Chris Hardy
Legal Director
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Chris is a Legal Director in the Commercial and Charities team. He splits his time between the Blake Morgan’s Manchester, London and Thames Valley offices, and also regularly works with colleagues in Cardiff. Chris is an experienced commercial and projects lawyer who acts on all aspects of transformational contracts and complex transactions between the public, private and third sectors.
Main areas of practice
Chris has experience supporting public, private and third sector clients with the full spectrum of their needs, from business-as-usual advice to intensive support on long-term service contracts and uniquely complex projects and transactions.
Chris has experience supporting clients at all stages of the contract lifecycle, from inception and procurement, to operational management and in-life issues, to supply chain distress and settlement of disputes, to expiry and termination.
Chris has a broad commercial skillset, but has particular specialisms in complex, long-term contracting and large-scale service transformations, supporting clients to deliver their business- and population-focused outcomes. He has sector specialisms in health, IT/tech and government work (both at a national and local level).
Chris also acts on mergers of statutory bodies and charities, as well as business and assets transfers, in particular where organisations are regulated. Chris is known for his comprehensive but pragmatic approach, which is valued by his clients, and his robust transaction management.
Clients
Chris works with organisations in the public sector (from governments to regional and local government bodies, as well as the full spectrum of NHS bodies) and their private sector partners from SMEs to multinationals.
Chris also advises clients in the third sector.
Expertise & Services
Chris Hardy [was] exceptional, providing invaluable and practical supporting during a complex transaction.
Career
Chris read Architecture at the University of Liverpool, before converting to law at the University of Sheffield.
Chris trained at an international law firm and spent over five years at another post-qualification before joining Blake Morgan in March 2025 to support the opening of the firm’s Manchester office, its first in the North.
Contact details
Significant Experience
- HEALTH AND LIFE SCIENCES
- Advising a central government body on legal mechanisms to support reimbursement and capacity building funding for commercial clinical trials.
- Acting for a central government body on the procurement of a complex framework for the supply of medicines for ophthalmology, including drafting a complex waterfall award mechanism to ensure a diverse supply chain.
- Supporting the UK subsidiary of a Middle East sovereign wealth fund on its procurement of suppliers to source, import and export medicines and medical devices, including drafting the contract and tender documents.
- IT, AI AND TECH
- Advising a central government body on the change in law impact of draft legislation on circa 140 IT contracts.
- Acting for a central government body on the transfer of a number of IT contracts to a new supplier as a result of the incumbent’s insolvency.
- Supporting a private healthcare provider on its strategy for implementing AI solutions across its business.
- EDUCATION AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT
- Advising Russell Group and other universities on various contractual matters, including the development of a bespoke concession contract for student employability services.
- Acting for a further education college on a heat supply agreement to procure heat from its local heat network.
- Supporting a local authority on the procurement of an operator for an advanced distribution and manufacturing centre, including drafting the concession agreement and providing advice on structuring and procurement.
- CHARITIES
- Various charities on transactions, including the transfer of organisations regulated by the Care Quality Commission.
Quotes
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