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Technology lawyers
Launching a new AI product? Developing a SaaS offering? Disrupting a major market sector? From development through to litigation, Withers tech provides a comprehensive global offering designed to meet the unique needs of entrepreneurs and high growth technology companies across the full spectrum of tech sectors.
Our clients are often at the cutting edge of technology, reinventing the way people interact with tech and disrupting entire market sectors. We understand that the commercialisation of emerging technologies like AI, deep learning, and blockchain requires a different approach to the new risks our clients are facing. We pride ourselves on being willing to adopt more novel approaches to solving problems with a 'more start-up' attitude.The Withers tech team is passionate about technology and take a keen interest in the underlying tech our clients are creating. Our role does not stop at 'the legals'. We actively contribute to the start-up community, partnering with accelerators, industry bodies and legal tech providers to provide a stronger, more rounded offering (a number of our lawyers can even code). Our lawyers are actively involved in the development of 'project Terranova’ (funded by Innovate UK), working closely with Gene AI and leading academics with the goal of developing and exploiting leading-edge machine learning tools for lawyers. We are firmly established in the start-up ecosystem and are proud to have grown with some of the world’s most innovative companies, including working with a number of tech unicorns from inception. We are a global team that knows how to run alongside you at every stage of your company’s lifecycle.
Given the majority of our client base is made up of tech disruptors, we are uniquely placed to advise on the creation and development of technology solutions and the launch of new products and services to market. We believe all technology lawyers should be experts in data protection, and we excel in advising on privacy issues in respect of the development and launch of new technologies. We regularly advise our clients on: privacy by design, software development, collaboration & commercial partnership agreements, R&D and consortium agreements.
Our dedicated tech team has depth of knowledge and experience in advising companies on complex licensing arrangements with particular expertise in helping tech companies navigate the requirements and demands of enterprise level customers. We regularly advise our clients on: software as a service (SaaS) licences; on-premise software licences; proof of concept agreements; terms of use; service level agreements; reseller and referral agreements.
Operating at the forefront of technology, we understand that our clients constantly need to push the boundaries and require more than traditional dispute resolution advice. Our deep understanding of core underlying technologies and innovative business models means that we are ideally positioned to help our clients use litigation as a tool to overcome the regulatory, contractual and IP hurdles used by incumbents to suppress innovation. We regularly advise our clients on: strategic & business model litigation, enforcement of intellectual property rights, copycat technology, and shareholder disputes of technology rich companies.
We grow with many tech startup clients and understand that raising funds is of paramount importance for their growth strategies. Our team has significant experience advising some of the most exciting, emerging tech companies, structuring equity, debt and hybrid investments (including seed, series A, B, C funding, initial coin offerings), often involving several institutional investors and angels. In these transactions, we assist our clients to maximize the value of their venture business by structuring the deal and negotiating the terms of the investment and any shareholder arrangements.
How we can help
Well versed in both the legal and technical languages of decentralized finance, our global team can support anyone wanting to navigate the fast-changing world of blockchain, cryptocurrency and digital assets.
Fashion TechArtificial intelligence, 3D printing and virtual reality are transforming fashion. We help our clients stay at the forefront of innovation thanks to our in-depth fashion and tech experience.
Clients
Partnership
Promoting sustainable investment in partnership with Greenbackers Investment Capital
We have partnered with Greenbackers, a US and UK based specialist venture capital firm focused on climate & cleantech capital, to promote investment in low carbon innovators and tech-driven solutions to the climate crisis.
Through Greenbackers' network connecting investors and sustainable tech businesses seeking funding, we aim to drive equity capital towards investable climate and clean technology businesses. Our Withers tech team will also provide advice and practical updates on the latest market trends and practices.
Greenbackers and WithersworldwideTrack record
A leading payment services firm
Advising on a payment services firm's acquisition of a competitor in the payments space.
Acin on its $12M Series A financing
Acted for Acin, a data standards firm that is digitising operational and non-financial risk, on its $12 million Series A financing led by Notion Capital, with other investors including Fitch Ventures.
