Technology and Digital Law

Integrated technology solutions…

Across Australia and throughout the world, we are providing an integrated approach and perspective to technology opportunities.

This approach leverages off our broader expertise, whether that lies in strategic consultancy, deal structuring, setting policy agendas, the creation of technology solutions or in the implementation of those technology solutions.

Our integrated technology offering assists clients to fully embrace change in the legal landscape, and use it to their advantage.

Our digital lawyers…

We have developed a team of tech-savvy lawyers with a common mindset. Combining legal and industry skills with a commitment to challenge the status-quo and support a ‘client led’ agenda. We provide the expertise demanded by our clients, offering efficient and easy access to legal advice.

As a firm, PwC is often working at the heart of our nation’s most significant technology challenges. Our technology and digital law practice already has scale and presence across our four largest capital cities and throughout the region.

The team consists of technology lawyers recommended by Legal 500 Asia Pacific, Chambers Asia Pacific, listed as AFR Best Lawyers and other industry directories, including Who’s Who and PLC Which Lawyer.

Cameron Whittfield leads the group and was awarded the Lawyers Weekly Australian Technology Law Partner of the Year in 2019.

Capabilities

Our technology and digital legal team has extensive experience advising major corporate clients on some of Asia Pacific’s most significant technology transactions, including M&A, transformation of legacy platforms, ‘as a service’ sourcing models, agile and output based contracting, technology and business process outsourcing and large scale procurement.

Our team has extensive experience acting on transactions involving the globe’s largest technology companies.

We also appreciate that one of this generation’s greatest assets lies in information itself, and have dedicated resources working on data protection, commercialisation of information and managing cyber related issues.

Staying at the forefront of technology changes is critical to us. We are often called upon to advise on some of the most exciting (and challenging) technology developments, including artificial intelligence, blockchain (distributed ledger) technology and robotics.

In addition to our ‘integrated offer’, one of our greatest strengths is our truly global reach. In the technology space, we believe the strength and breadth of our reach is unrivalled.

The PwC Legal network is already one of the largest law firm networks in the world, and we look to bring this experience, insight and expertise to bear wherever possible.

Technology transformation and outsourcing

We advise on sourcing of core technology solutions and support, ‘as a service’ sourcing models, business process outsourcing, transformation/modernising legacy platforms and large scale procurement.

Cloud contracting and the internet of things

We help our clients maximise the benefits of cloud computing and ubiquitous interconnectivity. Cloud contracting and IoT can introduce significant complexity in the supply chain, even if this is largely unseen once the service is delivered.

Cyber security

One of the key trade-offs as we all go ‘digital’ is our vulnerability around cyber security. This issue remains very real (and will continue to do so) as we become more reliant on technology solutions. Navigating cyber security is not an IT issue, but rather an organisation-wide risk management strategy. This is why we advise our clients utilising our integrated offer and expertise.

Leveraging of data, data analytics and privacy

Arguably the greatest asset of our generation, is our personal and commercially sensitive data. While we often speak of privacy, the ability to fully leverage data is significantly broader. Most of the largest companies in the world are new technology-based information/data companies. These companies look to fully leverage information. Given the way cloud solutions work, there can be significant intellectual property personal information and cross-jurisdictional issues to contend with.

Telecommunications services and technology infrastructure

The ability to provide applications or web based services (and the movement of significant data required to support a digitised economy) relies on core infrastructure support. This can range from open access networks supplied through the NBN, or other traditional telecommunications networks, public or private networks, fixed or mobile, on or off premises equipment, or even via satellite. Data transmission and storage also relies on domestic and international transmission and data centres.

Transactional support

Most major transaction projects, including material infrastructure investments (whether brown or greenfield), will invariably have a significant technology component. Infrastructure projects are heavily technology-dependent, as too are more traditional merger and acquisition transactions.

Technology revolution

While many technologies are well settled (or continue to be essentially refined), there is an increasing volume of technology advancement that has the potential to materially change the way we all do business, including the emergence of distributed ledger technology (i.e. blockchain), artificial intelligence and robotics. Staying ahead of the curve in relation to these issues is critical.