Bristows is delighted to announce that Tom Sharpe, a leading AI partner, will be joining the firm in July 2026. This strategic move underscores our commitment to our market-leading AI offering and deepens the team’s senior capability to meet increasing client demand in the most transformative area of business and technology today.

Tom advises household-name businesses, including FTSE 100 and NASDAQ-listed companies, on advanced AI initiatives – from agentic AI and autonomous workflows to the procurement, adoption and deployment of AI systems at scale. He also regularly advises on the governance frameworks needed to deploy AI safely and effectively.

Tom is known for combining deep technical understanding with sharp commercial judgement – translating fast-moving technical and regulatory developments into practical frameworks that support clients’ use of AI.

Commenting on Tom’s arrival, Vik Khurana, co-head of Bristows’ Technology sector and head of our AI practice: “We are delighted that Tom will be joining us and we warmly welcome him to the team. There has been considerable growth in our leading AI practice – bringing Tom on board enhances our ability to advise on complex, high-value AI client mandates. Having built our practice on cutting-edge ‘frontier AI’ clients, Tom offers complementary expertise across digital platforms and companies innovating on top of leading AI models. Tom is one of the only genuinely expert senior AI lawyers in the market and I’m very much looking forward to working alongside him to take Bristows’ AI practice from strength to strength.”

Adrian Sim, Joint Managing Partner, commented: “Tom will be an outstanding addition to our market-leading AI practice. His impressive track record and strong reputation in the technology sector coupled with an approach aligned with our firm values makes him an excellent fit for Bristows. We are delighted to welcome him to the partnership as the firm continues to grow and expand its capabilities.”

Tom Sharpe commented: “It is a real privilege to be joining Bristows at such an exciting time for the firm and its clients. Bristows has built a leading AI practice, underpinned by the firm’s exceptional strengths in IP, data and technology. Vik and the team are hugely impressive – not only for the depth of their expertise and their work at the frontier of AI development, but for their genuine passion for AI as a technology. As AI capabilities advance at pace and adoption deepens across the market, I am very much looking forward to working with the team to support clients and continue building Bristows’ AI practice.”

Bristows Commercial Technology & AI team is made up of 19 expert lawyers advising clients on AI product launches, commercial transactions and AI governance. In addition, across the wider firm, we have more than 30 lawyers specialising in AI, covering IP, data protection, regulatory compliance, corporate transactions and disputes.

For more information, please contact:
katherine.farrell@bristows.com | +44 20 7400 8000