Our expert team of technology lawyers regularly act for clients looking to unpick and resolve complex technology, IT and data disputes. They deploy all available levers to resolve conflicts in the most effective manner for clients, whether they be traditional IT suppliers and customers, tech providers and scaleups, or ‘bricks and mortar’ companies engaged in digital transformation or looking to buy in technology solutions. Their experience ranges from traditional IT outsourcing, distressed projects and software licensing disputes, data breach class actions and data licensing disputes, through to cutting edge technology disputes such as AI, automation, and disputes involving cryptocurrencies.
The team has local and international experience and expertise across different dispute resolution mechanisms including negotiation, mediation, adjudication, litigation, and arbitration. Our lawyers have substantial experience of successfully litigating disputes in UK and international courts where necessary, but we pride ourselves on working with clients to identify the best means by which to resolve their dispute in an efficient and future business-orientated manner. Our lawyers’ deep understanding of technology and the wider technology market is critical to the way we approach our clients' complex and specific technology dispute resolution needs.
The team is led by Michael Bywell and Peter Dalton, partners in our technology and data disputes practice, who have over 35 years of combined experience in the field.
Further details on our wider experience can be found on our technology and data protection hubs.
Representing various global technology vendors and managed service providers in relation to large-scale disputes arising from distressed IT projects in the public and private sectors often involving multi-£million sums.
Advising customers and suppliers in respect of bespoke software development disputes and defects, including representing clients in UK court litigation and in settlement negotiations.
Advisory and project-turnaround work arising from a major digital transformation programme in the financial services sector.
Civil litigation arising from alleged breaches of data protection legislation including two substantial representative class actions filed in the English courts.
Advising suppliers and customers in respect of software licensing and audit disputes.
Acting for various technology clients in respect of intellectual property ownership and digital asset theft disputes with third parties, including theft of source code, product databases, financial data assets, software assets, customer databases and other technology specific intellectual property disputes.
Forensic investigations and legal strategy advice relating to the theft of business-critical confidential information by third parties, including current and former employees, partners, and unaffiliated third party bad actors.
Advising an IT customer in respect of an IT dispute arising from a cyber incident impacting its managed service provider.
Advising financial institutions in relation to action by the Financial Conduct Authority as a result of alleged unlawful conduct in the treatment of customers in the context of trading with crypto assets.
Advised a major information technology services supplier in a multi-million-pound dispute with various public sector entities arising out of performance issues relating to an SaaP project.
Advising in relation to two substantial representative actions against major technology companies, arising from systemic breaches of data protection legislation, including in relation to children's data. In each case these claims sought damages running to billions of pounds.
Advising an IT supplier in respect of a distressed IT implementation for a large government organisation, through to protected negotiations and project reset.
Advising in complex and lengthy IT disputes and contract reset negotiations in respect of a c.£100s of millions IT project between an IT supplier and a global corporate customer; advising on various connected disputes and providing "on-premises" active contract and disputes support to the supplier client including in protracted face-to-face negotiations with the customer's legal team.
Advising a global customer in respect of a high-value software audit / licensing dispute with a vendor impacting a business-critical system.
Advising the customer in respect of a failed IT implementation, engaging in pre-action settlement discussions leading to a managed exit; advising on the IP issues relating to the exit and ensuring that the customer had the necessary rights to use software delivered to date and complete the system with a new contractor; negotiating settlement and exit terms.
Representing a financial services technology platform company in respect of High Court and Court of Appeal proceedings, and in a separate action against a software developer in respect of contracts for the supply of financial trading platforms in SE Asia.
Advising a global IT services provider acting as systems integrator in respect of a distressed project involving difficult technical issues and complicated termination and IP ownership disputes between the customer and client; assisting in the negotiation of a managed exit and settlement.
Advising a software supplier in respect of a dispute with a customer relating to a code defect in supplied software which caused consequential losses to the customer and its own customers, including on liability and settlement negotiations.
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