IT and telecoms
Although technically different sectors, the information technology (IT) and telecommunications sectors share some common legal features, particularly in relation to contracts, and they are sometimes described collectively as information and communications technology (ICT).
We have experience of advising a company that provides software for mobile phone messaging (which may be fairly considered to be in both the IT and telecoms sectors) and of advising many other IT companies that provide software and services in different industry sectors.
Several of our lawyers have experience of computer programming or working in the software industry prior to qualifying as lawyers. Our lawyers have attended negotiations over ICT contracts in Japan, the US and other European countries.
Mark Anderson's experience of this sector goes back to 1984, when he was an in-house lawyer in a company that (among other activities) developed software for the design of ships and licensed it internationally. In the late 1980s and early 1990s he advised X/Open (now the Open Group) which set standards for UNIX-based open systems, and he was involved in negotiations between X/Open and its members (most of the world's biggest computer companies) over the terms of several agreements.
Our other, recent experience of ICT work includes:
- Advising a private software company in the financial services sector on re-structuring its international activities, including liaising with US lawyers over various contracts in relation to a US joint venture.
- Advising various IT companies on commercial transactions, including an Australian company that provides management software for schools, a UK/New Zealand company that develops trading systems for financial institutions, a computer games company, and a company that hosts a social networking website for musicians.
- Advising several leading UK universities on technology licensing projects in the ICT sector, including projects that concerned electronic atlases, body imaging for clothing suppliers, and security scanning.
- Advising a corporate client in the software sector on the implications of non-compete covenants in the employment contract of a prospective employee involved in sales and marketing.
Client example: Airwide Solutions Limited
Airwide Solutions is an international corporation group of companies that supplies software for use in mobile phone networks. It has offices in Airwide is headquartered in North America, and has offices in locations around the world including Europe, Australia and the Far East. Its worldwide customers include household names in the mobile phone market. Its investors include financial institutions in the US and elsewhere.
Since 2003, we have advised Airwide on a range of business law issues, including commercial contracts, in-licensing, out-licensing, employment issues and other matters. Since 2007, our associate Paul Maclennan has been spending approximately 2 days per week on Airwide matters, and has attended negotiations in the UK and overseas on behalf of the company.
