Associate (3-5 PQE) –Tech Disputes

Innovation

The pace of change in the business world has never been greater. New thinking, technology and business models have shaken up the old and made possible ideas that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago. The Innovation Department brings together expertise from across the Firm, allowing a new level of collaboration and a focus on meeting the needs of clients in diverse and dynamic sectors. Our legal knowledge is underpinned by the latest technology to create better insights, better levels of customer service and increased efficiency for our clients. The practices within the Innovation Department include those that are well established, recognised as being at the top of their game by the legal industry, and those that we have created in recent years as clients have come to us with new problems to solve and value models to create. Our innovation lawyers offer a relentless curiosity for your business and sector, and a passion for finding new ways to help you meet your goals.

Tech Disputes

Our Tech Disputes offering sits in our highly regarded tier 1 IP disputes group. Set up over 20 years ago, lawyers in the group have acted in some of the most significant and influential IP disputes of recent years. We are one of a select group of firms to have taken both patent (supplementary protection certificates) and trade mark cases to the Court of Justice of the European Union, with successful outcomes for our clients on each occasion. Our experience is wide and varied, ranging from cross‑border patent revocation and infringement actions through to trade marks, designs and copyright litigation involving household brands, famous designs and celebrated artistic works, films and broadcasts. The more recently founded Tech Dispute team aims to replicate and build upon the successes of the wider IP team by assisting clients with their disputes where the subject matter is broader than IP. The work of the team is particularly focused on serving clients with disputes relating to IT, AI, data, and other innovative and disruptive technologies. Although our work is sector agnostic, the areas where we most frequently work are technology transformation projects, B2B software and services, AI, financial services and fintech, telecoms, defence and deeptech, life sciences and healthcare, and sports tech.

Duties and Responsibilities

The role will involve advising on a varied range of disputes and related advisory work in the technology and innovation sector. A very large proportion of the disputes work carried out by the team is on contractual disputes relating to technology projects or the buying and selling, licensing and exploitation of technology products and services. The team works for suppliers and customers, ranging from household names to innovative start‑up businesses in a variety of sectors and industries. In addition to contractual work, the team assists with claims relating to negligence, misuse of data, breach of confidence, trade secrets and some IP (such as software copyright claims and patent license disputes). Most of the team's disputes are English court litigation, but a proportion of your work may include arbitration and many disputes are resolved through ADR. You will have every opportunity to engage in all aspects of the life and business of the IP Disputes team, the wider Innovation Department and the Firm, ranging from business development, client care, training and learning, social impact, health and well‑being projects.

Skills/Experience

The ideal candidate will have 3-5 years PQE gained within a commercial litigation/IT disputes or tech disputes team in private practice and will be a subject matter specialist in relation to disputes that commonly arise in the technology and innovation sector. A passion for technology disputes, with a solid grounding in its basics, and a commitment to building a career in this area. An IT/programming or computer science background is welcome but not a pre‑requisite. Some working knowledge of IP, particularly in the areas of software copyright, software licensing, confidential information and trade secrets is also welcome but not a pre‑requisite. At all times exercise excellent client care skills by advocating for clients from both a technical and commercial perspective ensuring their best interests are prioritised while understanding the current and future landscape. Excellent written and interpersonal skills. Able to manage a diverse portfolio of client work allocated by the Partners and other fee‑earners. Able to work independently and manage a varied workload, ensuring excellent communication lines with Matter Partners and other fee‑earners in the team. Excellent team working skills. Strong organisational and prioritising skills to meet the demands of challenging and commercial internal and external clients and competing priorities. Personable and confident, able to ensure good working relationships with colleagues, clients and external organisations. Resilient and calm under pressure. Able to work independently and as part of a team. Demonstrates a hunger to undertake business development activities, both internally amongst colleagues across the firm, and externally to existing and potential new clients. Takes responsibility for and attends to self‑development.

About Mishcon De Reya LLP

Mishcon de Reya is an independent law firm, which now employs over 1400 people with more than 650 lawyers offering a wide range of legal services to companies and individuals. The firm has grown rapidly in recent years, showing more than 40% revenue growth in the past five years alone. With presence in London, Oxford, Cambridge, Singapore, Hong Kong and UAE, the firm services an international community of clients and provides advice in situations where the constraints of geography often do not apply. The work the firm undertakes is cross‑border, multi‑jurisdictional and complex, centred around three increasingly entwined and connected sectors: the Innovation Economy, Private Wealth and Capital, and Real Estate. The firm is known as a disputes powerhouse with a formidable capacity firmwide for dispute resolution. We strive to create a fully diverse and inclusive workplace where all our people are empowered to fulfil their potential. We are proud of our agile working culture and are always happy to talk flexible working.