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Gareth Stokes

Partner
Gareth Stokes is exceptionally good at marshalling both legal and client teams in order to produce results, as well as being deeply sensitive to the commercial realities of contract negotiations and calm in a crisis.
Legal 500 2022
About

Gareth Stokes focuses on AI, information technology, strategic sourcing and intellectual property-driven transactions.
Gareth is part of the leadership team for DLA Piper’s global AI Practice Group.

He enjoys nothing more than advising on cutting edge technology transactions. This includes the design and training of AI models, collection and use of data, and the increasing array of specialist hardware available to run these AIs more efficiently. 

In a ubiquitously connected world, technology issues are more often global rather than local, and the largest projects tend to involve innovative contractual structures. Gareth has extensive experience with complex contracting, including joint venture arrangements, multi-level framework and call off structures, trust arrangements and other multi-contract arrangements.

Professional QualificationsSolicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales

EXPERIENCE

  • Advising a high-tech consumer electronics company on various global outsourcing projects, including the outsourcing of finance & accounting, indirect procurement, IT service desk, infrastructure and application development services. 
  • Advising a global pharmaceutical company on its ‘digital garage’ function for identifying and investing in early stage AI projects and tech-driven programmes. 
  • Advising the world’s largest online retailer on various aspects of its artificial intelligence strategy, and its responses to various legislative consultations. 
  • Advising a major European bank on various business-critical ITO and BPO deals, including the outsourcing of its hosting & storage, networks and security operations functions. In each case the projects involved working with the bank team to design suitable legal and commercial models, and running multi-bidder procurements. Contracts included mechanisms to incentivise co-operation between suppliers, and develop a trusted and interconnected group of IT service providers for the Bank’s operation. 
  • Advising a premium car manufacturer on a wide range of commercial, technology and outsourcing projects. 
  • Advising a global insurance and financial; services organisation on the legal, commercial and European regulatory aspects of the outsourcing of various of its IT and back office functions. 
  • Advising a high profile global electric vehicle manufacturer on various aspects of its European sales and service operations. 
  • Advising a digital therapeutics high growth company on its commercial arrangements and data sharing arrangements with several major primary care and medical devices businesses.
  • Advising various major UK high-street banks on a wide range of IT and sourcing issues, including complex trusts arrangements in the context of the outsourcing of card processing for co-branded credit cards.
  • Advising a global pharmaceutical company on projects related to a combination wearable medical device and AI powered app for managing diabetes.
  • Advising a major global pharmaceutical company on a wide range of ITO, BPO and brand disposal activities (manufacturing lines, regulatory consents, IP portfolios).
  • Advising the selected private sector partner on the outsourced services elements of the MyCSP mutual joint venture to deliver civil service pensions
Education
  • University of Warwick, Bachelor of Laws, 1998
  • Nottingham Law School, Legal Practice Course, 1999

Awards

Recognised in Chambers & Partners as "an excellent source of information and wisdom and a repository of all useful knowledge when it comes to technical matters."

The Legal 500 describes Gareth as "calm and collected, and able to come up with effective solutions."

He is listed as Acritas Star™ Lawyer 2017.

Pro Bono

Gareth is the Pro Bono Co-ordinator for DLA Piper's Birmingham Office.

Prior Experience

Gareth has spent periods on secondment with the legal teams at both major international supplier of IT and outsourcing services, and a leading global pharmaceutical company.

Memberships And Affiliations

  • Society of Computers and Law
  • Midlands Aerospace Alliance

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