Jimmy is a commercial lawyer specialising in Internet and technology law, data protection, intellectual property, commercial contracts, and IP/IT in M&A transactions. Jimmy has worked for a range of high-profile clients including BT, Royal Mail, AIG, lastminute.com, Shazam, and Surrey Satellite Technology. In addition, Jimmy acts for funded and fast-growing Internet start-up companies in relation to their fast growth and then sale or IPO.
Jimmy is a published author of legal textbooks and writes as a subject-matter expert for LexisNexis on Technology law. He has also written for numerous organisations and publications including the Society for Computers and Law, CIPS, Computer Weekly, Electronic Business Law, The Lawyer, Solicitors Journal, and Freedom of Information Journal.
Jimmy lectures on IP and media law at the University of London and has presented IP and IT talks at numerous conferences. He has also presented technology and IP law programmes on Law Channel TV.
Jimmy is passionate about technology and IP law and has a first-class Master’s Degree in Electronic Engineering which helps him understand technical issues regarding technology goods and services. He is also able to provide valuable legal and strategic input into start-ups and fast-growing businesses, having undertaken an MBA at London Business School.
Expertise
Technology and Internet Law
- Software-related contracts including R&D, licensing, distribution, and sales
- Website terms and conditions and all contracts relating to websites
- Domain names
- IT support, hosting, and maintenance
- Data centre contracts
- Cloud-related contracts
- Data security policies
- IT outsourcing contracts
Intellectual Property
- Trade marks, design rights, copyright, and patents
- IP-related commercial contracts including IP licensing and sales
- Marketing and advertising law
- Social media law
- Brand protection (including trade mark applications and registrations worldwide)
Data Protection and Freedom of Information
- Privacy and data protection policies (including data encryption)
- International transfers of data
- Data protection breaches and action plans
- Data protection audits
- Advising upon FOIA requests and also FOIA contractual provisions
Contracts
- JV Agreements
- Franchising agreements
- Agency, distribution and reseller agreements
- Sale and purchase agreements
- Licensing agreements
- Confidentiality agreements
- Shareholders’ agreements
Corporate Transactions
- All aspects of IP and IT law on M&A transactions
- Negotiation of IP & IT warranties and indemnities
- IP & IT due diligence and reports
- Advising upon IP agreements necessary to secure ownership of IP in M&A transactions
Experience
- Negotiating face to face with Elon Musk (the co-founder of paypal andowner of Tesla motors) on the sale of a part of Surrey SatelliteTechnology to SpaceX
- Undertaking major deals for BT with deal value in the order of US$200m
- Undertaking major technology deals for Royal Mail
- Advising the National Lottery Commission and drafting and finalising contracts on the technology supporting the National Lottery
- Acting for high-profile funded start-ups in growth and sales
- Managing the brand portfolios of high-profile companies
- Acted on a significant UK joint venture between Intersection and Primesight.
Please note: The experience list above may include examples of work completed prior to joining Keystone Law.
Recognition
Recognised by Legal 500 2018 for Commercial Contracts
Jimmy Desai is recognised by the Legal 500 2017.
Ranked as one of the top 40 technology and commercial lawyers in the UK in the Who’s Who of Technology and Commercial lawyers every year from 2010 – 2015.
Career
Jimmy qualified as a solicitor in 1996. Prior to joining Keystone Law in 2016, he worked at the following firms:
- DAC Beachcroft
- Tarlo Lyons
- Lawrence Graham