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Freshfields TQ

Technology quotient - the ability of an individual, team or organization to harness the power of technology

Freshfields TQ

Technology quotient

We advise the world’s leading companies and investors on their tech deals, regulatory issues and risks.

Our teams excel at complex cross-border challenges, where our market-leading expertise in M&A, antitrust, data privacy/protection, governance, securities litigation, patent disputes, tax/state aid and investigations is a powerful source of competitive advantage.

Freshfields TQ is where we explore key issues at the intersection of technology and the law, offering insights and practical tips for big tech, investors, disruptors and digital transformers.

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Blogs

Cyber Resilience Act – How to implement the new cybersecurity rules for digital products

The Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) has become reality: it has been published in the Official Journal of the EU on 20 November 2024 and will enter into force on 10 December 2024. This new Act that is part…

Author(s): Theresa Ehlen, Lutz Riede, Christoph Werkmeister, Julia Utzerath, Christina Moellnitz, Jimena Gonzalez

Your 3-month trial: Consultation on new UK rules for consumer subscriptions

For the next three months, the UK Government will consult on new rules for consumer subscription contracts, which are due to come into force in 2026 (see here). Addressing both cost-of-living issues…

Author(s): Daniel Wylde, Andrew Austin, Rikki Haria, Morag Elwis, Kate Collister

  • consumer
  • e-commerce
  • investigations
  • media
  • platforms
  • regulatory
  • regulatory framework
  • retail and consumer goods
  • social media
  • tech media and telecoms

EU AI Act unpacked #18: Protection of personal data under the AI Act

In this edition of our EU AI Act unpacked blog series, we take a look at the EU AI Act (AI Act) and its implication on the processing of personal data and, in particular, the AI Act’s interplay with…

Author(s): Christoph Werkmeister, Philipp Roos, Hanna Hoffmann

DSA decoded #1: DSA Enforcement - key points

Our ‘DSA decoded’ blog series assists businesses in navigating the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA), the novel EU regulation designed to create a safer and more transparent digital space.…

Author(s): Laura Knoke, Lutz Riede, Tobias Timmann, Janet Kim, Tristan Lockwood, Luca Mischensky, Juliana Heer

  • eu digital services act
  • eu digital strategy
  • europe
  • platforms
  • regulatory
  • onlinesafety

EU AI Act unpacked #17: The role of Employee Representatives

AI is being used increasingly in the workplace and is becoming more valuable regarding almost all areas of employment. On the one hand, companies themselves are using AI systems for a wide variety of…

Author(s): Satya Staes Polet, Raquel Flórez, David Mendel, Leonhard Prasser, Flavia Lang, Hubertus Reinbach, Brunhilde Van Den Haute, Olga Chislova, Matteo Tola, Guy Huffen, Marina Sokolova, Blaise Nsenguwera

  • ai
  • employment
  • eu ai act
  • eu ai act series
  • gdpr

Synthetic data: a privacy panacea?

Data-driven businesses are increasingly looking toward synthetic data – ie, data that is artificially generated but may be derived from real-world datasets – as an option to unlock larger volumes of…

Author(s): Gernot Fritz, Markus Kattnig, Christine Chong, Christine Lyon

  • data
  • data protection
  • europe
  • gdpr
  • global
  • regulatory
  • us

DFS Issues New AI-focused Guidance for Cybersecurity Regulation Compliance

On October 16, 2024, the New York Department of Financial Services (“DFS”) issued guidance addressing how institutions can meet their existing obligations under 23 NYCRR 500 (“Part 500”) given new…

Author(s): Brock Dahl, Kimberly Zelnick, Timothy Howard, Beth George, Robert Barton, Eunice Ju

  • ai
  • cybersecurity
  • data protection
  • compliance

UK announces data reforms: what businesses need to know

On 23 October 2024 the UK government introduced the Data (Use and Access) Bill to Parliament (the DUAB). The DUAB is a wide-ranging and significant reform package with implications for all businesses…

Author(s): Giles Pratt, Rachael Annear, Tristan Lockwood, Adam Gillert

  • ai
  • data
  • data protection
  • e-commerce
  • europe
  • gdpr
  • ico
  • internet of things
  • platforms
  • regulatory
  • regulatory framework
  • tech media and telecoms
  • onlinesafety

Leading the Change: 2025 Data Law Trends report

We’re excited to share our latest report, Leading the Change: 2025 Data Law Trends.  Data now impacts all aspects of businesses, from risk management and global operations to growth strategies. The…

Author(s): Christine Lyon, Giles Pratt, Christoph Werkmeister

  • ai
  • americas
  • asia-pacific
  • cyber security
  • data
  • data protection
  • e-commerce
  • eu ai act
  • eu data act
  • eu digital strategy
  • europe
  • european data spaces
  • gdpr
  • global
  • ico
  • innovation
  • internet of things
  • platforms
  • regulatory framework
  • tech media and telecoms
  • us
  • onlinesafety

EU AI Act unpacked #16: Risks associated with AI systems used in the workplace

The use of AI has proliferated in recent years. AI sits at the heart of the global trend towards digitalisation, and its various applications have a huge potential to improve the ways in which…

Author(s): Satya Staes Polet, Raquel Flórez, David Mendel, Leonhard Prasser, Hubertus Reinbach, Flavia Lang, Brunhilde Van Den Haute, Olga Chislova, Matteo Tola, Guy Huffen, Marina Sokolova, Blaise Nsenguwera

  • ai
  • employment
  • eu ai act
  • eu ai act series
  • gdpr

EU AI Act unpacked #15: Will the AI Act remain as is? Level II legislation and Commission guidance

In part 15 of our EU AI Act unpacked blog series, we take a look at when and how the EU AI Act (AI Act) will continue to evolve over the coming months and years.            More than any other…

