What We Do
Our information technology lawyers act on behalf of a broad mix of private and public sector clients, finding commercially-workable solutions to their IT issues.
Whether you are a supplier or user of an IT service or product, our specialist team can help you with all aspects of law – including contract work and litigation.
Our IT team has considerable experience advising businesses how to contract effectively with consumers. Joanne Bone, our lead IT partner, sits on the Law Society reference group looking at law reform in this area.
We advise on all aspects of technology procurement, contracts and disputes, including:
- Software licensing
- Software as a Service (SaaS)
- Bespoke development
- Cloud arrangements
- System procurements
- Managed services contracts
- Broadband agreements
- ISP agreements
- Transitional services arrangements
- Service level agreements
- Outsourcing (both technology and Business Process Outsourcing)
- Disputes regarding IT issues, competition and intellectual property
- Breakdown of relationships in the supply chain
Specialists In E-commerce And Data Protection
Regulation surrounding data protection and E-commerce is rapidly increasing. We offer experienced advice and support to businesses trading online, or managing data (our data protection lawyers have particular expertise in helping businesses to export data offshore, in accordance with the law).
Our E-commerce Services Include:
- Advising/drafting online terms and conditions
- Compliance with legislation such as the E-commerce Directive and Distance Selling Regulations
- Website development agreements
- Payment mechanisms
- Advising on and drafting privacy policies
How Our IT Lawyers Can Help
Our dedicated team of IT specialists are adept at translating your requirements into enforceable contracts, helping you to manage the execution of those contracts and the associated services throughout their lifecycle, and taking action to enforce your rights where necessary.
As specialists in this area we can draft standard contracts that you can administer but which are flexible enough to accommodate the particular terms of a deal. We can also draft and negotiate bespoke contracts for projects too complex to fit a standard document.
Our team takes a collaborative approach and will provide in house teams with as little or as much support as is needed. All team members are technologically-savvy and are happy to work electronically wherever possible.
Working regularly for both suppliers and users gives us the knowledge to spot what’s important, as well as what the other side will realistically be prepared to negotiate on. We don’t argue for the sake of it, on technicalities that don’t matter.
Our team prides itself on the quick and accurate turnaround of work – particularly contracts. We agree fees at the outset, and look to fix costs for each particular stage of work, so you know exactly what you’re paying for.
Recent Information Technology Work
- Advising Regain Polymers, one of the UK's leading plastic recycling companies, on the procurement of a new enterprise resource planning (ERP) system, management reporting system and contractual terms
- Advising an internationally renowned jeweller in relation to an innovative cloud solution
- Advising Myscience.co Limited, a joint venture by the White Rose Universities (Leeds, Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam and York), on contractual arrangements and the procurement of a virtual learning environment including hardware, software, development work, configuration services, training, support, maintenance and data migration
- Advising Silverlink Software, the developers of one of the UK’s leading Patient Administration Systems for the NHS, on contractual arrangements including distribution agreements and associated services provision to distributors and end users
- Advising one of the UK’s largest business to business franchisors on the renegotiation of its software licensing arrangements and the resolution of contractual and IPR related disputes with its supplier
- Advising central government on three key procurements for software, hardware and services
- Advising a large local authority in respect of the procurement and implementation of an educational broadband network together with associated hosting, filtering and internet access services and the licensing of a learning platform
- Acting for Lhasa Limited, a leading global supplier of knowledge based software and associated databases for use in metabolism, toxicology, and related sciences. We have drafted standard form documentation and advised on international licence arrangements
- Advising a famous London hotel on the contractual provisions surrounding the installation of its state of the art multi-media system
- Advising the UK subsidiary of a US multinational on 3 key software procurements involving complex IT service provisions
- Advising Mabanaft Limited, one of the premier independent fuel wholesalers in the UK. We advised in relation to the drafting of documentation relating to development of an online fuel quotation and ordering service, including the development of software and the licensing of data feeds
- Advising Experian Payments (previously Eiger Systems Limited) a software house specialising in the provision of its own banking support software to major UK companies, on its contractual arrangements
- Advising the Social Care Institute for Excellence in relation to a suite of contracts relating to the creation of and exploitation of multi-media materials
- Advising a large further education college in relation to the procurement, hosting and maintenance of a careers portal and advising on its agreements with sub-contracted learning providers
Testimonials
Clients say "They are professional, pragmatic and seek to build enduring relationships with business." And "I would highly recommend them because I know we're always in good hands with them." – Chambers & Partners, 2018
"Particular expertise in data protection and security, master service arrangements and consumer contracts."
Chambers & Partners, 2016
"At Irwin Mitchell, Joanne Bone advises businesses across all sectors on licensing arrangements, cloud services, IT service delivery and SLAs."
Legal 500, 2014
“Irwin Mitchell’s team is very professional and regularly acts for IT suppliers on contractual issues including procurement and master service agreements.”
Legal 500, 2012
“Irwin Mitchell…tends to handle work at the interface of IT and IP on behalf of clients drawn from a variety of industry sectors; the team has particular expertise in master service arrangements with banks and financial institutions.”
Chambers, 2013