Chris Coulter

Chris Coulter is a partner in Cooley's London office and a member of the Technology Transactions Group. Chris has over 25 years of experience advising clients on a range of technology, data, cyber security, contract and intellectual property issues.

Chris advises both established and fast-growth early-stage businesses, and has extensive experience in large-scale projects with a cross-border component. He advises on a wide variety of commercial arrangements underpinned by technology and data, including outsourcing; procurement of technology and complex services; creation and exploitation of rights in software, digital content and technology products; telecoms services; distribution of digital content (including games, films and music); online and mobile business; and the establishment of complex technology licensing arrangements.
Chris provides strategic and regulatory advice, including in connection with data, IP, consumer protection and digital marketing. In addition, Chris counsels on the commercial and IP aspects of M&A transactions, investments and joint ventures.

Chris' notable transactions include advising:

• Europe's leading cinema circuit, Odeon & UCI Cinemas, in connection with Odeon's groundbreaking conversion to digital across Europe. This transformative technology project set the template and helped to develop the business model for digital conversion for the global film exhibition industry.
• Swiftkey the AI mobile device interface company on its sale to Microsoft. This complex and high profile transaction was a great proof of concept for Tech UK.
• UK insurer NFU Mutual Insurance on multiple outsourcing and technology procurement projects including realignment of all IT and telecoms infrastructure from single-source to a multi-source model; cyber security advice; and GDPR in supply chain issues. Experience of negotiations with a range of technology and services suppliers including Computacenter, KCOM, Atos Origin, EY, Willis Towers Watson, Dell SecureWorks, IBM, SAP, Oracle, Maintel and Guidewire.
• Elliptic Enterprises, bitcoin forensics specialists, on a variety of commercial, IP and data acquisition and regulation issues.
• Receipt Bank the automated accountancy company, selected as one of the UK’s “Future Fifty” technology companies, on various data exchange, API, customer and other commercial agreements.
• SoftBank on IP and commercial issues arising in connection with the $502 million in funding in Improbable, the UK startup that has developed a platform for third parties to build vast virtual and simulated worlds.

Chris is recommended as a leading lawyer in the most recent editions of UK Chambers & Partners and UK Legal 500, where he is described by clients as leading a "highly efficient" team and having "a very strategic mind". In Chambers clients describe Chris as “incredibly intelligent and very quick to pick up the commercial draws of a deal”. Chris is recommended as an expert in Who's Who Legal Telecommunications Media & Technology 2017 for Information Technology. Chris writes articles and speaks regularly at conferences on technology issues, primarily in relation to technology and outsourcing.