Alami Technologies on its USD 20M fundraising
Acted for Alami Technologies on its USD 20 million fundraising led by AC Ventures, Golden Gate Ventures, and Quona Capital. Alami Technologies is Indonesia's largest licensed Shariah-compliant peer-to-peer lender, and provides access to Shariah-compliant debt capital for micro, small and medium enterprises in Indonesia, as well as lending opportunities to individuals and financial institutions in Southeast Asia.
Draper Esprit on $125M Series B financing of Thought Machine
Advising lead investor, Draper Esprit, on the $125 million Series B financing of Thought Machine, a UK fintech building cloud-native technology for banks.
Draper Esprit on $50M Series B investment into PrimaryBid
Advising Draper Esprit on a $50 million Series B investment into PrimaryBid, a British fintech platform that connects retail investors with public companies raising capital.
Draper Esprit on US$60M Series B funding of FintechOS
Advising Draper Esprit on the US$60 million Series B funding of FintechOS, a leading European fintech whose technology dramatically reduces the time it takes for financial institutions to build end-to-end digital products.
Gauss Ventures on $55M Series B financing of Curve
Advising lead investor, Gauss Ventures, on the $55 million Series B financing of Curve, a UK fintech whose platform consolidates multiple cards and accounts into one card and one app.
Grab on its competitive tender for a minority interest in LinkAja
Advised regional tech major Grab on its competitive tender for a minority interest in LinkAja, the fourth largest electronic payments platform in Indonesia, and a joint venture between Indonesian state-owned telecommunications company Telkom and Indonesian state-owned banks Bank Rakyat Indonesia and Bank Mandiri.
Habito on multiple funding rounds
Advising Habito in connection with multiple funding rounds, including its £18.5 million (Series B) venture financing.
Leading payments company, SaltPay
Advising leading payments company, SaltPay on their global expansion across Europe and Africa.
Alami Technologies on its USD 20M fundraising
Acted for Alami Technologies on its USD 20 million fundraising led by AC Ventures, Golden Gate Ventures, and Quona Capital. Alami Technologies is Indonesia's largest licensed Shariah-compliant peer-to-peer lender, and provides access to Shariah-compliant debt capital for micro, small and medium enterprises in Indonesia, as well as lending opportunities to individuals and financial institutions in Southeast Asia.
Grab on its competitive tender for a minority interest in LinkAja
Advised regional tech major Grab on its competitive tender for a minority interest in LinkAja, the fourth largest electronic payments platform in Indonesia, and a joint venture between Indonesian state-owned telecommunications company Telkom and Indonesian state-owned banks Bank Rakyat Indonesia and Bank Mandiri.
Wavemaker Partners Pre-Series A investment into CrediBook
Advised Wavemaker Partners as the lead investor in fintech start-up, CrediBook's Pre-Series A fundraising of USD 1.5 million this year with participation.
PRC insurance group
Advised a PRC insurance group in its two-stage divestiture of a B2C e-commerce platform to a U.S. retail group, the investment in a PRC third-party payment business and proposed debt/equity investments in a Portuguese wind farm.
Advised on Chinese divestiture of e-commerce platform and investments
We advised a People's Republic of China (PRC) insurance group in its two-stage divestiture of a B2C e-commerce platform to a U.S. retail group, the investment in a PRC third-party payment business and proposed debt/equity investments in a Portuguese wind farm.
Leading payments company, SaltPay
Advising leading payments company, SaltPay on their global expansion across Europe and Africa.
A leading payment services firm
Advising on a payment services firm's acquisition of a competitor in the payments space.
Acin on its $12M Series A financing
Acted for Acin, a data standards firm that is digitising operational and non-financial risk, on its $12 million Series A financing led by Notion Capital, with other investors including Fitch Ventures.
Draper Esprit on $125M Series B financing of Thought Machine
Advising lead investor, Draper Esprit, on the $125 million Series B financing of Thought Machine, a UK fintech building cloud-native technology for banks.
Draper Esprit on $50M Series B investment into PrimaryBid
Advising Draper Esprit on a $50 million Series B investment into PrimaryBid, a British fintech platform that connects retail investors with public companies raising capital.
