Technology, Media & Telecoms
Rapid advances in technology coupled with increasing regulation in the technology, media and telecoms (TMT) sectors demand the experience and expertise of lawyers who understand the unique legal and business challenges faced by clients operating in those sectors.
Our TMT team comprises an experienced group of multi-disciplinary lawyers with specialist expertise covering all aspects of the TMT sector including Corporate, Commercial, Information Technology & Gaming, Outsourcing & Procurement, Intellectual Property, Banking & Finance, Employment, Dispute Resolution, Real Estate and Tax. Our broad knowledge of the sector enables us to understand the challenges faced by clients in this sector and advise them on virtually all legal and commercial issues that they may face from time to time.
Our Technology, Media & Telecoms team advises a broad spectrum of clients in the TMT sector ranging from start-ups to major multinationals, FTSE 100 and AIM listed companies. We also act for an array of media clients ranging from international corporates, to entrepreneurial companies of all sizes, to high profile individuals from the world of sport, film and music.
Our Commercial team regularly advises TMT clients on matters such as:
- Technology: technology procurement, software development projects, licensing, outsourcing projects (IT, HR or business process), internet and e-commerce, intellectual property rights, digital media rights, data protection and data privacy, etc;
- Media: advertising and marketing contracts, intellectual property rights, reputation protection, the use and development of new multimedia platforms, regulatory issues, licensing issues, etc; and
- Telecoms: telecommunication infrastructure projects (mobile and fixed line), regulatory and competition issues, voice and data traffic structuring (wholesale and retail), exits for telecom resellers, all types of commercial claims (including claims relating to artificial inflation of traffic), etc.
Teacher Stern’s Corporate team advises on matters ranging from buying and selling companies within the technology, media and telecoms sector to joint ventures, financing, investment and associated regulatory matters. We work closely with our Banking & Finance team who advise on all aspects of debt finance and borrowing.
Our Dispute Resolution team regularly advises clients on avoiding, managing and resolving disputes in the TMT sector. We are fully familiar with and have a successful track record of resolving disputes at a very early stage by using alternative dispute resolution mechanisms including arbitration (under the LCIA and ICC rules), early neutral evaluation and mediation to resolve disputes at a very early stage.
Our dispute resolution team has wide experience of advising on TMT disputes such as:
- Media: Movies and TV production, financing and distribution, computer software and games – including on the purchase of talent companies, commissioning disputes, intellectual property infringement & licensing claims.
- Telecoms: regulatory and general commercial operating issues (including licence issues, planning and advertising), sale and purchase of telecommunications operating companies, infrastructure development joint ventures, infrastructure performance disputes (including satellite construction and launch issues and bandwidth geostationary location regulation) and mobile and fixed network ranging from access, interconnection and operation disputes to infrastructure construction (including subsea cable laying and fibre optics).
We build and maintain very strong relationships with many US and European law firms with particular expertise in the TMT sector and consequently we are able to provide assistance to clients in multiple jurisdictions.
Representative work
Examples of our technology, media & telecoms work include:
- Advised an international sports star in relation to injunctive proceedings to restrain a newspaper from publishing defamatory material.
- Advised a European bank in connection with a number of IT contracts it was entering into with third parties.
- Advised a digital services company on its response to tender relating to the provision of on-screen graphics to a major broadcasting organisation, and subsequently advised on the related services agreement.
- Advised a financial software provider on the development and licensing of its payment technology software into banks, as well as in respect of software maintenance contracts relating to that technology.
- Advised a household name in connection with the purchase of airtime and advertising space from ITV.
- Advised a telecommunications provider in connection with numerous commercial negotiations with telecom wholesalers, end users and its channel.
- Advised numerous software vendors in relation to master licence agreements, development agreements, reserve time arrangements, service level agreements and service credit provisions (for breach), support and maintenance terms, a purchase order procurement structure and a global affiliates programme.
