Commercial & technology

We are known for our ability to get to grips with demanding and technically difficult disputes. Our team includes some of the leading experts in technology, life sciences and intellectual property disputes and we have worked on some of the largest cases in these areas.

We also have extensive experience in international disputes involving conflicts of law and jurisdiction, worldwide freezing orders, enforcement action and the monitoring and management of foreign proceedings.

We are experts in litigation, arbitration and mediation. However, our starting point is to explore the options to resolve a dispute before it escalates. We use advanced technology and reporting tools to assist our clients to get an early understanding of their position so that they can develop strategies to match their risk appetite and objectives.

Experience

Arbitration: acting in arbitrations under institutional rules, including LCIA, SCC, ICC and UNCITRAL rules, as well as ad hoc proceedings under the Arbitration Act 1996. Bristows’ arbitration practice is unique because as well as acting in a wide range of commercial arbitrations, we focus on disputes involving technical subject matter.

Confidentiality: responding urgently to situations arising from the loss of or misuse of confidential information. We advise how to preserve and protect confidential information and trade secrets. Our experience includes disputes arising from confidentiality in product designs, life sciences product ingredients, development plans, market strategy, pricing information, internal costs, customer lists and software source code.

Contracts relating to IP and licences: advising on the full range of life sciences and bio-technology contract disputes right across the pharma product life cycle, often with IP-rich elements. Many of the issues arise from licensing arrangements and their termination, research and collaboration agreements, licence fees and royalty rates, supply and manufacture contracts, quality/technical agreements and distribution agreements

IT projects & outsourcing: Advising on a broad range of IT disputes including "troubled projects", outsourcing disputes, excess use claims, database licensing, and breaches of service level agreements and contracts to supply IT equipment or services.

Product liability: We advise on all aspects of product liability, from pre-launch and product recall through to defending claims.

Views on matters
shaping technology

Latest articles

Medication non-adherence

03.12.2018

Who’s going to drive you home? Liability for autonomous vehicles: part two

05.11.2018

A vision for health-tech – new government policy paper sets out strategy for digital, data and technology use in health and care

26.10.2018

What others say

“Comprehensive IT practice with powerful resources for major commercial transactions and complex litigation”
Chambers and Partners 2020

“The lawyers have a keen sense of the commercial aims of their clients and how to focus strategy so as to achieve those aims and they have an exceptional understanding of the commercial markets in which their clients operate”.
Legal 500 2020

Bristows “is more than a collection of lawyers; it is a real team working together – and for each other – for a common client-focused goal.”
Legal 500 2020

“The commercial and technology disputes team promoted Angela Fouracre, who ‘impresses with the high quality of her work’.”
Legal 500 2017

“Anna Cook is recommended for her handling of high-value IT disputes. Her client base includes multinational digital media companies and financial services infrastructure providers.”
Chambers and Partners 2019

“Overall, the Bristows’ commercial litigation team working on this claim have been excellent. They are consistently responsive and the quality of their legal services has been top-drawer.”
Chambers and Partners 2017

“It has particular industry sector expertise in IT, consumer products and life sciences, and has recently grown its practice in both disputes relating to the misuse of confidential information and the work it handles for financial services businesses. The team also regularly acts in cross-border Russian and CIS-related litigation and arbitration.”
Legal 500 2017

“Bristows LLP has a strong client following in the commercial contracts space, owing to its ‘high degree of partner-level engagement'”
Legal 500 2019

“They are second to nobody in terms of their overall package.”
Chambers and Partners 2017

“You just can’t go wrong with Bristows. They are at the top of their game and have a team big enough to cope with litigation of any size, and strength across the board from partner to trainee.”
Chambers and Partners 2017

“Bristows LLP has a strong client following in the commercial contracts space, owing to its ‘high degree of partner-level engagement'”
Legal 500 2019

“Bristows LLP ‘stands out as a client-focused firm that goes the extra mile to understand its clients’ commercial needs'”
Legal 500 2019

Recent rankings and awards

Media & entertainment: Gaming, social media & interactive content - Band 4
Chambers and Partners 2020

Key contact

Mark Brown