Every business depends on technology; most use, or create, valuable intellectual property. Our Tech team has the knowledge, experience and pragmatism to guide clients through the complexities of:
- Contracting for tech services (whether as provider or procurer), including managed or outsourced services, Saas or similar and public and private sector procurement.
- Identifying, protecting and exploiting intellectual property.
- Creating, growing and exiting a tech-based company, or investing in or acquiring one.
- Understanding the legal and regulatory challenges of dealing in or with the tech sector, from privacy/GDPR issues to financial services regulation, especially in emerging technologies including Blockchain, AI/Machine Learning, smart contracts and nano-technology.
We have worked on over billion of technology transactions (procurement, outsourcing, JVs and M&A) in the UK and cross-border.
Our team draws from the full range of expertise we have in the firm, including relating to Intellectual Property, Commercial Contracts, M&A/Capital Markets, Employment/Immigration, Dispute Resolution and Real Estate, and from our network in the US and throughout the world.
We deal with issues that include:
- Preparing and negotiating commercial contracts, including technology hardware, software and services procurement; outsourcing and off-shoring; and software development agreements.
- Drafting software licence and SaaS/BPaaS and similar contracts.
- Supporting the full lifecycle of a tech business, from incorporation through funding rounds, M&A activity and trade sale/IPO: both for tech companies and those investing in them.
- Advising on payment systems and FINTECH/REGTECH.
- Drafting e-commerce terms and Website policy documents (privacy, cookies, terms of use etc.).
- Advising on data protection policies and relevant compliance issues (including with respect to GDPR).
- Carrying out intellectual property audits and creating strategies for identifying, protecting and exploiting IP.
- Resolving disputes, including by arbitration and mediation.
- Advising on employment and immigration issues.
- Advising on commercial real estate projects, such as acquiring data centres or siting transponders.
Our technology team’s experience includes:
- Advised a digital music platform on licensing and other contracts.
- Advised several Blockchain start-ups on corporate, commercial, employment and incentive arrangements (e.g. options) and IP issues.
- Advised US, Australian and other overseas tech companies on doing business in the UK.
- Advised Patni Computer Systems on its US $ 800m sale to iGate.
- Advised lead venture capital investors in fundraisings for both Spotify and Shazam.
- Advised one of Lithuania’s first specialised fintech bank authorisations from inception of idea through to the bank’s successful registration.
- Advised on numerous authorisations of emoney, payment institutions and MiFID firms in the UK and Ireland, including advising on one of Ireland’s first ‘fintech’ disruptors on its application for regulatory authorisation prior to the introduction of European payment services law.
- Successfully represented a global IT company in resolving a Tier 2 Sponsor Licence revocation, ensuring the licence was reinstated at the early stages of the Judicial Review process.
- Advised a Chinese tech start-up company obtain UK work permission for their New Zealand CFO.
