Category: News

Our technology, data and digital team has written the UK Q&A chapter on ICLG with Emma, as contributing editor, writing an expert analysis chapter which provides an overview of telecoms in 2025. In addition, Emma and Rupam have together written the UK Q&A chapter in the guide.

Emma’s chapter gives an overview of the common issues currently impacting telecoms law and regulation, particularly on the UK’s efforts to regulate online content through the establishment of the Online Safety Act and the challenges of regulating such content in the aftermath of major global events. The chapter also addresses the surge in interest surrounding generative artificial intelligence and the associated concerns about the spread of disinformation. This chapter is available to read in full here.

The UK Q&A chapter put together by the team looks in detail at common issues in telecoms, media and internet laws and regulations from a UK perspective. This chapter can be read in full here.

The ICLG series covers 58 practice areas and brings cross-border insights to legal practitioners worldwide. The Telecoms, Media & Internet section covers the key issues in the laws and regulations of this area including telecoms, radio spectrum, cybersecurity, interception, encryption, data retention, distribution of audio-visual media, internet infrastructure, and industry changes across 18 jurisdictions.

Emma Wright, partner and head of our technology, data and digital group, has been included in the top 20 Most Influential Women in UK Tech 2024. Emma is the only practising lawyer to be included in the top 50.

Emma was commended for her work with the OECD, WEF and the ITU on the regulation of AI, as well as her work with the Ditchley Foundation to consider whether the collaborative approach used for telecoms can also work for AI regulation.

The list, compiled by Computer Weekly, showcases the most influential and successful women in the technology industry, shining a light on the sector’s role models who look to inspire the next generation of women in tech with the aim of creating a more diverse and inclusive sector.

The top 50 shortlist was whittled down by a panel of expert judges from a longlist of more than 700 nominated women. You can find the full list here.

Emma also gave a keynote speech at this week’s Diversity in Tech conference hosted by Harvey Nash and Computer Weekly.

We are pleased to announce our partnership with South East Angels, an influential angel investor community which aims to back exceptional founders in their journey towards building impactful companies.

The partnership will enable us to support the founders and investors within the South East Angels community with a combination of legal expertise in the startup and venture capital space and deep industry-specific understanding across a range of sectors.

Kristina Pereckaite, South East Angels’ managing director, stated:

“We are delighted to welcome Harbottle & Lewis as our Trusted Legal Partner. Getting the legals right in fundraising is crucial for both founders and investors, forming the foundation of successful ventures. At South East Angels we’re all about people, and we have specifically chosen to work with Harbottle & Lewis because of their credible and trustworthy team. This partnership will provide our members with invaluable legal insights and resources, significantly enhancing the value we bring to our angel investing community. Together, we look forward to fostering innovation, ensuring sound legal foundations, and driving growth in the startup ecosystem.”

Tony Littner, our co-managing partner, commented:

“We are excited to partner with South East Angels and contribute to their thriving investment community. Our deep understanding of the legal landscape for startups and investors, combined with South East Angels’ network and expertise, creates a powerful synergy. We look forward to providing tailored legal support and co-creating resources that will empower both founders and investors in their journeys.”

Tony Littner, who leads our startup and venture capital practice, previously sat on the technical board of the UKBAA (UK Business Angels Association), the national trade association for angel and early-stage investment in the UK and, as a firm, we have a long-standing involvement in and commitment to the business angel ecosystem. We are committed to providing cutting edge advice to our clients at each stage of their angel investing journey.

To read the full press release from South East Angels, click here.

Harbottle & Lewis has advised GLOBE Groupe, the first European group dedicated to shopper marketing and sales, on the acquisition of N2O, an agency specialising in brand experience and retail marketing. Founded in 2002 by the President of the group, Jeremy Dahan, GLOBE Groupe’s mission is to support the commercial transformation of brands and boost sales by addressing the needs of new retail: phygital, shopper centric and experiential.

