Helen Davenport Partner

Helen Davenport

Helen Davenport advises clients on data privacy and cyber security matters. She also helps clients resolve commercial disputes, in an efficient and commercially pragmatic way.

Helen is a partner, based in Gowling WLG's Birmingham and London offices, and a member of the firm's Commercial Litigation team and Dispute Resolution Group. She is Head of Data Privacy and Cyber Security for the UK firm.

Helen has around 20 years' experience of specialising in the Tech sector and also as a commercial litigator, representing technology customers and suppliers in conflicts arising from contracts for the design, build and implementation of IT systems and services and software licensing. She is also experienced in corporate investigations, fraud related matters, anti-bribery and anti-corruption. Helen also has Higher Rights of Audience (Civil & Criminal).

Helen is a frequent speaker on data privacy and cyber security, in particular, at client events and third party conferences, and has written many articles and has been quoted in a range of legal and industry publications on these topics. She is a member of the International Technology Law Association, the Society for Computers and Law and IAPP.

Helen is highly regarded for her dedication to achieving her clients' objectives, commitment to client service and her ability to get to grips quickly with the most complex of matters.

Experience

Data privacy and cyber security

• Data breach and cyber incident response planning, including drafting incident response plans, and breach coaching.
• Helping various clients respond to personal data security breaches and cyber incidents (pre and post GDPR), including international data breaches.
• Assisting clients handle significant/complex data subject access requests (SARs), including advising on methodologies for handling unstructured data and the application of exemptions from data subject access rights.
• Advising on cyber security, including on the Network and Information Systems (NIS) Directive and NIS Regulations and coordinating an international project in this area.
• Data privacy litigation, including cases arising out of hacking incidents, breaches of confidence, disputes between data controllers and data processors and alleged breaches of data protection legislation and misuse of private information.

Technology and outsourcing dispute resolution

• Leading teams handling substantial litigation for major corporates and public sector organisations, working with Counsel, experts and managing budgets. For example, leading a team acting for a global telecoms provider in multi-million pound litigation with one of its business partners.
• Resolving matters through various other means of dispute resolution, including escalation, mediation and arbitration. For example, leading the team advising a global IT consultancy in a multi-million dispute, which settled at mediation.
• Advising clients on managing risks and change management (including the drafting of change notes, contract variations and exit plans).
• Advising on numerous software licensing cases, including disputes arising out of software licensing audits/software over-deployment claims and on the interpretation of software licence agreements. Helen's experience in this area also includes giving expert evidence on the relevant English law for the purposes of foreign proceedings in the United States, including being deposed in those proceedings.

Corporate investigations and anti-bribery

• Advising numerous clients, in a range of sectors, on putting in place measures to combat anti-bribery and corruption and to provide a defence to the corporate offence under the Bribery Act 2010. Also investigating and pursuing bribery issues where they have arisen.
• Investigating allegations of fraud, conspiracy and breach of duty by individuals at a not for profit regulated organisation. This investigation was carried out under scrutiny of the regulator.
• Recovering £2 million for a publisher following a fraud investigation into online trading by a senior employee.
• Investigating, with colleagues in our Munich office, a possible fraud, alleged by a whistleblower to have taken place at its German subsidiary of a US headquartered client.