Bird & Bird’s expertise in the field of information technology is driven by its deep industrial knowledge of business processes and innovation. Universally recognised as market leaders in the information technology sector, the Chambers Global legal directory currently ranks Bird & Bird as the leading technology law firm in Europe and Asia and amongst an elite group of four globally.
We provide the full range of legal services required by IT businesses and for the users of IT. Our in-depth knowledge of the IT marketplace built up through our dedication to this area over many years means that our legal advice enhances the business and technology objectives of our customers. We are a trusted advisor to many of the most valuable tech companies in the world.
With our team of over 150 specialist IT lawyers based across our 23 international offices we advise international corporations, local businesses and public sector entities who seek consistent and high quality legal advice across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. We are also increasingly working in emerging territories including Africa, Russia and South America.
Our highly flexible and individualised approach to providing legal solutions is driven by an in-depth understanding of our clients’ strategic goals and objectives. Key areas of our IT practice include the support of strategic outsourcing and systems implementation, global and local software distribution, the support of fast growing and innovative tech companies, technology disputes, data centre developments and rationalisations.
We have a range of focus areas where we provide thought-leadership on IT-related legal developments. These include cloud services, agile development methodologies, big data, cyber and IT security, open source and open data, and software patentability.
Our clients confide in us to take advantage of pioneering, highly complex technology, in order to stay ahead against their competitors – we stand at their side by assessing the legal risks and helping to safeguard their interests.
Heads of Group: Roger Bickerstaff in London and Dr Alexander Duisberg in Munich.
Recent highlights of work
● We assist one of the world’s largest computer manufacturers with their day-to-day legal commercial work across Europe, the Middle East and Africa since 2005. We provide a seamless coordinated service that is highly valued by the EMEA GC and the in-house team. We provide a Client Relationship Executive who acts as a one-stop-shop point of contact for the legal team to access lawyers across our 23 offices and beyond.
● Bird & Bird have provided continuing input on the legal and commercial implications and challenges of the UK Government moving to cloud computing, including the appropriate risk allocations, governance structures and approaches to accreditation. Our work on the G-Cloud initiative demonstrates our commitment to helping enable and shape the future IT marketplace for the public sector and beyond, and our ability to engage meaningfully at a strategic as well as a transactional level with extremely complex areas of IT and policy.
● We act as the main European legal service provider for an Indian headquartered technology services corporation. Advising on numerous commercial matters and providing advice on contractual, corporate, intellectual property, employment, data protection and regulatory matters for this major client from various international offices.
● We advised a Japanese multinational video game developer on the outsourcing of the group’s warehousing, distribution and stock control functions for Western Europe. This involved a major re-organisation and rationalising of existing warehousing facilities from Holland, Belgium, France and Spain to a new centre based in Mechelen (north of Brussels). New IT systems and process and order tracking were an integral part of the outsourcing as were new business practices in ‘just in time’ ordering and delivery.
● We advised a Danish software developer, on an "Agile Development" agreement with an automotive manufacturer for the development of a feature and configuration tool to support production requirements. Using agile as the development methodology also makes this transaction relatively rare being an early follower of the trend to move away from the traditional "waterfall" development methodology. This work was Highly Commended in the FT Innovative Lawyer Report in 2012.
● We advised a specialist financial services software house on various open source licensing issues in connection with its take-over by a Private Equity Asset Management Firm. Since the take-over we have continued to act for the client on the regularisation of its commercial contracts.
Latest accolades
2013 Legal Business TMT Team of the Year
FT Innovative Lawyers 2012 recognised Bird & Bird’s innovation
"Clients and commentators are in no doubt about this firm's position at the forefront of the European technology and communications market. On the technology side, the firm is on the national and international panels of various major service providers, as well as representing high-profile service users in the public and private sectors. Interviewees praise the firm's seamless multi-jurisdictional service."
Chambers Global 2013
"Bird & Bird seems unassailable in its position as one of the broadest and deepest IT firms. In addition, its London office is at the heart of a strong, integrated IT team throughout Europe. The team acts for suppliers, purchasers, public sector organisations and private companies."
Chambers UK 2013
"This respected international firm enjoys a remarkable reputation. The IT team's recent work has been centred around major service transactions, such as customer relationship management implementation deals, on behalf of big-ticket clients on both the vendor and purchaser side. The firm's traditional IT outsourcing practice is accompanied by growing activity in business process outsourcing. Whilst they are involved in IT contract litigation, the lawyers' contentious work has recently been largely comprised of internet-related disputes, and the team represents some of the market leaders in e-commerce for such cases."
Chambers Europe 2012
"Bird & Bird has a long-standing reputation as a true technology specialist, with a deep bench of experts located across the UK, Europe and Asia. The team's cutting-edge understanding of the communications and technology sectors allows it to advise on high-profile cross-border matters. Sources say: 'Highly innovative, and has a genuine focus on the TMT market.' 'Incredibly responsive.'"
Chambers Global 2012