IT Disputes and Investigations Group

Lee is a partner in the Litigation and Arbitration team and CMS. He specialises in the resolution of disputes, particularly disputes arising out of IT projects, outsourcing agreements, software licenses and contracts relating to the provision of telecommunications services. He acts for clients across various sectors including consumer & retail, financial services, life sciences & healthcare, recruitment, facilities management, energy and automotive, as well as IT service providers.

Lee is a solicitor-advocate with over 25 years’ experience of litigation, arbitration (ICC, LCIA, AAA) and mediation.  In addition to representing clients in legal proceedings, he also advises on the renegotiation of terms of delivery and settlement of disputes by way of mediation and other processes.

He also advises clients in relation to disputes concerning misuse of data and claims for damages following data security breaches and cyber attacks, and on issues relating to AI technologies.

Connor has over twelve years’ experience advising a variety of clients in complex disputes including alternative methods of dispute resolution, with particular expertise in technology / financial services disputes. Connor also advises clients on contentious regulatory matters, often involving a number of regulators, law enforcement authorities and jurisdictions. His clients include global technology companies, financial institutions, insurers, fund managers, fintech firms, directors, senior executives and shareholders and other regulated entities and persons.

Connor has significant experience in handling complex regulatory investigations and advising on issues relating to legal professional privilege. His practice also includes advising clients in respect of white collar crime and corporate offences, fraud, anti-bribery and corruption compliance, as well as lobbying compliance under the Irish and EU regimes.

Celso is a commercial barrister with over 20 years’ experience of complex international disputes, having particular expertise on emerging technology disputes relating to cyber risks, blockchain disputes, cryptocurrency, agentic AI, information technology, insurance, breach response and IT projects. He is the 2023 BILA prize-winner of the leading practitioner textbook ‘Cyber Risks Insurance, 2nd Ed, Sweet & Maxwell’. Celso is: a past-chair of the Cyber Insurance Association and of the London Business Interruption Association, qualified as a New York Attorney, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and a listed arbitrator of ARIAS (UK), FedArb and the Blockchain Lawyers Forum.

Siobhan Forster is regularly instructed as a technical expert in IT disputes. She has 12+ years of experience providing advisory and expert services in IT project disputes, IP investigations, insurance claims, litigations, arbitration and alternate dispute resolution.

I am a specialist commercial litigation and dispute resolution lawyer, focusing on telecomms and technology disputes at Bird & Bird.

Last year, I co-authored the only published English law book on technology project disputes, ‘IT Contracts and Dispute Management – A Practitioner’s Guide to the Project Lifecycle’ (Edward Elgar, 2018). It combines first-hand insights from my 12 years’ experience as a solicitor in this field with practical advice and guidance.

“This work should become a primary resource not only for in-house and external practitioners but also for project directors responsible for IT contracts.” Atanu Sarkar (Group General Counsel), Tech Mahindra Group

One of my first cases was working on one of the largest IT project cases to go through the English courts in recent years, the litigation between BSkyB and EDS. Since then I have not looked back and regularly advise on complex technology project disputes and software licensing disputes both in relation to the merits of the parties’ positions and in relation to strategy for resolving the dispute. I act both for customer-side and supplier-side clients.

I like getting involved with a client as early as possible in the process so that we can give the right type of advice at the right phase of the dispute, meaning that as well as providing advice on merits and strategy I often support and guide clients through an escalation, renegotiation or settlement process.

I have taken disputes to the Court of Appeal and the High Court, particularly the Commercial Court and Technology and Construction Court, as well as international arbitration. I prepare and respond to court applications, including expedited trials and interim injunction applications, which frequently involve the preparation of complex technical witness statements. I also have experience of several different forms of ADR including expert determination and mediation.

This role keeps me up to date with the cutting edge of technology in a fast-evolving and fascinating field.

James Hartley is the Divisional Head of our award-winning Dispute Resolution litigation team. He led on winning Bates v the Post Office – “one of the most serious miscarriages of justice in British legal history.”

James is the Divisional Head of Dispute Resolution and Risk Mitigation and advises business leaders on strategies to deploy in high-stakes legal risk situations.

