Nicholas De Lacy-Brown

Legal Director
Nick brings not only his in-depth legal skills, but a thorough understanding of the bigger picture including technical aspects, ensuring exceptional commercial outcomes for all.
Commercial practitioner, HM government
About

Nicholas De Lacy-Brown is a commercial technology lawyer with a core focus on complex, transformational technology projects and outsourcing transactions. With a background in Government, Nick regularly helps organisations in both the public and private sectors to navigate the requirements of public procurement laws to design, procure and manage end-to-end technology solutions which are crucial to the delivery of national critical infrastructure.

Having previously undertaken a Data Protection Officer role as well as advised on the data risks arising from the UK’s exit from the European Union, Nick has particular expertise in data privacy, as well as the legal issues arising from cyber security risk and the use of innovative technologies.

Nick regularly advises on all aspects of technology transactions, providing legal support in the planning, negotiation, drafting and subsequent management of commercial contracts, as well as advising on risk and legal considerations at each stage of the end-to-end design lifecycle. He likes to be proactive in engaging with clients, taking time to understand the objectives of any project or transaction before providing pragmatic, targeted and clear advice which considers the bigger picture of commercial benefit and legal risk.

Nick is a keen public speaker and provider of training and mentoring on a variety of legal and professional skills topics.

Professional QualificationsBarrister in England and Wales

EXPERIENCE

  • Providing complex data protection and information management advice with respect to EU Exit and international data flows, COVID-19 schemes and UK trade negotiations.
  • Advising major IT transformation projects on the remediation of legally non-compliant IT systems, use of Cloud storage solutions and tactical remediation of significant cyber and data security risks.
  • Drafting and negotiation of international and cross-government multi-party data share agreements.
  • Leading EU access negotiations under the terms of the Northern Ireland Protocol.
  • Leading the response to regulatory investigations from the Information Commissioner’s Office and the Advisory Council to the National Archive.
  • Advising on all aspects of public procurement law within a technology landscape, facilitating the procurement of major new outsourcing relationships, managing contractual obligations and disputes and negotiating substantial new contracts with respect to Cloud computing solutions.
  • Supporting HMRC’s Technology Sourcing Programme, a major programme reshaping the department’s technology outsourcing landscape, including technical advice on contract extensions and legal risk as well as pre-market engagement and supplier bias.
  • Lead lawyer for HMRC’s largest IT contract worth £500 million which is critical to supporting the department’s key tax collection and management processes including the negotiation of extensive contract renewals.
  • Maintaining and redrafting HMRC’s model IT outsourcing contracts including work on multi-party collaboration, privacy, cyber security and liability clauses.
  • Providing strategic advice relating to contract interpretation including the exercise of termination clauses, service requirements, charging provisions and force majeure.
Languages
  • English
Education
  • BPP Law School, Holborn, 2006-2007
  • Bar Vocational Course | Awarded Outstanding
  • King’s College London, Centre of Medical Law and Ethics, 2005-2006


    King’s College London, 2002-2005


    LLB Law Degree (Awarded First Class Honours)


    Masters in Medical Law and Ethics (Awarded Distinction)

Additional Information

  • Certified Data Protection Practitioner

Memberships And Affiliations

  • Member of the Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn

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