Specialist co-counsel

Specialist Co-counsel for Telecoms, AI and Data matters

Introduction

Bratby Law provides specialist co-counsel support to UK and international law firms, consultancies and advisory practices requiring deep expertise in telecoms regulation, AI governance, data protection and digital-infrastructure matters. The service strengthens wider client delivery by supplying focused, senior-level legal input on issues where English-law analysis, UK-regulatory interpretation or or specialist telecoms, AI, data and digital-infrastructure regulatory expertise is required..

We integrate seamlessly into cross-border advisory teams, supporting transactions, investigations, policy projects, market studies, legislative reform and digital-sector consultancy work.

Who this is for

Specialist co-counsel support is used where a project, transaction or advisory mandate requires English-law input or UK-sector expertise that complements the instructing firm’s core capabilities. The examples below illustrate typical profiles of organisations that instruct Bratby Law.

Corporate and commercial law firms

Firms acting on transactions, joint ventures or complex commercial arrangements requiring telecoms, digital, AI or data regulatory expertise, including English-law risk allocation and specialist drafting.


International firms acting on English-law governed cross-border matters

Overseas practices undertaking M&A, private equity, financing or infrastructure transactions governed by English law and requiring UK telecoms, AI, data or digital regulatory interpretation, risk allocation, drafting and sign-off.

Consultancies and advisory firms

Economic, strategic and technical consultancies delivering market studies, policy reviews, legislative drafting, institutional reforms, spectrum auctions, digital transformation programmes and competitive assessments requiring specialist legal input grounded in UK and English-law practice.

Our specialist co-counsel support

We operate as an extension of your team, providing targeted English-law and UK-regulatory advice across telecoms, digital infrastructure, AI, data protection and emerging technologies. Our involvement ensures legal accuracy, regulatory integrity and commercial realism across complex assignments, whether the work is undertaken openly or on a white-label basis.

Our specialist co-counsel support, is delivered directly by a senior English solicitor with more than 30 years’ experience in global telecoms and technology markets, including extensive work on multi-jurisdictional transactions, regulatory reforms and infrastructure projects.

How we help

Specialist co-counsel for telecoms and technology transactions

We support law firms undertaking M&A, private equity, infrastructure, financing and strategic transactions in the telecoms, digital infrastructure, technology and data sectors. Our role is to provide the specialist English law and UK regulatory input required to scope, negotiate and deliver transactions effectively.

Typical instructions include:

  • Reviewing UK and international telecoms and digital regulatory frameworks to identify risks and strategic considerations
  • Conducting specialist due diligence on networks, spectrum, infrastructure, licences, data governance and AI compliance
  • Supporting negotiation of warranties, indemnities and covenants concerning telecoms regulation, security, data protection and AI risk
  • Advising on approvals, licensing implications, notifications and market-access requirements under English law
  • Providing concise, commercially relevant input on transaction structuring, risk allocation and integration planning

Legal support to consultancies

We work with economic, technical and strategic consultancies delivering international projects in telecoms, digital markets, data governance and AI. Our work covers the full cycle of policy design, legal drafting and implementation support.

Typical instructions include:

  • Drafting or reviewing laws, regulations, licences, authorisation frameworks and institutional reform proposals
  • Designing or assessing spectrum auctions, allocation rules, tender processes and regulatory instruments
  • Preparing legal input to market studies, policy assessments, sector diagnostics and digital transformation programmes
  • Providing English-law analysis to ensure integrity and coherence of deliverables requiring legal content
  • Supporting cross-border consultancy teams that need UK regulatory or English law elements integrated into wider advisory work

English-law local counsel

We act as English-law specialists local counsel for foreign law firms and advisory practices delivering projects where the governing law is English law or where UK regulatory considerations arise within broader cross-border mandates.

Typical instructions include:

  • English-law analysis of telecoms, digital, AI, data protection and online-safety obligations
  • English-law review and drafting of sector-specific provisions in international contracts
  • English-law summaries and sign-off on due-diligence findings and regulatory reports
  • Identifying UK-specific risks, approvals, licensing requirements and compliance obligations
  • Supporting market-entry, licensing and infrastructure projects involving the UK regulatory environment
  • Integrating English-law analysis into multi-jurisdictional project teams across EMEA, APAC and the Americas

What we deliver

Our specialist co-counsel support provides:

