Matt Harris is a partner in the Intellectual Property & Technology Practice, based in the firm’s Birmingham office.
His practice focuses on advising clients on strategic technology matters and complex transactions. He supports organisations on IT and outsourcing arrangements, digital transformation projects, software development and licensing, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), data commercialisation and artificial intelligence (AI), as well as technology and data regulation, including data privacy. He has more than 10 years’ experience across the retail, telecommunications, energy and manufacturing sectors, among others.
Matt’s work is recognised by Legal 500, with comments noting “The recent work carried out for us was by Matt Harris. Matt led with confidence (and our confidence in him), and clear expertise and experience in the subject matter. His advice and drafting (and that of his team) was always clear and pragmatic.”
Information Technology Transactions
Acting for an international grab‑and‑go food chain on a first‑generation outsourcing of its IT estate.
Acting for a major domestic retailer on a project to outsource and transform its IT estate.
Advising an international organisation on a £100 million outsourcing of a secure, business‑critical communications network.
Advising a major international retailer on a cloud‑based payment‑processing platform critical to in‑store and e‑commerce operations.
Advising international airlines on the procurement of cloud‑based aviation systems, including passenger‑service platforms and loyalty‑system solutions.
Supporting an international clearing house on the commercialisation of its software and data assets, drafting downstream customer frameworks and standalone commercial agreements.
Advising clients on software‑development engagements, both agile and waterfall, including supporting a Russell Group university in procuring an agile development project for a clinical‑research IT system.
Advising a multinational consumer goods company on software‑licensing arrangements, including assessing the suitability of specific open‑source components.
AI and Technology Regulation
Advising clients on AI‑related regulatory compliance and transactions, including guiding an international legal‑technology provider on the applicability and operational impact of the EU AI Act.
Advising clients on the regulatory frameworks governing technology and digital‑services businesses, including supporting a global automotive cloud‑solutions provider with compliance obligations under the Network and Information Systems Regulations 2018.
Privacy
Supporting a FTSE 250 company on data‑protection aspects of its global cloud‑based HR‑system deployment, coordinating advice from more than 25 jurisdictions to ensure compliance across all employing entities.
Supporting a global medical‑device manufacturer across a wide range of operational projects, including data‑role analyses, contractual frameworks, policy development and fair‑processing documentation.
E-Commerce
Advising clients on establishing business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) e‑commerce platforms, including drafting terms of sale, terms of use and privacy notices, as well as conducting full compliance reviews under English law.
Advising a white‑label software provider supporting automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) on the legal and regulatory framework for online vehicle sales and financing platforms.
Leading Associate (West Midlands) in the Legal 500 2025.