About SCL

• SCL Chairman from 1990 to 1992
• SCL Annual Lecturer in 1996, 2006 and 2016
• SCL President from 2011

Mark O’Conor has over 20 years’ experience of helping public and private sector clients with all aspects of IT law, particularly cloud and digital transformation, public procurement and outsourcing. Mark is the Managing Director for Sectors at DLA Piper and is the Vice President of the Society for Computers and Law. Mark advises companies and governments on digital transformation, agile development, open source, AI and cloud computing legal challenges. He has been involved in drafting and negotiating cloud computing contracts on both the provider and customer side.

Sue is Technology and Fintech partner at Bird & Bird in London.

Sue specialises in major technology deals including cloud, outsourcing, digital transformation and development and licensing. She also advises on a range of legal and regulatory issues relating to the development and roll-out of new technologies including AI, blockchain/DLT, metaverse and crypto-assets.

Her IP and commercial experience includes drafting, advising on and negotiating a wide range of intellectual property and commercial agreements including IP licences and assignment agreements, long-term supply and distribution agreements. She also assists clients in preparing terms of business and related documentation for new business processes and offerings and coordinating global roll-outs.

As a Solicitor-Advocate (Higher Courts Civil), Minesh appears as counsel in litigation and arbitration proceedings. He has experience of arbitration under the LCIA, ICC, HKIAC, SIAC, DIAC, ADCCAC and UNCITRAL rules, as well as expert determination. Minesh is an accredited mediator with the Society of Mediators and regularly advises clients on alternative dispute resolution.

Minesh is an industry-recognised leader in AI law. He is Chair of the Society for Computers and Law (SCL) AI Group, he has contributed chapters in Artificial Intelligence: Law and Regulation and is currently writing chapters for another forthcoming book on AI law, and he is regularly invited to speak at events on AI law (he has previously spoken on behalf of the United Nations). Minesh increasingly advises clients across all sectors on legal, regulatory and ethical issues relating to AI (including data privacy issues, contractual AI issues, responsible AI and AI disputes).

Minesh’s expertise in AI law has been recognised through various awards, including ‘Rising Star: Private Practice’ at the British Legal Awards 2022. His work on AI explainability – including advising on the world’s first AI Explainability Statement to receive input from a regulator – was shortlisted at the Legal Innovation Awards 2022 and the Financial Times Innovative Lawyers Awards Europe 2022.

As the Chief Executive of SCL, Caroline is responsible for the Society’s administration and financial management. Working closely with the SCL Board of Trustees, it is Caroline’s responsibility to develop the Society’s long-term strategy, budget and business plan and to ensure the Society complies with the law and regulations. Caroline is also responsible for managing the SCL administration team and for all the contractors who work with SCL.

Caroline read law at the University of the West of England before joining SCL in 1991.

• Reader in Sustainable Business Law and Policy, Queen Mary University of London
• Director of the BSc Business with Law

Fernando joined Queen Mary University of London in 2018 as lecturer in both the School of Business and Management and the School of Law, after moving from Argentina, where he was Ordinary Professor of Cyberlaw and Director of Law at the Universidad Nacional de Rio Negro. He is currently Reader in Sustainable Business Law and Policy at SBM.

Fernando carried out his undergraduate studies in International Relations at the Universidad de Belgrano, Buenos Aires, Argentina and Law at the University of London. He has a Masters in International Cooperation Studies (Legal System of International Cooperation) from the Graduate School of International Development of Nagoya University and a Ph.D. in International Cooperation from Nagoya University, Japan, as well as a Certificate in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education from the London Metropolitan University, a Postgraduate Professional Diploma in Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution from Chulalongkorn University, Thailand and a Postgraduate Certificate in Global Business and Politics from the Yale School of Management.

