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Nabarro strengthens Tech sector with IT & Outsourcing lateral hire

5 April 2016

This article was produced by Nabarro LLP, which joined CMS on 1 May 2017.

As part of its ongoing investment in the Technology sector, Nabarro has today announced the lateral hire of Dr Sam De Silva, a high profile partner who specialises in IT & Outsourcing. Sam will head up the IT & Outsourcing group at Nabarro.

Sam arrives at the firm from Penningtons Manches where he was a partner and head of their IT & Outsourcing group. He brings with him a wealth of contacts in the Technology sector and specialises in complex and strategic IT procurement transactions, IT and business process outsourcing, software licensing and system development projects. He regularly advises on data protection, cyber security and Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) issues.

Sam's expertise has been recognised internationally as he represents the UK on the EU Commission's Expert Group on Cloud Computing Contracts and the IT Law Committee of the Bars and Law Societies of Europe.

He has also been ranked as a tier one lawyer for IT in the legal directories for many years. Recent quotes in these directories include: "clearly very knowledgeable”; “commercially aware”; “demonstrates very impressive speed, efficiency and knowledge, and is technically brilliant”, and; “he is praised for his understanding of the industry and its players". Sam has also been named in Who’s Who Legal: Telecommunications, Media & Technology (TMT) 2016 as one of the world's leading TMT lawyers.

Sam was previously an associate with Nabarro and will now play a key role in developing the firm’s business with Technology clients. Along with Healthcare, Infrastructure, and Real Estate this is one of four sectors announced as a focus for the firm when it launched a new three year strategy in May 2015.

Nabarro acts for a wide range of the world’s best known technology companies including Google, IBM, Intel, Oracle, Thomson Reuters and Twitter as well as fast growth tech and fintech start-ups like GoCardless, Fixnetix, the Kainos Group and digital real estate investment platform, BrickVest.

Commenting on Sam’s appointment, Guy Heath, head of Nabarro’s IP & IT practice and its Technology Sector Group, said:
“For some the quality and variety of our technology clients are Nabarro’s best kept secret. Sam’s appointment and the strategic importance of the technology sector at the firm signal our investment and our intent. Sam’s expertise in all aspects of non-contentious IT will benefit existing clients and enhance what we have to offer big tech companies and the fast growth start-ups vying to eat their lunch.”

Ciaran Carvalho, senior partner at Nabarro, added:
“While Moore’s law is not quite as true for the regulatory environment as it is for semi-conductors, the pace of legal change is rapid. Sam embraces this changing environment and is perfectly placed to support our technology clients on the latest data protection and licensing issues as well as their IT and outsourcing requirements.”

The appointment of Sam is the eighth lateral hire for Nabarro in 2016. The firm most recently announced the appointment of Mohammed Majid, a first Corporate partner to join its Dubai office. The other six lateral hires have been: Chris Gooding and Sukhi Kaler who have joined the firm’s international Dispute Resolution practice in London specialising in complex cross-border disputes, particularly in the Middle East; Victoria Henry and Matthew Nortcliff who have joined the firm’s Funds & Indirect Real Estate team in London and Singapore respectively; and David Parton, Chris Hallam and Lucy Plowright who have joined the firm’s Infrastructure, Construction and Energy practice.

Related people

Portrait ofDr Sam De Silva
Dr Sam De Silva
Partner
London