Commenting on the deal, Jeremy Dahan said: “The deal enables GLOBE Groupe to strengthen its presence in the UK and marks a significant new step in the group’s growth strategy across Europe. Together, N2O and GLOBE Groupe aim to redefine the marketing landscape by driving dynamic growth and delivering unparalleled added value to their clients. This acquisition paves the way for continued success and innovation, underpinned by shared values and a collective ambition to be leaders in the field of Shopper Marketing.”

On working with us, Jeremy Dahan commented: “Harbottle & Lewis were there for us at every turn of what was a highly strategic and key transaction for GLOBE Groupe; they were instrumental in every possible way and we were delighted to have them by our side.”

Our team was led by Charlie Leveque (partner) and Teresa Walker (senior associate), with support from Matthew Shannon (associate) and Anna Traherne (trainee). David Scott (partner) advised on corporate tax matters, and Mark Primrose (senior associate) and Sarah Verrecchia (managing associate) advised on employment matters.

We are proud to have sponsored the latest episode of the Law and Disorder podcast. This episode discusses the illegal treatment of homosexuality and includes an interview with Sir Chris Bryant, MP for Rhondda and Ogmore, who discusses his book, James and John: A True Story of Prejudice and Murder. This tells the story of what it meant to be gay in early 19th-century Britain, through the lens of a landmark trial. The book takes a deep dive into the archives to examine how two gay men, James Pratt and John Smith, came to be hanged after being convicted of homosexuality despite many of their contemporaries being given a reprieve.

The themes explored in this episode resonate with the history of our firm. We were founded in 1955 by Laurence Harbottle and Brian Lewis. Laurence was a trailblazing lawyer who did not seek to hide his sexuality while working in a conservative profession at a time when homosexuality was criminalised in the UK. Harbottle & Lewis was created and cultivated in Laurence’s image and in many respects we strive to remain true to that distinctive identity today.

As a firm today, we are committed to ensuring that our employees are diverse and reflect both the society around us and the clients we serve. We also recognise that the degree to which people feel included and respected will directly correlate with our success. We have an active DE&I Committee and several network groups which support the Committee and connect people across the firm. Our LGBTQ+ & Allies Network is made up of members of the LGBTQ+ community and active allies. It comes together to enable our people to share experiences and support and encourage one another, with the aim of representing the interests of LGBTQ+ staff within the business as well as raising awareness of LGBTQ+ issues to the wider firm.

Matthew Hatton, co-head of our LGBTQ+ & Allies Network said:

“It’s been a great opportunity to sponsor a podcast that resonates so closely with Harbottle’s rich LGBTQ+ history. The podcast and Sir Chris’ book will be both fascinating and chilling for many of us. Whilst the state-sanctioned ill treatment of members of the LGBTQ+ community has thankfully been banished to the history books here in the UK, this is not the case in certain parts of the world which is another reason why it is so important that we continue to raise awareness of the issues faced by the LGBTQ+ community in the past and today.”

Law and Disorder is a weekly podcast which looks at the biggest issues in the news through the prism of the law, hosted by recently retired High Court judge Sir Nicholas Mostyn, barrister and human rights campaigner Baroness Helena Kennedy, and Charlie Falconer, a Labour peer and former Lord Chancellor. You can listen to the podcast on Acast or via the major streaming platforms.

Harbottle & Lewis has advised the shareholders of Wushu Studios, the leading game development studio founded by Alan McDermott, on the sale of Wushu to Keywords Studios, an international provider of creative and technology-enabled solutions to the global video games and entertainment industries. Founded in 2017, Wushu provides a range of services to high profile publishers and developers to develop a range of high quality games.

Commenting on the deal, Alan McDermott said: “This is an exciting new chapter for Wushu. Joining Keywords allows us to maintain our creative independence while gaining access to a wealth of resources and expertise. It allows us to further enhance the services we offer our long-term clients with an extensive resource network and broad skillsets. Keywords shares our ambitions for continued growth, and their investment in Wushu will help us continue to remain faithful to our people-first approach to development. We look forward to collaborating with the broader Keywords network and taking on ever more ambitious projects in the future.”