The main topic that underlines his scholarship and public engagement experience is the global regulation of information technology, sustainability, human rights and their application to different industries and business. Currently, Fernando is focused on AI and Climate Change global regulatory frameworks, Smart farming law and policy, climate change and sustainability related business regulatory framework, and impact of energy transitions policies. In Argentina was principal researcher at the Public Policy and Government Research Institute of the Universidad Nacional de Rio Negro and Researcher Category 1 of the National System of Incentives to Academic Research of the Argentine Ministry of Education.

Fernando was Japanese Ministry of Education and Science Scholar, the 2007 E. Desmond Lee Visiting Professor for Global Awareness at Webster University, HEA 2008 UK Law Teacher of the Year, 2012 Rotary Peace Fellow and recipient of the 2024 QMUL Education Excellence Award and President and Principal Prize for his work on AI Ethics and Literacy.

Before entering full-time academia, he was Technical Advisor to the Governor of Rio Negro Province, Chief of Non Judicial Negotiations at Piatigorsky Lawyers, and was an adjunct member of the faculty at the School of Law and Social Sciences at the Universidad de Belgrano, all in Argentina.

He is a member of the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) and the Health and Safety Committees the School of Business and Management.

Fernando is a certified Scuba Diving Instructor and Emergency First Response Instructor.

Based in Seattle, Andy is a commercial technology and regulatory lawyer at AWS. He supports AWS in China focusing on regulatory and public policy work across Sales & Marketing, Infrastructure and Products. Andy also manages a team of lawyers that support AWS’s global expansion by ensuring regulatory compliance and engagement. He assists with international public policy and legislative development and was recognized by The Legal 500 as a Next Generation Lawyer whilst in private practice. He has previous private practice experience as a Senior Associate at RPC law firm and in-house experience at Google and Accenture.

Matthew is regarded as one of the most sought-after commercial silks at the bar for technology disputes, with a focus on IT, IP, telecoms and related disputes (including software copyright, licensing, cyber risk, cloud, blockchain and fintech, AI and the internet). This is demonstrated in the directories, where he is ranked as a star individual for IT and is described as having “a great understanding of a lot of IT matters, and he’s very sharp and astute legally as well.” “He combines his knowledge of the law with a deep understanding of software issues. He’s brilliant with clients and his pleadings are accurate and well drafted” (Chambers & Partners 2022 – IT).

He acts in a wide range of commercial and contractual disputes in a variety of industry sectors, including the fields of banking, energy, financial services, insurance and the sale of goods in both litigation and arbitration (institutional and ad hoc). Matthew also advises in relation to dispute avoidance and in non-contentious commercial contexts. Legal 500 2021 say that “Matthew is a star, combining really deep technical knowledge with first class analytical skills and a friendly yet a authoritative manner with clients and instructing counsel”.

Matthew also has expertise in aviation work where he acts and advises in relation to commercial and technical aspects of aviation and the business of aviation. He has been instructed by aircraft owners and operators, equipment manufacturers, maintenance organisations and ground handling agents. He holds UK and US commercial pilot licences, giving him a detailed and practical understanding of aviation and the context in which disputes in this sector arise.

He is co-editor of Hervey & Lavy, The Law of Artificial Intelligence (Sweet & Maxwell, 2020) and is a Trustee of the Society for Computers and Law.

Mark is a Technology and Commercial lawyer with more than 25 years’ legal experience supporting a wide range of businesses, his breadth of knowledge and capability is widely recognised. Mark has acted for many household names and technology businesses and supported many complex projects.

Mark is particularly noted for his negotiation skills and ability to find practical and legally effective solutions.

Mark acts as a key strategic advisor to boards and business leaders.

Mark has a keen interest in applying knowledge of good business practice and process. Mark has a good understanding of how organisations can deploy proven Risk Management and Business Continuity standards and methodologies in their organisations, helping clients identify and execute their strategy and helping them create and protect value in their business.

Mark provides support for commercial contracts and commercial contract systems, helping clients establish good business process and contract management, supporting end-to-end processes in a digital world.

Mark assists both digital businesses and organisations undertaking digital transformation.

