Roger Bickerstaff

Roger Bickerstaff is a Partner based in both the London and San Francisco offices, with over 25 years' experience as a leading technology lawyer. His primary practice area is Technology Law.

He has extensive experience advising on tech infrastructure and outsourcing projects, in particular those with a public sector component, and all aspects of the software industry — licensing, Cloud, SaaS, distribution and more. His recent focus has been on digital transformation and legal issues associated with the use of artificial intelligence. He also has a separate specialism in procurement law.

He acts as a trusted advisor on a range of complex and innovative technology projects, covering all aspects of technology and EU procurement law. Within these large-scale infrastructure contracts, his project work has included contract negotiation and procurement, contract management and dispute resolution.

He also advises technology companies, particularly innovative, internationally expanding companies, on their worldwide business activities. Since September 2018, his dual location in the London and San Francisco offices has enabled him to support technology companies in both US and European time zones. His in-depth interest in and understanding of the technology industry leads to much of his current work focusing on the challenges for suppliers and customers of transitioning to a data-driven business.

On artificial intelligence, his current focus is on the intersection of ethics and the emerging legal framework. He has contributed to the debate around an appropriate regulatory framework for the use of AI at the UK Royal Society and the English Law Society and various other public and private forums.

In the procurement field, he provides real-world procurement law expertise, acting for both the public sector and private sector bidders, offering in-depth specialist skills and experience. He understands the issues that arise in major projects and can help offer solutions, providing advice that goes well beyond the legal and contractual and into the technical and commercial heart of project implementation.

He speaks and publishes regularly on a variety of Techlaw and public procurement topics. He has been Chair of the UK Society for Computers & Law and President of the International Federation of Computer Law Associations. He is an external lecturer at Rome and Nottingham Universities.