UK Counsel for Global Businesses

International groups operating in UK telecoms, data protection or payments markets need a UK-facing legal partner who understands both the regulatory environment and how global businesses manage legal risk across jurisdictions. Without a dedicated UK general counsel, regulatory obligations can fall between teams, compliance gaps can go unnoticed, and commercial decisions can be taken without adequate UK-law input. Bratby Law acts as UK counsel for international groups, providing ongoing senior legal support focused on the UK regulatory and commercial environment.

Who this is for

This model serves international groups that have UK-regulated operations or UK-facing commercial activity but do not have a UK-based general counsel or senior legal resource. Typical clients include overseas telecoms operators with UK subsidiaries holding Ofcom authorisations or numbering allocations; international payment service providers or electronic money institutions authorised or registered with the FCA; global technology groups with UK data processing operations subject to UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018; overseas general counsel and regional legal teams managing UK compliance from outside the UK; and international investors with portfolio companies operating in UK-regulated sectors.

Typical UK workstreams

The UK legal workstreams for international groups typically cover regulatory compliance, commercial contracts and corporate governance. On the regulatory side, this includes maintaining compliance with Ofcom General Conditions, Communications Act 2003 obligations, Payment Services Regulations 2017 requirements, and ICO data protection obligations. On the commercial side, it includes reviewing and negotiating UK-governed contracts, managing supplier and customer agreements, and advising on UK-specific terms in international framework agreements. On the governance side, it includes board support for UK subsidiary directors, company secretarial coordination, and regulatory reporting to Ofcom, the FCA or the PSR.

For many international groups, these workstreams do not justify a full-time UK GC appointment, but they require consistent senior attention rather than ad hoc external advice. The fractional model fills this gap.

Support model

Rob Bratby acts as the group’s UK legal contact on an ongoing basis. This typically involves a standing allocation of time each month, attendance at UK subsidiary board meetings, direct reporting to the overseas GC or regional legal director, and availability for ad hoc UK-law questions as they arise. The arrangement is structured to provide continuity and institutional knowledge rather than transactional, one-off advice.

With over 30 years’ experience spanning Oftel, COLT, international law firm partnerships, and current fractional GC appointments at UK Payments Initiative Limited, TelXL, Core and The One Touch Switching Company, Rob provides the practical regulatory and commercial perspective that international groups need from their UK legal partner.

The support model is designed to scale. During quieter periods, the focus is on routine compliance monitoring, contract review and board preparation. During active periods, such as a transaction, regulatory investigation or product launch, the allocation increases to provide the capacity needed. This flexibility means the international group pays for senior UK legal support in proportion to actual need.

Outputs

Typical outputs include UK regulatory compliance assessments and gap analyses; board papers and regulatory updates for UK subsidiary directors; contract review and negotiation on UK-governed agreements; coordination with UK regulators on reporting, notifications and enquiries; UK-law input to international compliance programmes and group policies; and regulatory due diligence support for UK-facing transactions. All work is delivered to the standards and reporting structures the international group requires.

Why this model works for international groups

International groups face a specific challenge with UK legal support. Instructing a UK law firm on individual matters creates fragmented advice, repeated briefings and no continuity of regulatory oversight. Hiring a full-time UK GC may not be justified by the volume of UK work. The fractional model provides senior, consistent legal leadership without the overhead of a permanent appointment. Because the relationship is ongoing, the UK counsel develops a deep understanding of the group’s business, regulatory position and risk appetite, which means advice is faster, more relevant and better integrated with group strategy.

The model also provides a single UK point of contact for regulators, counterparties and external advisers, which simplifies coordination and reduces the risk of miscommunication across time zones and teams. For groups with operations across multiple UK-regulated sectors, having a single UK legal partner who understands telecoms, data protection and payments regulation is more efficient than instructing separate specialist firms for each area.

Related practice areas

UK counsel work draws on expertise across Bratby Law’s practice areas. For the UK telecoms regulatory framework, see Telecoms Regulation. For UK GDPR and data governance, see Data Protection. For FCA and PSR authorisation and payments compliance, see Payments Regulation.

Related engagement models

See also our other fractional general counsel services: Interim Counsel for immediate-cover situations, Project Counsel for defined projects, Joint Venture Counsel for JV-specific support, and Tech Scale-Up Counsel for growth businesses. For cross-border matters requiring English-law local counsel input, see English Law Local Counsel. For an overview, see Fractional General Counsel.

What clients say about Bratby Law:

“…one of those rare lawyers who really does understand the business imperatives behind the legal situations businesses find themselves in.”
“I worked with Rob over many years whilst I was at Orange. He is one of those rare lawyers who really does understand the business imperatives behind the legal situations businesses find themselves in. Most notably he provided first class support to me and my team on a high profile / high value joint venture network sharing deal. His ability to see both the detail and the bigger strategic picture were enormously helpful.”
Amanda Doyle
(Former) General Counsel, Orange UK
“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

Independent directory rankings

Our specialist expertise is recognised in major independent legal directories:

Chambers & Partners: Rob Bratby is ranked 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 (Global Elite Thought Leader): Lexology

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Frequently asked questions

How is this different from instructing a UK law firm on individual matters?

A fractional GC appointment provides continuity, institutional knowledge and proactive oversight. Rather than briefing a new adviser on each matter, you have a UK legal partner who already understands your business, your regulatory position and your commercial priorities. This reduces briefing time, improves advice quality and ensures regulatory issues are identified early.

What time commitment is involved?

Arrangements are flexible. Most international clients work on a standing monthly allocation, typically between two and five days per month depending on the scope of UK operations. The allocation can be adjusted as needs change.

Can you attend our UK subsidiary board meetings?

Yes. Board attendance is a standard part of the UK counsel role. This includes preparing board papers, advising on regulatory matters arising at board level, and providing company secretarial support where needed.

Do you work with our overseas legal team?

Yes. The model is designed to integrate with international legal departments. We report to the overseas GC or regional legal director and coordinate with other local counsel in other jurisdictions as needed.

Book a call

If your international group needs ongoing UK legal support in telecoms, data protection or payments, contact us to discuss how the UK counsel model works.