Anne is an Managing Associate in the Commercial, Technology, Data and Sport team within the Innovation department and co-leads the Blockchain Group.

Anne has experience in advising on emerging technologies such as blockchain, artificial intelligence and machine learning, data and privacy issues and a wide range of IT and commercial contracts including IP licences and assignments, franchising, agency, distribution agreements and sponsorship agreements. Her clients extend across a number of sectors, with a focus on technology, sport, media and retail.

She also provides specialist contract support on corporate transactions; particularly investments into tech, hotels and retail businesses.

Anne has advised extensively in the media and entertainment sector throughout her career with a particular focus on chain of title reviews, option agreements, content creation and supply and distribution arrangements. She also helps clients embrace opportunities in the web 3.0 space; including advising on licensing content for use in Metaverses, the delivery and ingestion of content and collaboration agreements with content creators to create physical and virtual goods.

Anne was recognised by Legal 500 2020, noting her as a ‘Rising Star’ for Commercial contracts. She is a member of the International Association of Privacy Professionals and holds a CIPP/E certification. Anne founded and leads a sub-working group of Tech London Advocates Blockchain which focuses on Legal & Regulatory matters. This group is supported by the Law Society and the Society for Computers and law and is comprised of lawyers working together to produce best practice guidelines for lawyers to follow when dealing with agreements partially or fully written in code. She has a diploma in Fintech from the Säid Business School, University of Oxford and was recognised as one of the most influential women in technology in Computer Weekly.

Anne enjoys working with entrepreneurial clients, particularly when assisting them with early-stage fundraisings and the legal and commercial issues affecting start-up companies. Anne has mentored a number of early-stage businesses through various incubator programmes, including MdR Lab.  Anne is a legal mentor in the Walpole Brands of Tomorrow programme: a bespoke mentorship programme that helps aspiring British luxury brands fulfil their potential and is a trustee on the board for the Society for Computers and Law.

In addition to her emerging technologies work,  Anne has appeared on the expert judging panel of a number of retail tech start-ups at Retail Week Live and has lectured at the London College of Fashion. In a previous role, she completed a secondment with Debenhams. She has also acted for a number of governing bodies, promoters, sponsor and players across sports on major broadcasting matters, image/digital rights agreements and sponsorship arrangements.

Dr Katherine (Katia) Ramo is Of Counsel in the Technology, Media, IP and Competition (TMIC) and Head of Pro Bono Practice at CMS London.

Katherine is a multi-award-wining global lawyer who advises on a wide range of transactional corporate M&A, commercial and  regulatory matters.

Katherine spent time on secondment to BT’s Product & Portfolio Legal & Regulatory department.

Before joining CMS, Katherine had a highly successful global career in international development advising governments and multinational organisations on high profile high value acquisition and assistance matters with the U.S. State Department, World Bank, IMF, UN and other multi-donor agencies.

Katherine champions diversity, in the City & globally, across every channel, leading diversity networks, mentoring, writing and speaking at events. She is called upon both internally and externally by clients and diversity organisations, and by the UN and regulatory bodies, to provide advice regarding diversity issues, particularly surrounding gender and disability.

Shelley is Associate General Counsel and Senior Vice President at Bank of America, supporting the bank’s Global technology, information security and records management functions. Before joining the bank, she was a partner at Hill Dickinson LLP and then Principal In House Counsel and Head of Risk for Eversheds (now Eversheds Sutherland). During a career spanning 26 years, she has always specialised in technology law in its many guises, having studied for a Masters in IT Law during her training contract and quickly established it was the area she wanted to qualify into. Consequently, she has specialised in outsourcing and technology contracts, privacy and data protection law, cyber and information security and emerging technologies.
Shelley joined the Society when she qualified, having been on the committee of and Chair of the Northern Group before joining the Board. She has lectured extensively on commercial and IT law issues at a number of universities, written for a number of publications (including SCL magazine!) and appeared on Radio 4.