UK Telecoms Lawyer | Data | Payments | Regulation | Transactions

Specialist UK Telecoms, Data and Payments Regulation Lawyers

Clear, senior-level regulatory and commercial advice for telecoms, data protection and payments

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If your business operates in UK telecoms, processes personal data, or provides payment services, regulation determines what you can build, how you can compete, and what risks you carry. Bratby Law provides specialist regulatory and transactional advice across telecoms, data protection and payments, led by Rob Bratby, a Chambers Band 2 telecoms lawyer with over 30 years’ experience spanning the UK telecoms regulator, senior in-house roles at network operators, and partnership at international law firms. Clients instruct the firm through three models: Direct Legal Advice, Specialist Co-counsel and Fractional General Counsel.

Chambers & Partners Band 2 Telecoms (UK Guide 2026)

Legal 500 Leading Partner, Telecoms (London)

Lexology Global Elite Thought Leader, Data Protection

When clients instruct us

New product launch in a regulated sector

Regulatory compliance review, licensing requirements and go-to-market risk assessment for telecoms operators, fintechs and platforms launching new services. Product launch advice

Regulatory due diligence on an acquisition

Telecoms, data protection and payments risk assessment for investors and acquirers in regulated sectors. Due diligence

AI product launch or data compliance review

DPIA, controller/processor analysis and UK GDPR compliance for technology companies deploying AI-enabled products. AI and data advice

FCA or PSR authorisation application

Payment services and e-money authorisation, safeguarding requirements and PSR scheme compliance. Authorisation advice

Ongoing senior regulatory counsel

Fractional General Counsel for telecoms, fintech and data businesses that need board-level legal support without a full-time hire. Fractional GC

Your firm lacks sector expertise

Specialist co-counsel for law firms handling telecoms, data or payments matters that require regulatory depth. Co-counsel

An end-to-end regulatory perspective

Rob Bratby’s experience spans three perspectives that are seldom combined in a single advisor:

The Regulator’s Perspective

Work at Oftel, the predecessor to Ofcom, provides first-hand experience of how UK communications regulation is developed, interpreted and enforced. This includes leadership of the project to liberalise the UK’s international telecoms infrastructure market (subsea cables and satellite), and a detailed understanding of regulatory intent and enforcement dynamics.

The Operator’s Perspective

Fractional General Counsel appointments at regulated telecoms and payments businesses, and embedded general-counsel roles within industry-wide joint ventures, provide practical insight into how businesses are run, where risks arise, how compliance is operationalised and how commercial and regulatory decisions are made inside carriers, fintechs and infrastructure operators.

The Advisor’s Perspective

Senior partnership and management roles at international US and UK law firms in both London and Singapore provide a deep understanding of how high quality legal advice is delivered and translated into commercial and regulatory decisions at board level.



This combination enables advice that is legally rigorous, commercially aligned and technically grounded.

Telecoms, data protection and payments regulation lawyers

Bratby Law advises on telecoms regulation, data protection, payments regulation and transactions across the communications, financial services and technology sectors.

Telecoms regulation

We advise communications providers, operators, infrastructure investors and platforms on UK telecoms regulation. Our work covers authorisation, General Conditions, numbering, switching, security and resilience, spectrum, access and interconnection, and Ofcom enforcement and disputes.

Data Protection

We advise organisations on UK GDPR compliance, data protection impact assessments, controller and processor arrangements, international transfers and ICO engagement. We also advise on data protection for AI-enabled products and services.

Payments Regulation

We advise payment service providers, fintechs and scheme participants on PSRs 2017 compliance, FCA and PSR authorisation, open banking, cVRPs and scheme governance. Our payments regulation practice is anchored by a fractional General Counsel appointment at UK Payments Initiative Limited.

Transactions

We draft and negotiate commercial and corporate agreements across the telecoms, data and payments sectors. Our work spans network-sharing, MVNO and wholesale agreements, digital infrastructure projects, SaaS and platform contracting, data commercialisation, and joint ventures and M&A.

Why Choose Bratby Law?

Sector expertise

Bratby Law advises exclusively on telecoms regulation, data protection, and payments regulation. That concentration means deeper knowledge of the regulatory environment, faster analysis, and advice that reflects how regulators actually behave: not how the textbook says they should.

Senior delivery

Every instruction is handled by Rob Bratby personally. With 30 years’ experience spanning Oftel, senior in-house roles at network operators, and partnership at international law firms, you receive the analysis directly: not through a junior team. The firm uses AI tools to extend research capacity and accelerate document review, so senior judgment is applied to more of your matter, not less.

Unique perspective

Rob Bratby has sat on all three sides of the regulatory table: as a regulator at Oftel, as General Counsel at major operators, and as external counsel. That inside-out perspective informs every piece of advice. He currently holds fractional General Counsel appointments at TOTSCo, UKPI, TelXL, and Core.

Independent directory rankings

Our specialist expertise is recognised in major independent legal directories:

  • Chambers & Partners: Rob Bratby is ranked as a band 2 lawyer in the UK Guide 2026 in the “Telecommunications” category: Chambers
  • The Legal 500: Rob Bratby is listed as a “Leading Partner – Telecoms” in London (TMT – IT & Telecoms): The Legal 500
  • Lexology: Rob Bratby is featured on Lexology’s expert profiles as a Global Elite Thought Leader for data: Lexology
Chambers and Partners accreditation
Legal 500 accreditation
Lexology Global Elite Thought Leader accreditation

Ready to discuss your matter?

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What clients say about Bratby Law:

  • “I would highly recommend Rob and his team.”

    “I have had the pleasure of working with Rob now on a number of occasions and engagements with clients. Rob is one of the most knowledgeable people I have come across in the Telecommunications industry, both in his comprehensive understanding of the law for various countries and in the application of this law and what it means for Operators. This is complemented by his generosity with sharing his knowledge, and the friendly style with which he works. I would highly recommend Rob and his team.”
    Nick White
    (Former) Deloitte

  • “I would recommend Rob for any major Telecoms project”

    “I worked with Rob to introduce One Touch Switching for broadband and fixed voice, which launched successfully with almost two million customers using the service to date. Rob is a first class Legal Counsel with exceptional legal and regulatory knowledge enabling him to give insightful strategic guidance to the ExCo and the Board. He is highly trusted by Directors and easy to work with. I would recommend Rob for any major Telecoms project.”
    Toby Lovell
    (Former) Chief of Staff, The One Touch Switching Company

  • “…he has an outstanding understanding of the telecoms market…”

    “Rob has been my lawyer for over 25 years. He has advised us through every stage of the business, from international voice through to SIM distribution and eSIMs. He knows our business inside out, he has an outstanding understanding of the telecoms market and he gives us direct, practical advice without the overhead of a full-time hire.”
    Tony Greaves
    CEO, Core Communication Holdings Limited

  • “…the commercial judgment of a general counsel with the specialist regulatory knowledge we need…”

    “Rob understands our business at a level that an external lawyer normally wouldn’t. He provides the commercial judgment of a general counsel with the specialist regulatory knowledge we need across telecoms, data protection and payments. That combination is rare.”
    Aaron Fox
    Chief Executive, TelXL Limited

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