Alan McDermott and the management team will remain with the business post-sale as they look to continue Wushu’s growth.

On working with us, Alan McDermott commented: “Harbottle’s team was exceptional throughout, guiding us with expertise and ensuring every step of the process was smooth. Their unwavering support and dedication made us feel like we were always their top priority.”

Our team was led by Tom Macleod (partner), Charlie Leveque (partner) and Katerina Capras (senior associate), with support from Elizabeth Compton (associate) and Anna Traherne (trainee). David Scott (partner) advised on corporate tax matters and Sarah Verrecchia (managing associate) advised on employment matters.

Harbottle & Lewis has advised F1® Arcade on its $130 million growth financing raise.

Backed by Formula 1® and Liberty Media, F1® Arcade is the world’s first F1® experiential hospitality brand, offering a gaming experience to simulate the thrill of F1 racing. F1® Arcade opened its first venue in London in 2022, followed by Birmingham, and in April 2024 the brand launched its first US site in Boston Seaport. As part of its roll-out plan, F1® Arcade is set to open in Washington D.C. in autumn 2024 and a flagship site in Las Vegas is set to open in 2025.

Partner Tom Macleod and senior associate Katerina Capras led the Harbottle team advising on the transaction, with support from associate Matthew Shannon and trainee Anna Traherne. Harbottle & Lewis were co-counsel on the raise with White & Case.

Adam Breeden, founder and CEO of F1® Arcade commented: “We are delighted with the outcome of this latest fundraise which will enable us to accelerate our global expansion. Building on the success we have seen for the F1® Arcade concept in both the UK and US, we are focused on building our pipeline of openings into 2026 and beyond.”

Tom Macleod commented: “We are very proud to have advised F1® Arcade on this exciting milestone. Having been involved from the company’s inception we are delighted to see F1® Arcade go from strength to strength and look forward to seeing its continued expansion both in the UK and US”.

To read F1® Arcade’s full press release, follow this link: F1® Arcade completes $130M raise – F1® Arcade (f1arcade.com)

Harbottle & Lewis has advised Adam Spiegel on the sale of the world’s longest-running play, Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap, to a consortium led by TodayTix CEO Brian Fenty.

Partner Charles Leveque commented: “We have advised Adam for many years and it was fantastic to have played a role in this landmark transaction involving one of the West End’s most celebrated shows. Our expertise in and extensive knowledge of the theatre industry across our practice areas meant we were perfectly positioned to advise on all elements of the deal.” 

On working with Harbottle & Lewis, Rich Blacksell, joint-managing director of Adam Spiegel Productions said: “Harbottle were exceptional throughout. Working with a cohesive, diligent and highly responsive team ensured that the process ran smoothly. We really valued their pragmatic and commercial advice.”

Charles Leveque (partner) and Katerina Capras (senior associate) led the team advising on all aspects of the transaction including providing corporate advice. Neil Adleman (partner) and Zoey Forbes (managing associate) advising on rights issues and Jonathan Hewitt (managing associate) advising on property aspects. The team was further supported by Matthew Shannon, Elizabeth Compton, Sarah Verrecchia, Amabel Torrance and Anna Traherne.

A team at Harbottle & Lewis led by partners Sacha Wilson and Emma Wright has contributed the UK chapter for an AI regulation guide, published by World IT Lawyers (WITL). The new guide summarises the current national AI regulations across different European jurisdictions.

While there is currently no specific legislation governing AI in the UK, the chapter discusses the overall approach as well as general OECD principles around safety, fairness, security and accountability. Further, a number of industry specific bills, which were going through this year, have been dropped or paused due to the General Election last week.

The guide states that the law relating to IP and AI-generated works is still developing and existing frameworks are being tested. In terms of international agreements and conventions, the UK has set up bodies to ensure alignment and collaboration with international rules on AI.

See the full report.