Draper Esprit on US$60M Series B funding of FintechOS
Advising Draper Esprit on the US$60 million Series B funding of FintechOS, a leading European fintech whose technology dramatically reduces the time it takes for financial institutions to build end-to-end digital products.
Gauss Ventures on $55M Series B financing of Curve
Advising lead investor, Gauss Ventures, on the $55 million Series B financing of Curve, a UK fintech whose platform consolidates multiple cards and accounts into one card and one app.
Habito on multiple funding rounds
Advising Habito in connection with multiple funding rounds, including its £18.5 million (Series B) venture financing.
Leading payments company, SaltPay
Advising leading payments company, SaltPay on their global expansion across Europe and Africa.
RG Advisors on their £25M investment into City of London Group
Advising Ruth Parasols family office, RG Advisors, on their £25 million majority control investment into AIM listed financial services group, City of London Group plc for the purpose of funding the growth of a new challenger bank, Recognise which also saw Ms Parasol welcome return to the UK public markets.
Wavemaker Partners Pre-Series A investment into CrediBook
Advised Wavemaker Partners as the lead investor in fintech start-up, CrediBook's Pre-Series A fundraising of USD 1.5 million this year with participation.
PRC insurance group
Advised a PRC insurance group in its two-stage divestiture of a B2C e-commerce platform to a U.S. retail group, the investment in a PRC third-party payment business and proposed debt/equity investments in a Portuguese wind farm.
Mexican telecoms project
A telecommunications equipment manufacturer providing customer financing for the construction of telecom fiber networks in Mexico and other Latin American countries engaged us to advise.
US technology company
Advised in the acquisition by a US technology company of software and intellectual property assets from an embedded software company in Moscow and related technology service agreements with an affiliated entity in British Virgin Islands.
Advised on Chinese divestiture of e-commerce platform and investments
We advised a People's Republic of China (PRC) insurance group in its two-stage divestiture of a B2C e-commerce platform to a U.S. retail group, the investment in a PRC third-party payment business and proposed debt/equity investments in a Portuguese wind farm.
Roommate matching economy startup
Structured and documented a fund providing seed money for a sharing economy startup in the roommate matching space. Founders are accomplished, successful serial entrepreneurs in the “matching algorithm” field. The offering was a full private placement memorandum under Regulation D, Rule 506 (c), with blue sky registration in a number of states.
US micro-venture capital fund
Formation and private offering of a US micro-venture capital fund focusing on the business-to-business digital marketplace and advice on its investments in three portfolio companies: a platform providing athletes and parents with a suite of online tools to streamline the recruiting process; a platform providing restaurants with a trained food delivery staff and system as well as an app which communicates orders received by restaurants; and a platform that allows manufacturers and distributors in the IT sector to communicate with resellers of their products.
Chief financial officer of software firm
We represented the chief financial officer of a software company in connection with a SEC investigation. The commission was alleging that there had been accounting improprieties on our client's watch, but we were able to obtain a favourable resolution of all charges.
US technology company
Advised in the acquisition by a US technology company of software and intellectual property assets from an embedded software company in Moscow and related technology service agreements with an affiliated entity in British Virgin Islands.
Astelit
We represented Astelit, a Ukrainian telecommunications company controlled by Turkish GSM operator Turkcell, on a $540 million financing (at such time the largest private financing in Ukraine) to expand its mobile network.
Mexican telecoms project
A telecommunications equipment manufacturer providing customer financing for the construction of telecom fiber networks in Mexico and other Latin American countries engaged us to advise.
Recent recognition
Indian Subcontinent
We work with successful families and regional/multinational companies from across a wide range of sectors and throughout the region, including India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
Our team
James Shaw
Partner | London
Susanna Stanfield
Partner | Cambridge
Richard Penfold
Partner | London
Ben Williams
Partner | London
Phil Robinson
Partner | London
Sarah Melaney
Partner | London
Andrew Gay
Partner | Boston
Joel Shen
Partner | Singapore
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