Expertise

Based in Aberdeen, Ross is a Partner in our Commercial Services team supporting a range of clients including many well-known brand names on their day to day commercial needs. 

He advises commercial contracting, intellectual property licensing, IT outsourcing, and focusses on data protection compliance having advised clients for over 10 years on data protection issues that arise. He is a qualified data protection practitioner and holds a masters in IT and telecommunications law with distinction focussed on the GDPR.

Ross works for a number of clients in the retail and consumer sector including "brick" and "click" advising them on digital transformation and growth strategies. His expertise in data protection helps clients understand how they can commoditise consumer data sets balancing business opportunity versus compliance with data protection and marketing laws.

He is also a trusted advisor for supporting clients handling cyber attacks including ransomware attacks and spear phishing attacks.

He has a particular expertise in the oil and gas services sector, advising clients on the terms of services agreements, IP licensing and collaborations. He has advised a number of innovation centres and clients on contracting methodology for industry collaborations, drawing on his experience following time advising OGUK / LOGIC. As the sector faces the challenges of energy transition and the need to harness technology, Ross is well placed to support clients in licensing strategies. 

Data Protection Compliance Experience

• Advisor to boohoo Group on ad hoc data protection issues including data sharing issues arising from collaborations, delivering strategic support for their GDPR compliance programme.
• Advising SGN in the development of an innovative contract playbook for data sharing contracts.
• Advising retail clients on digital transformation strategies including managing compliance with marketing rules. Advice has included m developing online customer journeys to rely on "soft opt in" marketing and engagement with marketing tech like abandoned basket tech and social media deployment.
• Lead data advisor to a FTSE100 financial services client on the development of an online business banking app – advising on customer journeys, terms and conditions of use and data mapping.
• Advisor to a FTSE100 energy sector client in managing complex data subject access requests that arise in their business. 
• Advised on the roll out and negotiation of an international HR software platform provider's data processor agreements with their customer base that were required as a result of the GDPR. This involved negotiating hundreds of customer agreements with well-known household brands. 
• Leading Binding Corporate Rules applications for two FTSE100 clients.  

Commercial Contract and Intellectual Property Experience

• Advisor to the global provider of well control courses, IWCF on day to day commercial matters that arise including commercial contracts and accreditation agreements.
• Undertaking an Intellectual Property Audit for health and safety innovation company, Novellus Solutions and advising on consultancy arrangements. 
• Advisor to a range of IT services companies in the oil and gas sector including supporting them on IP licensing and collaboration arrangements and basic terms and conditions of sale. 

Cyber Security Experience

• Supporting an online retailer following a cyber attack on their website affecting payment card data. Advise included managing the engagement and scoping of IT forensic reviews, ICO reporting and managing customer complaints. 
• Providing "round the clock" support during a client ransomware attack including liaising with UK crime enforcement agencies, the ICO and strategies for engagement with attackers. 
• Providing data breach response training to a range of clients including "Mock Data Breach" events. 
• Developing AG's GDPR Capture tool – a self-service data breach reporting tool.