Rebecca is a Partner specialising in commercial, intellectual property, and technology law. She advises on commercial contracts, intellectual property strategy, protection and exploitation, technology, e-commerce, and supply chain arrangements.
Rebecca has over 20 years’ experience negotiating complex, high-value and strategic customer, supplier, subscription, and licensing agreements, often with cross-border elements.
Her clients include owner-managed businesses, SMEs, start-ups and scale-ups, portfolio companies, and privately owned and multinational organisations. She also supports clients on a fractional GC basis.
She advises across a range of technology sectors, including deep-tech, AI and SaaS, e-commerce, food and beverage, fashion and brands, and the digital and creative industry sectors.
Highly responsive and commercially astute – our go‑to on technology and IP matters.
Corporate client, UK 2025
Turned complex IP issues into clear, actionable steps.
SaaS founder, UK 2025
Expertise
- Commercial contracts
- Intellectual property rights
- Technology
- SaaS
- Licensing
- Outsourcing arrangements
- Media
- Food & beverage
- Retail
Experience
Commercial Contracts
- Advised on the build, development, and launch of an AI platform in the UAE and UK.
- Supported the in-house legal team at Primo Capital B.V and IFS Ultimo Limited on the IP and technology aspects of the acquisition of a UK provider of Enterprise Asset Management software and computerised maintenance management systems (CMMS).
- Represented tech unicorn Graphcore on its collaboration and supply arrangements with Microsoft.
- Advised deep-tech semiconductor business XMOS on various supply agreements, licence terms, and supply chain contracts.
- Worked with Picochip, a leading small cell basestation (femtocells) technology provider, on all aspects of its customer and supply chain, and managing its IP portfolio and commercial relationships.
- Advised Hero Towers on its sale to Klarna Bank and its subsequent integration.
- Instructed by Klarna Bank to draft customer terms of use for virtual shopping service, data advice, and drafting merchant agreements for the service in multiple regions.
- Drafted hardware and software EULAs, support agreements, and SaaS reseller agreements for an multinational technology provider.
- Structured long-term collaboration and licensing arrangements for a deep-tech client.
- Advised on partnership between Ventrica and Clarks shoes to create a next-generation customer service model for Clarks.
- Advised a leading UK food producer on a ten-year global supply agreement with a major international manufacturer.
- Advising digital and creative agencies on the use of AI across the business and integration of AI tools into product and service offerings.
Intellectual Property Rights
- Negotiated an IP spin-out of brand, software, and themes to an e-commerce service provider and associated cross-licence arrangements.
- Advised James Gin on its brand, manufacturing, and supply agreements.
- Instructed by drinks manufacturer Frampton’s on brand protection for its drinks and liquid food range, contract manufacturing, and supply chain agreements.
- Advised a charity on a proposed spin-out of IP in therapeutic technique for PTSD.
- Advised on IP in an AI model and associated licensing arrangements.
- Represented the system on a chip provider and advised on their inclusion of standard essential patents (SEPs) in their technology and working with related industry standards.
- Represented an estate in the advice and assessment of IP in musicals, books, songs, and lyrics owned by the estate and joint collaborators of the works.
- Lead advisor on IP as part of the investment by TDR Capital into the Beefy Boys restaurant chain and associated brand assets.
- Advised the creator of original Shaun the Sheep
- Represented a UK manufacture and distributor of licensed merchandise on IP and licensing issues within its supply chain arrangements for limited edition products.
- Advised a supplier on IP issues relating to assets provided to a global beauty retailer during a period of restructuring.
Technology
- Advised an AI platform on its build, development, and launch in the UAE and UK.
- Supported in-house legal team at Primo Capital B.V and IFS Ultimo Limited on the IP and technology aspects of the acquisition of a UK provider of Enterprise Asset Management software and computerised maintenance management systems (CMMS).
- Advised on the IP spin-out from XMOS to Graphcore.
- Represented tech unicorn Graphcore on its collaboration and supply arrangements with Microsoft.
- Negotiated international distribution, agency, and supply chain contracts for XMOS.
- Fractional GC for Picochip and Clearspeed Technologies both deep-tech businesses.
- Advised on the sale of Picochip, an early innovator in the small cell market for femtocell chipsets on its acquisition by Mindspeed Technologies.