Author(s): Verena Kirchmair, Victor Garcia Lopez, Christoph Werkmeister, Theresa Ehlen, Lutz Riede, Philipp Roos

  • ai
  • data
  • eu ai act
  • eu ai act series
  • europe

US Signals Expanded AI Export Regulations in Forthcoming Reporting Requirements

On September 11, 2024, the Biden administration released a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (the Proposed Rule) that would establish mandatory reporting requirements for companies that develop or plan…

Author(s): Nabeel Yousef, Stephanie Brown Cripps, Andrew Bulovsky, Seve Kale, Andrew Gabel

  • sanctions and trade
  • ai

EU AI Act unpacked: the spillover effect in Asia, Part 3: the impact in Asia of the extra-territorial reach of the EU AI Act

This is the third part of a three-part series. Please follow the links for parts one and two. Besides the indirect impact of the EU AI Act in shaping regulatory approaches to AI in Asia, the Act may…

Author(s): Richard Bird, Lutz Riede, Benjamin Blum, Cedric Lindenmann

  • ai
  • eu ai act
  • eu ai act series

EU AI Act unpacked: the spillover effect in Asia, Part 2: guidelines and self-regulation for AI in Asia

This is the second part of a three-part series. Please follow the links for parts one and three. Singapore In Singapore, the recent policy focus has been on promoting responsible AI development and…

Author(s): Richard Bird, Cedric Lindenmann

  • ai
  • eu ai act
  • eu ai act series

EU AI Act unpacked: the spillover effect in Asia, Part 1: binding AI regulation in Asia

The GDPR has had a huge effect in shaping the development of privacy laws in Asia over the past few years. It remains to be seen whether the EU AI Act will play a similar role in shaping AI…

Author(s): Richard Bird, Cedric Lindenmann

  • ai
  • eu ai act
  • eu ai act series

California's Legislative Push on AI: A Wave of New Obligations and Prohibitions

California Governor Gavin Newsom recently signed into law a wave of legislation – totaling 19 laws – addressing the opportunities and risks of AI and placing California at the forefront of AI…

Author(s): Beth George, Janet Kim, Sean Quinn, Madeline Cimino, Christine Chong

  • ai
  • data protection
  • compliance

Consumers at the core of the new European Commission mandate: paving the way for a new ‘Digital Fairness Act’

On 3 October the European Commission published its long-awaited Digital Fairness Fitness Check report (see link here).  Based on the findings, the new Commission which is due to take office by the…

Author(s): Natalie Pettinger Kearney, Jimena Gonzalez, Christoph Werkmeister, Lutz Riede, Mark Egeler

  • 2024 elections
  • consumer
  • e-commerce
  • eu digital markets act
  • eu digital services act
  • eu digital strategy
  • europe
  • platforms
  • regulatory
  • regulatory framework
  • retail
  • retail and consumer goods
  • social media
  • tech media and telecoms

EU Commission publishes practical guide on an evolving EU digital economy

Aiming to encourage voluntary data sharing for business and citizen benefits through secure and trustworthy exchanges, the Data Governance Act (DGA) is a core part of the European data strategy. The…

Author(s): Gernot Fritz, Estella Dannhausen, Markus Kattnig

  • data
  • e-commerce
  • eu data act
  • eu data governance act
  • eu digital strategy
  • europe
  • european data spaces
  • global
  • platforms
  • regulatory
  • regulatory framework
  • tech media and telecoms

New era for European compulsory licensing on the horizon?

On 26 June 2024, just days before the end of the Belgian presidency, the Council of the EU adopted its position on a proposed regulation concerning compulsory licensing for crisis management…

Author(s): Victor Garcia Lopez, Corin Gittinger

  • patents
  • life sciences
  • intellectual property

EU AI Act unpacked #14: AI Liability Directive: Is a new Directive needed to supplement the updated product liability regime?

In this part of our EU AI Act unpacked blogpost series we explore the AI liability regimes which aim to complement the AI Act by introducing new rules specific to damages caused by AI systems. In an…

Author(s): Laura Knoke, Christoph Werkmeister, Elena Brandt, Elena Engels

  • ai
  • eu ai act
  • eu ai act series
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Our tech experience

Cazoo

Representing Cazoo in $7B US De-SPAC

See press release.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Freshfields represents Hewlett Packard Enterprise in acquisition of Determined AI

See press release.

Marriott

Marriott on the international response to the Starwood database security incident.

WEX Inc

Advising WEX Inc in landmark Material Adverse Effect (MAE) litigation arising from COVID-19

Read our case study.

Zymergen

Freshfields serves as issuer’s counsel to Zymergen on its IPO on Nasdaq as a public benefit corporation valued in excess of $4bn

Read our case study.

Honeywell

Honeywell on combination of Honeywell Quantum Solutions and Cambridge Quantum Computing

See press release.

View more experience

Meet the team

Natasha Good

Natasha Good
Partner

London

Dr. Lars Meyer
Partner | Global Co-Head of Tech, Media & Telecoms

Frankfurt am Main, Berlin

Giles Pratt
Partner

London
Rafique Bachour

Rafique Bachour
Global Managing Partner

Brussels

Boris Feldman
Partner and Global Co-Head of TMT Sector

Silicon Valley
Richard Bird

Richard Bird
Partner

Hong Kong

Sharon Malhi
Partner

London, Dublin
Laura Whiting

Laura Whiting
Partner

London, Dublin
Mena Kaplan

Menachem Kaplan
Partner

New York
Theresa Ehlen

Dr. Theresa Ehlen
Partner

Düsseldorf, Frankfurt am Main

Frank-Erich Hufnagel
Partner

Düsseldorf

Pamela L. Marcogliese
Head of US Transactions

New York, Silicon Valley

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