Tech start-up office

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Technology lawyers

We are as passionate about technology as you are and our globally based Withers tech venture capital arm thrives on supporting entrepreneurs and high-growth companies alike across the tech sector, by taking a ‘more startup’ attitude to solving problems.

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.

Greenbackers

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.

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Greenbackers and Withersworldwide

Track record

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.

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Our team

James Shaw

James Shaw

Partner | London

James Shaw

Partner | London

Corporate

Susanna Stanfield

Susanna Stanfield

Partner | Cambridge

Susanna Stanfield

Partner | Cambridge

Corporate

Richard Penfold

Richard Penfold

Partner | London

Richard Penfold

Partner | London

Intellectual property and technology

Ben Williams

Ben Williams

Partner | London

Ben Williams

Partner | London

Intellectual property and technology

Phil Robinson

Phil Robinson

Partner | London

Phil Robinson

Partner | London

Corporate

Sarah Melaney

Sarah Melaney

Partner | London

Sarah Melaney

Partner | London

Corporate

Andrew Gay

Andrew Gay

Partner | Boston

Andrew Gay

Partner | Boston

Corporate

Joel Shen

Joel Shen

Partner | Singapore

Joel Shen

Partner | Singapore

Corporate

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