Peter Donaldson is a partner in our Intellectual Property & Technology Practice Group based in our Manchester office. Peter focuses his practice on technology, intellectual property exploitation and general commercial matters. His clients range from large publicly listed multinationals to start-ups and smaller family businesses in a range of sectors.

Peter has particular expertise in advising information technology (IT) suppliers and users of hardware, software, systems integration services, managed services and technology consultancy services in relation to technology outsourcing and systems procurement as well as website and software development, supply, hosting and licensing, software as a service (SAAS), open source, cloud computing, e-commerce and data security matters.

In addition, he advises UK-based and international businesses in a range of sectors in relation to general commercial matters including procurement, agency and distribution arrangements, joint ventures, dispute resolution and many other day-to-day business requirements.

He advises extensively in relation to technology research and development and exploitation of technology and IP rights including through strategic alliances, joint ventures and reseller and partnering arrangements.

Peter regularly provides the commercial, IP rights and technology advice required in mergers, acquisitions and privatisations.

His approach to advising clients is very much a "can do" approach and he always strives to help his clients to pro-actively identify and address the issues they are likely to face in the future as well as, the issues they are facing now.

Representative Experience

• Assisting the world's foremost developer of full toroidal traction drive technology on the worldwide licensing of its IP portfolio to various vehicle and transmission manufacturers.
• Assisting one of the world's largest chemical manufacturers on the negotiation of its supply chain agreements and shared services agreements, drafting and implementation of its trading terms across the EU, the appointment and termination of its sales agents and on strategic alliances, joint collaboration projects, joint ventures and the worldwide licensing of its IP portfolio.
• Acting on behalf of one of Europe’s largest contract catering companies in drafting and assistance in negotiating contracts for the provision of outsourced catering services to a variety of organisations including pan-European arrangements.
• Advising one of the UK's largest insurers on the outsourcing of certain critical business back office and customer facing processes.
• Advising a business-to-business mobile telecommunications reseller on the outsourcing of all its customer facing call center and account management operations.
• Assisting an international speciality chemicals manufacturer on various plant management agreements, various joint ventures in Asia and on the licensing in and out of process and formulation patent portfolios.
• Assisting one of the UK's largest haulage companies on its agreements for the provision of outsourced warehousing and distribution services to a variety of multinational customers including manufacturers and supermarkets.
• Advising two High Street UK banks on outsourcing IT and business process functions and the procurement of a wide variety of IT services.
• Advising an international warehousing and logistics provider on the outsourcing of it to a worldwide electronics manufacturer's UK requirements.
• Advising a US-based quick service restaurant operator on all its UK franchising arrangements.
• Assisting a major FTSE-listed company on the provision of outsourcing fulfilment services for a top three UK supermarket retailer in connection with the supermarket's loyalty scheme.