Technology & Telecommunications

Expertise

We are consistently ranked Tier 1 for TMT in both Chambers and The Legal 500 legal directories.

Our clients cross the whole technology landscape – developers, suppliers, users and investors. We help clients on all aspects of technology and telecommunications-related deals, including procurement, outsourcing, contracting, financing, intellectual property protection and dispute resolution. Our advice is practical and proactive, providing strategic guidance with our signature commercial clarity.

The rise of AI and machine learning has changed the game. We are experts on the evolving legal position in New Zealand, including as it relates to intellectual property, data protection, security and governance. We can advise your business on how to incorporate AI into your offering successfully and safely – and in line with emerging regulation.

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Experience

• Assisting a large New Zealand broadcaster with its procurement of a Master Systems Integrator to help deliver its Internet Protocol Platform technology programme.
• Assisting a New Zealand investment and wealth management firm with several significant technology projects as it upgraded its technology environment, including advising on the strict data protection and security obligations imposed on financial services companies by New Zealand regulation.
• Advising a major energy company on the commercialisation of proprietary technology, including joint ventures with Google and Amazon, core licensing and services agreements, IP infringement prevention and international patent FTO issues.
• Assisting a major metropolitan public transport authority in New Zealand with its project for the implementation of an “open-loop” ticketing solution for public transport in the Auckland region.
• Advising two prominent public sector clients on complex, business-critical Enterprise Asset Management System implementations with the same vendor.
• Advising a telecommunications infrastructure provider on the supply of passive tower infrastructure to two of New Zealand’s largest telecommunications operators.
• Advising a global real-time 3D technology company on the technology, IP, data, and privacy aspects of its NZ$2.3 billion acquisition of the assets of a leading visual effects and digital production studio.
• Assisting a major New Zealand port operator with the commercialisation of proprietary technology, IP licensing and FTO issues, including undertaking clearance patent FTO assessments in the United Kingdom, Europe, the United States, Australia, and New Zealand.
• Advising a major New Zealand telecommunications operator on various dark fibre arrangements, including its standard terms for procuring and supplying dark fibre and its agreement with a large global cloud infrastructure provider for the supply of dark fibre.
• Advising a sports science and technology company on its acquisition by an international digital health and fitness solutions provider, as well as a range of sports science projects.
• Assisting a large building supplies business in its investment in AI technology enabling more accurate estimation of building plans.
• Advising one of New Zealand’s largest banks on its multi-year open banking programme and various API agreements, including one of the first significant open banking agreements in New Zealand, facilitating direct-from-account payments.
• Advising a global SaaS accounting platform on the execution of a new strategic partnership with a listed US-headquartered financial operations platform, as well as a large number of technology transactions over many years.