Today, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (the “Working Group”) has published an Opinion concerning the ongoing detention of Imran Khan, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, concluding that Mr Khan’s detention is in violation of international law.

The Working Group has called for the Government of Pakistan to release Mr Khan immediately and “accord him an enforceable right to compensation and other reparations, in accordance with international law”.

The Working Group has further called on the Government of Pakistan to allow the Working Group to conduct a state visit and has urged the Government to ensure a full and independent investigation of the circumstances surrounding the arbitrary deprivation of liberty of Mr Khan.

In a petition to the Working Group, brought by Jared Genser and Brian Tronic of Perseus Strategies, Washington DC, along with Sarah Gogan and Charlotte Boyce of Harbottle & Lewis, London, it was argued that Mr Khan had been arbitrarily detained, on the basis that:

• It was not possible for Pakistan to invoke any legal basis justifying Mr Khan’s arrest and detention (a “Category I” violation).
• Mr Khan’s deprivation of liberty resulted from his exercise of fundamental rights and freedoms, including the right to freedom of opinion and expression, the right to political participation, and the right to freedom of association (a “Category II” violation).
• The non-observance of the international norms of fair trial were of such gravity as to give his deprivation of liberty an arbitrary character (a “Category III” violation).

The Working Group agreed with the petitioners, rendering its Opinion that the detention is in violation of Categories I, II and III, and in contravention of both the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Regarding the legal basis for detention, the Working Group stated (at §64) that Mr Khan’s detention had “no legal basis and appears to have been intended to disqualify him from running from political office”.

The Working Group considered (at §71) that Mr Khan’s mandatory pretrial detention appeared to be as a result of “non-bailable offences”, which violates international human rights law.

In consideration of the lack of rebuttal to representations made that there was no individualised judicial review of Mr Khan’s pretrial detention, the Working Group found (at §72) that such detention “was not properly constituted and thus had no legal basis”.

Further, the Working Group was concerned (at §85) that “the authorities denied Mr Khan the right to defend himself through legal assistance of his own choosing making it impossible for international counsel to follow the in camera proceedings”, and that “the court reportedly terminated the defence lawyers’ cross-examination of witnesses and appointed public lawyers instead”.

The Working Group also expressed grave concerns (at §95) regarding the alleged arrest and disappearance of a close colleague of Mr Khan. It is alarmed by the general allegations of widespread arrest, detention and disappearances of individuals, including many Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) supporters and also urged the authorities to take swift and appropriate action in this regard.

The Working Group has called on the Government of Pakistan to allow the Working Group to conduct a state visit and has urged the Government to ensure a full and independent investigation of the circumstances surrounding the arbitrary deprivation of liberty of Mr Khan. The Working Group has called for the Government of Pakistan to release Mr Khan immediately and accord him an enforceable right to compensation and other reparations, in accordance with international law.

Zulfi Bukhari, adviser to Imran Khan and spokesperson for PTI, said:

“The international silence has finally broken on the illegal incarceration of Imran Khan. We welcome the Working Group’s Opinion with hope and optimism, as we call on the international community to continue holding the Government of Pakistan accountable for the inexcusable miscarriage of justice Mr Khan, his wife and many PTI members have suffered. The international condemnation of the manner in which the Government of Pakistan illegally stripped Mr Khan of his freedom and rights has echoed from the US to the UN, with the House of Representatives and now the Working Group shining a light on it as a blatant effort to interfere with his intentions to run for political office.

“We reiterate the Working Group’s calls for Mr Khan’s immediate release and right to compensation and other reparations, as well as call for the immediate release of Mr Khan’s wife, senior leadership of PTI and the thousands of party workers who have also been detained. We remain hopeful that the Government of Pakistan will take the appropriate next steps in accordance with international law.”

Sarah Gogan and Charlotte Boyce acted for the petitioner to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention along with Jared Genser and Brian Tronic of Perseus Strategies.

The full Opinion provided by the Working Group is available here: A/HRC/WGAD/2024/22 (ohchr.org)