  • Due diligence and transaction support
  • Analysis and assistance with regulatory approvals
  • English-law interpretation across telecoms, AI, data and security regimes
  • Regulatory analysis of General Conditions, SMP obligations, Code Powers, numbering, spectrum and security requirements
  • Specialist drafting and review of telecoms, digital and data-related provisions in English-law governed contracts
  • Expert input to disputes, regulatory appeals, enforcement matters and investigations
  • Preparation of UK-regulatory content for policies, legislation, licences, auction rules and institutional reform
  • English-law summaries and sign-off for international due diligence, investor memoranda and regulatory reports
  • Coordination of regulatory workstreams on complex multi-jurisdictional assignments

Our unique end-to-end perspective


Our approach is shaped by a rare combination of regulatory, operator and private-practice experience:

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

Senior in-house roles at COLT and embedded general-counsel roles within operator-side businesses provide practical insight into how networks are built, where risks arise, how compliance is operationalised and how commercial and regulatory decisions are made inside carriers and infrastructure operators.

The Adviser’s Perspective

As a former partner and practice leader at international law firms in London and Singapore, Rob Bratby has advised operators, platforms, investors and global technology companies on major regulatory matters, market-shaping projects, cross-border transactions and multi-jurisdictional compliance programmes.

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

Related practice areas

Other client engagement models

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
1 | bratby law | telecoms | ai | data
Specialist co-counsel 5 | bratby law | telecoms | ai | data
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Specialist co-counsel 6 | bratby law | telecoms | ai | data

Conclusion

Bratby Law provides specialist co-counsel, senior-level support that strengthens your capability, protects your client relationships and delivers clear, commercially grounded outcomes. Our co-counsel model gives you reliable, sector-specific expertise precisely when you need it, enabling you to progress complex assignments with confidence.

To discuss specialist co-counsel support, please contact the firm to arrange a confidential conversation.

Schedule a discussion

What clients say

  • “…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

Frequently asked questions

What types of specialist co-counsel support does Bratby Law provide?

We provide specialist co-counsel support across telecoms, digital infrastructure, technology, AI and data matters. This includes regulatory due diligence, English-law analysis, drafting and risk allocation for transactions; support on Ofcom and ICO-related issues; expert input to disputes; and legal drafting for policy, legislative and consultancy-led projects.

Who instructs Bratby Law for specialist co-counsel support?

We are instructed by UK and international law firms, economic and technical consultancies, global advisory practices and foreign counsel. Engagements typically involve matters requiring deep UK sector expertise or English-law input within wider cross-border work.

How does Bratby Law integrate with larger legal teams?

We operate as an extension of the instructing team, providing targeted specialist input to complement existing capabilities. All work is delivered under the direction of the lead firm, with clear delineation of responsibilities, full confidentiality alignment and established conflict-management processes.

Can Bratby Law support multi-jurisdictional or cross-border matters?

Yes. We regularly act as English-law local counsel on cross-border assignments involving telecoms, digital regulation, AI, data protection and online safety. We participate in global project teams across Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa and the Americas, providing UK regulatory analysis and English-law drafting as required.

What consultancy-led projects does Bratby Law support?

We support consultancy teams delivering international assignments including market studies, policy assessments, sector diagnostics, digital-transformation programmes and competitive analyses. This includes drafting or reviewing laws, regulations, licences, institutional frameworks, spectrum auction rules and governance instruments for telecoms and digital markets.

Do you draft legislation and regulatory instruments?

Yes. We prepare or review legal instruments including primary and secondary legislation, sector licences, authorisation regimes, regulatory codes, spectrum conditions, market-access frameworks and auction documentation. Drafting reflects international best practice and is aligned with UK and English-law regulatory principles where relevant.

Can you provide English-law analysis for overseas transactions?

Yes. We frequently advise foreign firms on transactions undertaken overseas but governed by English law. Support includes English-law regulatory interpretation, drafting of sector-specific provisions, review of warranties and indemnities, and sign-off on regulatory elements of due diligence and investor materials.

How quickly can Bratby Law become involved in a matter?

We can join assignments at short notice. Our lean structure enables rapid mobilisation and integration into existing workstreams, providing immediate senior-level input.

How is confidentiality and conflict management handled?

We apply strict conflict-checking processes and operate to the same confidentiality standards as in-house and private-practice roles. Our involvement is structured to protect existing client relationships and ensure clarity of responsibility across all workstreams.

What distinguishes Bratby Law’s specialist co-counsel support?

Our work is grounded in more than three decades of telecoms, technology, regulatory and transactional experience across the UK, Europe and Asia-Pacific. We combine sector-specific depth with commercial realism, enabling instructing firms and consultancies to deliver clear, accurate and strategically relevant advice on complex technical and regulatory matters.

Specialist co-counsel

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