Matt Harris Principal Associate


Speaks:  English

Qualified: 2014 - Solicitor of England & Wales


Primary office:  Birmingham

Secondary office:  London




Matt Harris

Matt is a principal associate in the commercial, IT and outsourcing team who specialises in advising on information technology transactions and data protection. Matt advises clients across sectors such as retail, telecommunications, energy and manufacturing.

Matt advises clients (customers and suppliers) on a wide range of range of IT transactions including, software as a service, software licencing, software and systems development, support, systems integration and open source software.

Matt supports clients in relation to data protection issues and compliance. This support includes data protection policies, privacy notices, legitimate interests assessments, lawful grounds of processing, and international data transfers.

Experience

  • Successfully represented an international grab and go food business regarding the first generation outsourcing of its IT estate and function to an international provider of IT services.
  • Supported a major UK retailer on the implementation of business critical (cloud-based) payment services software and hardware. This agreement was complex and addressed a multitude of operational and commercial risks in order to ensure that the new system was developed, run in parallel with existing technology (during a period of testing) and smoothly cutover when ready.
  • Providing a wide range of data protection support to a global manufacturer of medical devices. Matt worked with the client for a substantial period of time and has helped the client to navigate changes in the regulatory landscape, from the implementation of the GDPR, Schrems II and Brexit.
  • Advising an international clearing house regarding the commercialisation of its data assets. The scope of advice included the provision of strategic advice as to how the client could create a 'one size fits all' contract structure for its vast array of products, yet still the client to have product specific terms and specific terms for different types of customers.
  • Advising a US headquartered retailer on the launch of its UK e-commerce website. Matt was required to provide advice core website documentation (including terms and conditions of sale, both in a business to business and business to consumer context).

Career & Recognition

Filter timeline:
  • 2021

    • Career
       2021
      Gowling WLG (UK), Principal Associate
  • 2018

    • Career
       2018
      Gowling WLG (UK), Senior Associate
  • 2017

    • Career
       2017
      Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP, Associate
  • 2014

    • Career
       2014
      Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP, Solicitor
    • Qualifications (Year of Call/Admission, etc.)
       2014
      Qualified, Solicitor of England & Wales
  • 2012

    • Career
       2012
      Womble Bond Dickinson (UK) LLP, Trainee Solicitor