Samuel is a lawyer in the Intellectual Property & Technology practice group in our Birmingham office. Sam's expertise covers a wide area of commercial contracts for the procurement and supply of goods and services (including manufacture, distribution and agency), collaboration agreements and agreements relating to data handling and security. Sam also has wide experience in assisting clients with their IT requirements, including the acquisition and implementation of core IT systems and assisting them with the development of their online presence.

Sam has further developed an extensive understanding of the requirements of clients in the utilities sector having spent time on secondments to the in-house commercial legal teams at both National Grid and E.ON.

Representative Experience

• Advising a major utility on the drafting and negotiation of its contract for the provision of a new IT system for the balancing of electricity. The system is business critical and the contract requires the development and supply of a full IT system, including hardware, proprietary software and third party software sourced both by the system provider and the utility as well as ongoing support and maintenance throughout the life of the system.
• Advising a leading global multi-industry engineering company on the negotiation of contracts for the implementation of a new SAP system throughout its business worldwide, including local implementations in the UK, USA and Germany as well as ongoing support and maintenance from the solution provider.
• Advising a national retailer on the drafting and negotiation of contracts for the hosting and maintenance of all of back-office IT systems, including key finance systems. The services are provided by two suppliers and the contract terms had to be drafted and negotiated carefully to minimise the risk of responsibilities being lost between the two suppliers
• Advising a major utility company on research and development agreements relating to the transmission of anthropogenic gaseous and liquid CO2 via pipeline. This work included drafting and advising on bilateral and multilateral collaborative research and development agreements for use with private companies and academic institutions.
• Advising a leading private healthcare provider on its landmark joint venture with a London hospital for the establishment and operation of new multi-million pound cancer treatment facilities. This involved the drafting and negotiation of the main joint venture agreement as well as subsidiary contracts for the supply of goods and services, secondment of staff and construction works.
• Advising a multinational engineering company on data protection compliance issues in relation to a series of projects involving its subsidiaries throughout Europe including the transfer of personal data to the United States.
• Secondment at National Grid Plc. Worked alongside the in-house legal team at National Grid advising on commercial issues arising out of the business. In particular, work included, supporting the research and development unit on a range of private and publicly funded innovation projects and advising on the development and use of National Grid's standard terms and conditions.
• Secondment at E.ON Plc. Worked alongside the in-house legal team at E.ON Plc in a similar role to that provided at National Grid. In particular, work included supporting the sustainable energy business in the development of energy efficiency projects and working closely with the street lighting team on construction projects with local authorities.