James takes a strategic approach to outcome-scenario analysis to enable informed decision-making. His unique risk mitigation process, developed during the Post Office case, allows him and his team to ensure a holistic, cost effective and goal-driven approach, using AI platforms and resulting in a final future-proof risk assessment.

James not only delivers an outcome best suited to your strategic goals and objectives but mitigates loss of reputation and cost.

His particular areas of focus are:

• Defence of class actions, technology disputes, investment, asset management, banking and finance disputes, manufacturing and transport sector disputes, international arbitration, deal disputes including warranty and earn-out disputes, contractual disputes, competition litigation, shareholder disputes, defamation, trade disputes and international disputes, commercial fraud and asset recovery and professional negligence litigation (involving accountants, lawyers, tax advisers, financial advisers, surveyors, valuers, actuaries, trustees)
• Litigation funding: James has many years’ experience of the UK funding market and has unique experience of how class action cases are funded, advising both on the claimant and defendant side
• Alternative dispute resolution (ADR): expert in many forms of ADR and is an accredited and trained mediator.

James is listed as a Recommended Lawyer and is recognised as a Leading Partner in commercial litigation by the Legal 500 (2026 edition).

James is also listed as a Leading Individual in Chambers & Partners (2026 edition).

Memberships: 

• CEDR Accredited Mediator

Rebecca is a barrister at 4 Pump Court specialising in technology disputes. She is ranked as a Leading Junior by Chambers & Partners in IT and by Legal 500 in IT & Telecoms and Crypto & Blockchain Assets. Called to the Bars of England & Wales and Ireland, she has acted in disputes involving project failures, artificial intelligence, cyber-attacks, cryptoassets and quantum computers. Before joining 4 Pump Court, Rebecca worked at Dropbox’s European Headquarters.

Rebecca is co-author of A Practical Guide to Quantum Computing and the Law and contributes to The Law of Artificial Intelligence and the AI chapter of the Encyclopaedia of IT Law. She is Co-Chair of SCL’s Women in Technology group, member of the SCL quantum group, an editorial member of the Tech Disputes Network, a TECBAR committee member, an appointed member of the ICO’s Technology Advisory Panel, and listed in the Blockchain Lawyers’ Forum Arbitrator List.

Lizzie Williams is a dispute resolution partner and solicitor advocate at leading technology, media and entertainment law firm Harbottle & Lewis. Lizzie has particular expertise and experience in commercial disputes with a technology angle.

Lizzie advises on traditional IT disputes (involving hardware, software development, outsourcing and licensing) and disputes involving emerging technologies (including artificial intelligence, digital assets and blockchain). In addition, Lizzie advises on disputes arising out of cyber-attacks, disputes involving technology investments, technology procurement challenges and the management and resetting of distressed digital transformation projects.

Lizzie is recognised as a “Key Lawyer” in Commercial Litigation and Artificial Intelligence by The Legal 500 and a “Future Leader in Commercial Litigation” by Lexology. Lizzie is the author of the Practical Law Global practice note AI Disputes and Risk Mitigation and the book A Practical Guide to Smart Contracts and the Law.

I specialise in commercial dispute resolution and pre-litigation strategic advice and assistance, supporting clients find commercial solutions for their business.

My practice covers a broad spectrum of disputes including claims for breach of contract, disputes arising from allegations of fraud and misrepresentation and debt claims, with a focus on disputes in the technology and media sectors. I also advise insolvency practitioners and corporates in relation to contentious insolvency and bankruptcy proceedings.

I am experienced in advising clients at times of crisis, including in relation to data breaches and obtaining interim injunctive relief.

Andrew is an Associate at Cooke, Young & Keidan LLP with a focus on resolving complex technology disputes, civil fraud matters and a broad range of other commercial disputes. Andrew has experience in advising clients in relation to disputes arising out of IT projects, outsourcing agreements, cyberattacks and general commercial disputes relating to the provision of IT and telecommunications products and services. Andrew has acted in disputes before the English Commercial Court, Business and Property Courts and the Technology and Construction Court.

In addition to his core disputes practice, Andrew has also spent time on secondment at a FTSE 100 multinational sports betting and gambling company where he was legal counsel in the International IP & Litigation team