Client Services / London / Information Technology - London

Information Technology - London

The scale and quality of the work that our London IT group undertakes on infrastructure IT projects for global institutions demonstrates the capability of our practice. With our cross border and multidisciplinary offering, we also provide detailed consideration of the inevitable jurisdictional, regulatory, competition and fiscal matters that arise at this level. We have a wide range of experience with clients in the information technology, computer software and hardware, internet, biotechnology and life sciences industries.

We advise on matters including the following:

  • B2B and B2C contexts including online trading and exchange platforms

  • ISP and dot.com start ups’ on all aspects of their day to day business needs

  • new media companies with convergence issues

  • agreements for the supply and purchase of hardware, software, systems and services

  • software development, licensing and distribution

  • establishing and protecting rights in information systems and technology

  • e-enabled outsourcing, joint marketing ventures, and system supply and procurement

  • e-trade and competition law issues

  • setting up an industry standard public key infrastructure (PKI) cryptographic protection

  • conducting business via the internet, including domain names and copyright issues

  • cross-border e-commerce issues, including pan-EU online contracting and promotions

  • content and policy formation of the proposed Electronic Commerce Directive, the Distance Selling Directive and the Digital Signatures Directive

  • data transfer arrangements including data hosting, networking and STP structures

Our wealth of experience in advising on electronic formats and remote access developments in the financial markets sector led to the establishment of our unique financial markets technology group.

We have particularly strong experience in the electronics, telecommunications and financial servicessectors, and our clients include Citigroup, the Boston Consulting Group, RateXchange and other commodity exchanges, Shell and BAE SYSTEMS.

Our notable experience includes:

  • advising one of the world’s leading producers and marketers of alcoholic beverage brands on the prospective acquisition of Carling Brewers from Interbrew. There were a number of potential bidders and the successful £1.2bn bid, announced before Christmas 2001, was by Coors.

  • Advising Cross Atlantic Technology Fund and Co-Investment Fund 2002 on the IT aspects of the £5.24m offer for Brainspark by AI Software.

  • Advising Kvaerner on the IT aspects of the $100m sale of its hydrocarbons and process technology divisions to Yukos Oil.

  • Advising West LB on membership of leading global electronic market portal for foreign exchange products and related services (Atriax).

  • Advising Schroder Salomon Smith Barney on the development of a proprietary software platform for implementing online trading within Asian bond markets.

  • Advising BAE SYSTEMS on all IT law aspects of the global outsourcing and e-enabling of its human resources function.

  • Advising Schmalbach-Lubeca on all IT aspects of global outsourcing.

Contacts

London Client Services

McDermott Will & Emery

McDermott Will and Emery