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Harriet Parker | Senior Paralegal at Jaffa & Co

  • Feb 18
  • 2 min read

Senior Paralegal at Jaffa & Co, Harriet Parker has built a career that uniquely bridges life at sea and the legal boardroom. Specialising in superyacht and private jet transactions, she advises on high-value yacht sales and purchases, complex financing arrangements, and the negotiation of refit and construction contracts. What sets Harriet apart is that before stepping into law, she worked onboard superyachts up to 110 metres—giving her firsthand operational insight that now strengthens her legal practice.


Based in London and working in the legal side of yachting, Harriet plays a key role in transactions that demand precision, discretion, and commercial awareness. Her work spans representing both lenders and borrowers in yacht finance deals, guiding clients through the intricacies of ownership structures, and ensuring seamless execution of sale and purchase agreements. The superyacht sector is fast-moving and highly international, and her background in multijurisdictional trust litigation and media litigation adds further depth to her ability to navigate complex legal landscapes.


Harriet’s entry into yachting began practically, not academically. She first taught sailing, and through the training centre where she worked, discovered professional yachting pathways. She went on to spend several years as a deckhand aboard superyachts ranging from 16 metres to over 110 metres, primarily based in the US and Caribbean, with an additional Mediterranean season aboard a chase boat. That experience gave her an insider’s understanding of vessel operations, crew dynamics, and the realities of yacht ownership—knowledge that now informs her transactional work.


Today, Harriet is working toward qualifying as a solicitor, completing her qualifying work experience and preparing for the SQE exams. Her next milestone is formal qualification, strengthening her position within the specialist world of maritime and aviation law. Alongside her legal career, she continues to race sailing yachts competitively, having completed a Fastnet campaign last year—further reflecting her enduring connection to the maritime industry.


Harriet’s journey is a clear example of how operational experience can elevate advisory work. By combining hands-on yachting expertise with legal training, she offers clients both technical accuracy and real-world understanding—an increasingly valuable combination in the superyacht sector.



Short Bio

Senior Paralegal at Jaffa & Co, Harriet Parker specialises in superyacht transactions and yacht finance. A former superyacht deckhand, she combines onboard experience with legal expertise. Based in London, she is working toward qualifying as a solicitor while continuing to race competitively offshore.



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