Digital & Technology Lawyers
Technology never stands still, because innovators are always innovating - it is just what they do.
With rapid developments in technologies such as generative AI, quantum computing and Web 4.0, the way that businesses, governments and institutions and individuals interact with technology will change significantly over the next decade. Whether you are an innovator at the forefront of these developments or a business looking to deploy or benefit from the latest technology, you need tech lawyers who provide commercially focused and solutions-oriented advice. Our clients choose us because we consistently provide both.
Whether you are a University spin-out, start-up, scale-up or an established technology business, our 35 Digital & Technology sector experts have the experience and expertise to support your growth aspirations.
Our clients are visionaries - founders and management teams who challenge industries, disrupt markets, and drive innovation. They come to us because we are deeply embedded in the UK’s innovation ecosystem, and they stay with us because we are as passionate about their success as they are. Acting as an extension of their team, our tech lawyers provide commercially pragmatic advice and flexible engagement terms, ensuring they have the legal support to navigate growth with confidence.
Although we act for sector clients across all technology verticals, we have particular experience in:
- Advanced Engineering & Materials
- Agritech
- Artificial Intelligence (AI)
- Cleantech
- Cyber Security
- Digital Health
- Ecommerce
- Edtech
- Fintech
- Quantum Technology
Through our international networks, we offer seamless legal support worldwide, helping technology businesses expand into new markets.
Wherever your ambitions take you, we are here to help you grow and succeed.
Our expertise
Our specialist tech lawyers advise on the following areas:
Advising owner-managed, family-owned and corporate technology clients on acquisitions, disposals and merger transactions, including exits to private equity investors.
Working with founders and University research commercialisation (tech transfer) offices to properly structure and support the spin-out of businesses and intellectual property, including advising on the templating of documents and playbooks.
Advising on angel, venture capital and growth capital private equity deals, ranging from pre-seed to later stage (Series A and beyond) deals (including SEIS, EIS and VCT investments) and with deal values from £150,000 to tens of millions of pounds.
IP licensing deals, collaboration agreements and the protection and exploitation of IP (including trade mark applications) in the UK and internationally.
All aspects of contract formation and contract management, technology and information system projects, e-commerce and risk management.
and reputation management - including GDPR compliance and policies.
Including EMI and other tax advantageous share option schemes, unapproved share options and growth share schemes.
Providing template employment contracts and policies for employees, executive and non-executive directors, advice on legal and HMRC compliant employee benefit packages (including pensions, incentives, minimum wage, leave entitlements, part time and flexible working) and also dealing with performance or behavioural issues without the workforce.
Business immigration compliance, licence and visa applications and renewals.
Including corporate tax advice on M&A and investment deals.
Why choose VWV?
As an entrepreneur, start-up, or scale-up, you need legal support that understands your challenges and growth ambitions. We provide specialist, cost-effective legal advice designed specifically for high-growth technology companies. Our approach is tailored to what you need most:
You’ll work directly with experienced partners and senior lawyers who understand the fast-paced nature of early-stage tech businesses.
Our team includes specialists in Education, Healthcare, Life Sciences, and Pharmaceuticals, ensuring you receive targeted legal and regulatory advice relevant to your sector.
Where appropriate, we provide fixed-fee template documents and policies, giving you access to enforceable agreements at an affordable price.
Delays can be critical for early-stage businesses. We structure our team to ensure you receive fast, proactive support, helping you meet key transactional and operational deadlines.
Our relationships
We are also embedded in several technology ecosystems, providing a significant amount of pro bono legal support to technology incubators, accelerators and the companies they support, including:
The VWV team provided outstanding support throughout the entire M&A process. They also navigated and successfully achieved a share capital reduction through the Courts. A special mention should go to Nathan Guest and Sonya May for guiding us so skilfully through each stage of the journey. The VWV approach ensures their clients fully informed at every stage, yet all the heavy lifting is done quietly, competently and professionally behind the scenes. Thank you for the excellent service throughout, it was an absolute pleasure working with you.
Our work highlights
Acting for two former UK Special Forces veterans, Russ Ticehurst and Seb Wiles, on the sale of their shares in Serbus, to a bidco backed by private equity investor, Aliter Capital. Serbus provides secure mobile communications for use in high-profile government and military environments and within multinational corporations.
Acting for GCHQ spin-out, Ripjar since 2012, including advising on a series of significant investment deals (including a $36m investment by US private equity investor, Long Ridge) plus advising on a series of significant customer contracts with global corporates, plus providing additional employment, immigration, share option, commercial property and data protection advice.
Acting for the University of Bristol on the legal and regulatory aspects of a £225m government funded project to build a new national Artificial Intelligence Research Resource for the UK, to be hosted by the University at its National Composites Centre facility in Bristol. To be known as Isambard-AI, it will be 10 times more powerful than the UK's current fastest supercomputer and among the most powerful in the world. The new system will be built by Hewlett Packard Enterprise and will allow Isambard-AI to reach up to 200 quadrillion calculations per second. Isambard-AI will be used by a wide range of organisations across the UK and AI researchers will be able to harness the power of AI in emerging technologies and in accelerating research in areas such as automated drug discovery and climate research.
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