regularly advises on complex commercial arrangements, including supply chain and outsourcing contracts, data and AI governance, and strategic risk allocation.
Jonathan has extensive experience advising on large-scale outsourcing projects involving central and local government, including procurement and regulatory frameworks.
Aled Walters, Corporate and Commercial Partner and Head of the firm’s Commercial practice, said:
“This is a significant appointment for the firm. Jonathan strengthens our London commercial capability while supporting our national practice from our Welsh base. His experience across private practice, in-house roles and government adds depth to our offering and reflects our focus on building strong, sector-led teams. He brings additional strength, depth and credentials to many of our current sector groups, particularly in media & entertainment, gaming, sport, rail, hospitality and leisure, and we’re thrilled to have him on board.”
Jonathan Askin said: “Hugh James has a clear strategy for developing a high-quality, sector-focused commercial offering, and the opportunity to help drive that growth from London was a strong draw. I was attracted by the firm’s culture and its commitment to providing practical, commercially focused advice across sectors. I’m looking forward to contributing to that growth and working with teams across the firm.”
Jonathan’s appointment forms part of Hugh James’ objective to develop a high-quality commercial offering that supports clients across the UK.
