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Fieldfisher has hired two new technology partners in its Manchester office with the appointment of Rob Sheldon and Sam Jardine.
Rob Sheldon has joined from DWF, where he was a partner and joint head of Privacy for the Manchester office, while Sam, partner and head of Commercial and Technology at Watson Burton, will join on 2nd January.
Rob, who has been at DWF since 2007, specialises in commercial projects, providing IT, outsourcing, data protection, commercial contracts and IP expertise to clients from a wide range of sectors. He has experience from across private practice and as in-house counsel, having worked at Barclaycard and Co-operative Financial Services.
Rob said: "The Fieldfisher brand is synonymous with leading edge technology work and I am delighted to be involved from the outset in bringing Fieldfisher's technology expertise to Manchester and the north-west. The ability to draw on the firm's unrivalled technology expertise in its London, European and Silicon Valley offices makes this both an incredibly exciting and unique opportunity."
Sam is a commercial expert, advising clients on a range of technology and commercial agreements, including SaaS projects, software development, technology procurement, hosting arrangements and reselling. Sam also advises on data protection, and is a regular commentator in the media on the technology market. Working across multiple sectors, Sam has led on large-scale transformational outsourcing projects for financial institutions and utilities, and is described by clients as "pragmatic", "responsive" and a "proven negotiator". Prior to Watson Burton, where he established the Technology sector group, Sam worked at Eversheds, Addleshaw Goddard and Baker & McKenzie. Sam said: "Fieldfisher's reputation is second-to-none for complex technology work and I'm very excited to be working alongside such a renowned team. I look forward to being able to innovate on exciting deals alongside clients in this rapidly-changing legal and technology market."
Rob Shooter, partner and head of Fieldfisher's Technology, Outsourcing and Privacy group, said: "People talk about the Northern Powerhouse and our Manchester office, and our technology experts, are very well placed to take companies in the region forward. Both Rob and Sam will make excellent additions to the team and help ensure the group remains as a leader in the field."
Greater Manchester's tech cluster has undergone tremendous growth since the move of the BBC and ITV to Salford's MediaCity, with TechCityUK reporting that digital employment in the region is over 56,000, and the largest student population in Europe providing a critical mass of skilled workers. Furthermore, Manchester Investment and Development Agency Service says that £3.5bn has been invested to support the city's technology and digital infrastructure.
Michael Chissick, managing partner, said: "Our Manchester office is growing strongly, and with Sam and Rob we are now even better placed to grow further. The UK's tech sector is much more than just London – Manchester and the North West are home to numerous successful technology businesses and we are very well placed to support them."
Fieldfisher is one of the largest technology-focused law firms in the UK market. With lawyers immersed in the technology sector and a thorough understanding of the challenges companies in it face, the firm advises companies from start-up to multinational corporations, across all areas of law.