How Bratby Law works with clients
Direct Legal Advice | Specialist Co-counsel | Fractional General Counsel
Chambers & Partners Band 2 Telecoms (UK Guide 2026)
Lexology Global Elite Thought Leader, Telecoms & Media
Lexology Thought Leader, Data Privacy & Protection
How we work
Bratby Law advises clients directly on specific matters as direct legal advisors, supports other legal teams as specialist co-counsel, and takes longer-term retained appointments as fractional general counsel. In each case a partner advises and signs off the work.
Direct legal advice for telecoms, data and payments matters
Who this is for
Bratby Law works with businesses, operators, in-house teams and law firms across three models: direct legal advice, specialist co-counsel and fractional general counsel. We quote a fixed fee for an initial regulatory review once we have the documents, and a first call scopes the work only.
What the direct legal advice model provides
Partner-level advisory support on telecoms regulation, data protection, payments, digital regulation and complex technology or infrastructure transactions. Engagement is project-specific with no ongoing commitment.
How we support you
- Interpretation and application of Ofcom, ICO, FCA and broader regulatory frameworks
- Advice on compliance, licensing, security, governance and risk
- Support on drafting, negotiation and execution of technology and telecoms agreements
- Advice on how regulation affects business models, product development and infrastructure projects
Specialist co-counsel for telecoms, data and payments matters
Who this is for
We support the corporate and private equity teams of large UK and US law firms on significant transactions where the target is a UK telecoms, payments or data-heavy business. We work white-label or under our own name. High street and mid-size firms whose clients need this advice usually refer the client to us.
What this model provides
Specialist regulatory and transactional support delivered either as white-label input or clearly attributed expertise. We complete a conflicts check before accepting an instruction, while the instructing team retains the client relationship, overall strategy and conduct of the matter.
How we support you
- Regulatory input for major transactions and due-diligence exercises
- Review of sector-specific contracts
- Advisory and contentious support, including Ofcom, ICO and FCA-related matters
- Independent review of advice given by others, and strategic guidance
Fractional general counsel for telecoms, technology, data and payments businesses
Who this is for
We provide embedded general counsel support for telecoms, technology and data-driven businesses requiring ongoing senior legal leadership. Clients get predictable access to advice on governance, compliance, commercial contracting and regulatory risk.
What this model provides
A predictable monthly retainer providing board-level input on regulatory, commercial, technology and operational matters. Senior legal oversight becomes part of business planning, governance and product decisions.
How we support you
- Strategic legal leadership across telecoms, data and payments issues
- Governance, compliance and risk frameworks
- Product advisory, commercial contracting and regulatory readiness
- Coordination of external counsel and prioritisation of legal work
- Board-level reporting and engagement
For the substantive law behind these engagements, see the practice areas: Telecoms Regulation, Data Protection, Payments Regulation, Transactions and Digital Regulation.
Choosing an engagement model
The right model depends on the nature of your legal need, how you want to engage, and whether you need project support or ongoing senior legal input. The key differences are in the table below.
| Direct Legal Advice | Specialist Co-counsel | Fractional General Counsel | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | A defined regulatory or transaction problem with a clear scope | A deal team needing UK telecoms, payments or data regulatory depth on a significant transaction | A business needing ongoing senior legal leadership without a full-time GC |
| Typical client | Operator, fintech, PE investor, technology business | Corporate or PE team at a large UK or US law firm | Scale-up, regulated business, telco, PE-backed company |
| Engagement basis | Project or matter, fixed scope | White-label or attributed, matter by matter | Monthly retainer, rolling |
| Ongoing commitment | None beyond the matter | None beyond the matter | Ongoing, typically 3–6 months minimum |
| Senior involvement | Partner-led throughout | Partner-led throughout | Board-level integration |
Human judgement, AI accelerated
Our own AI system does the research and checking that a larger firm gives to junior lawyers. Rob Bratby decides the analysis and signs off every piece of written advice.
Faster
The system assembles your matter history and the relevant law before work starts. We typically reply within one working day.
Checked
Before written advice goes out, each citation is checked against the primary text, and anything that cannot be checked is marked as unverified.
Fees
Most work is on a fixed fee or retainer, and the system does research that a larger firm would give to associates.
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
- Lexology: Rob Bratby is recognised in the Lexology Index as a Global Elite Thought Leader for telecoms and media, and as a Thought Leader for data privacy and protection: Lexology
Start with a scoping call
How we work
Direct Legal Advice | Specialist Co-counsel | Fractional General Counsel