- Represented a deep-tech company on its negotiation with a departing sales agent.
- Advised on the sale of leading chip monitoring provider Moortech to Synopsys.
- Worked with a portfolio company on its global carbon tracking SasS platform for fashion retailers.
- Negotiated IP spin-outs and cross-licensing arrangements and associated advice for a global SasS community and events platform.
Technology & Telecoms
- Advised AI tech unicorn Graphcore on its collaboration agreement and supply agreement with Microsoft.
- Advised Hero Towers, a virtual shopping SaaS platform, on all commercial affairs including customer agreements with leading brands, data transfers and policies, new product launches, and supporting throughout the sale of the business to Klarna Bank.
- Drafted a suite of contracts for use by the GC at a global provider of broadband technology and network infrastructure solutions.
- Advised on the partnership discussions and negotiations with a value added reseller on behalf of a broadband technology and network supplier.
- Led on the IP and technology aspects of the Primo Capital B.V acquisition of Spidex Software, a software solution which enables businesses to manage their plant manufacturing assets.
- Advised on the partnership between Ventrica and Clarks, a renowned UK heritage shoe brand, to create a next-generation customer service model for Clarks internationally.
- Supported a SaaS platform for creating, managing and expanding communities and events on its international growth, partnerships, and various aspects of commercial contracts and IP advice.
Media
- Acted for the estate of the late Philip Atkins who created the covers for the Very Short Introductions series with Oxford University Press.
- Represented the Institute of Contemporary Arts on its sponsorship and collaboration with Dr Martens for the Image Behaviour series, providing grants to emerging artists.
- Advised on the IP ownership of original artwork for Shaun the Sheep, an Aardman brand.
- Advised A Productions on various productions for Sesame Studios and the BBC.
- Represented Augusta Productions and the ROARR project on its groundbreaking live show at the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Victoria Falls, in partnership with Immersive International.
- Advised on the complex ownership of IP in a series of artworks donated to Bristol City Council from an estate, on the use of such works in a film.
- Represented an estate to advise on the IP in a complex series of published works including musicals, songs, books, and drawings.
Food & Beverage
- Advised the ‘James Gin’ brand on IP and brand protection and its launch into the USA, New Zealand, and Australia. This included negotiating distillery, manufacturing and supply, and agency relationships.
- Represented a privately held leading food and beverage processing and contract packing liquid food company on all aspects of its IP portfolio and commercial contracts including customer, contract manufacturing, and supply agreements.
- Advised a leading UK food producer on a ten-year supply agreement with a major international food manufacturer.
Retail
- Advised Scandinavian fashion and lifestyle retailer Boozt on its UK online launch, including terms of sale, loyalty-scheme design, returns policies, and e-commerce and advertising-law compliance.
- Represented ‘James Gin’ brand on its sales expansion to Australia, New Zealand, and USA, and franchise agreements.
- Advised a US-based online hotel-comparison and booking platform on UK and EU consumer-protection and pricing-transparency compliance, including drip-pricing and dynamic-pricing practices.
- Working with a lighting manufacturer on the design, supply, and distribution of lighting homeware to major retailers.
- Supporting e-commerce SaaS provider VVAST on the development of its new sustainable platform using proprietary technology to develop e-commerce themes and platforms which accelerate growth, sustainability, and profitability for consumer brands in Europe.
- Advising Clarks on an e-commerce platform supply and build agreement.
Please note: The experience list above may include examples of work completed prior to joining Keystone Law.
Recognition
Recognised by The Legal 500 for Intellectual Property 2026
Recognised by Chambers UK for Information Technology 2015–2025
Recognised by Chambers UK for Intellectual Property 2015–2025
“Rebecca is the kind of lawyer you always want in your corner; one of the best in her field.” Chambers UK 2026
“Rebecca is a key contact for tech and digital innovator clients” The Legal 500 2026
“Rebecca Steer is exceptional.” The Legal 500 2025
“Rebecca Steer is down‑to‑earth whilst clearly top of her field. She brings a sense of calm on material issues that could scupper a deal.” The Legal 500 UK 2025 (IT & Telecoms)
Career
Rebecca qualified as a solicitor in 1996. Prior to joining Keystone Law in 2025, she worked at the following firms:
- Charles Russell Speechlys
- Steer & Co
- Wiggin