Giles heads our intellectual property and technology group. He also leads our data practice in London, and co-heads the firm's digitization initiatives including our Freshfields TQ platform.
He is particularly active in the consumer, retail, technology, media, automotive and financial institutions sectors, and specialises in cross-border IP, data privacy and cyber security, commercial and e-commerce law.
He regularly advises on transactions involving valuable brands, technology, content and data, particularly in the context of international M&A, IP/tech-heavy carve-outs and JVs, restructuring, financing, licensing and other complex commercial and IP agreements. He also advises on IP disputes and risk management, including multi-jurisdictional brand protection and copyright infringement, and IP and antitrust issues.
Giles leads our London data practice, advising on the full range of legal issues relating to data, including IP protection and data privacy matters, particularly in the context of deals, crises, investigations, and new data uses and analytics including AI. He was named as one of the top 40 under 40 for data law, is on the editorial board of Global Data Review, and is the editor and co-author of Global Data Review's Insight Handbook 2020. He is also a member of the City of London Law Society Data Committee.
Giles' career has spanned Freshfields' offices in London, New York and Paris, and he has worked in-house (on secondment) as IP counsel for a global consumer products brand.
He speaks French and German as well as his native English.
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- Advising a leading West Coast hardware and software business on strategic technology and software acquisitions, including in relation to AI applications and semiconductors.
- Advising Tesco on the IP, technology and separation aspects of the multi-billion pound sales of its South Korean, Thai and Malaysian businesses.
- Advising Coty on its strategic long term exclusive licence of the Burberry brand for fragrances and make-up, winner of ‘Deal of the Year’ at the Luxury Law Summit 2017.
- Advising AB InBev on the IP, technology and separation aspects of multiple disposals, including of Peroni, Pilsner Urquell and its Australian business. The Freshfields IP team won Managing IP’s Firm of the Year 2017 (IP Transactional – Europe) for the first of those deals. Read more about the deal in our case study.
- Advising Mondelēz and DE Master Blenders on the brand- and technology-related aspects of contemplated disposals in the context of their $7bn merger.
- Advising London Stock Exchange Group on its £450m acquisition of Pearson’s stake in FTSE, and on acquisitions leading to the creation of FTSE Russell.
- Advising Japan Tobacco on IP-related disputes across the world, including in the UK Court of Appeal, relating to plain packaging of tobacco products.
- Advising a leading telecoms and media business on IP, net neutrality, data privacy and related issues regarding new online business models and copyright infringement.
- Advising a leading sports media business on complex IP licensing, broadcasting, sponsorship and other commercial arrangements.
- Advising Marriott on the global (ex-US) response to the Starwood data incident.
- Advising leading financial institutions, a global cyber security business, an international publisher and others on data breaches, including dealing with multiple regulators and affected individuals.
- Advising a leading financial institution on the data privacy aspects of a truly global investigation, including negotiating with a US regulator on its approach to data privacy across over 100 jurisdictions.
Recent conference presentations include:
- M&A and Governance Forum 2020, Berkeley Centre for Law and Business - Securing the Future of the Internet, with Alex Stamos and Catherine Crump
- Abu Dhabi Digital Next Conference, December 2019 - Data privacy as a human right and digital currency; AI ethics
- WebSummit Corporate Innovation Summit, November 2019 - 'The secrets of successful innovation'
- Privacy Laws & Business Conference, July 2018 - 'Managing data as an asset in a digital world'
- Bloomberg Tech TV interview, May 2018
- Cambridge IP Law Summer School, 2017 to present - 'The International Nature of IP' and 'An Introduction to Intellectual Property Licensing and Transactions'
- Privacy Laws & Business 30th Anniversary International Conference, July 2017 - 'Managing data privacy risks and IP rights in connected devices and systems'
- Competition Law Association, 2016 – ‘BEPs and state aid: a shifting landscape for IP planning’
- Freshfields joint workshop with DigitalEurope, 2016 – ‘Dealing with data’
- C5 anti-corruption and bribery conference, 2015 – ‘Overcoming practical constraints to data access for compliance reviews and investigations’
- Thomson Reuters Trade Marks conference, 2014 – ‘EU trade mark reforms’
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Education
- Bristol University, UK (diploma in intellectual property law and practice)
- Nottingham Law School, UK (diploma in commercial intellectual property, with distinction)
- Oxford Institute of Legal Practice, UK (legal practice course, with distinction)
- Oxford University, UK (MA in jurisprudence, first class and top of year)
Professional qualifications
- Solicitor, England and Wales
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