Tanner De Witt

Corporate and Commercial

Partner

Pádraig joined the firm in 2018 and is a partner in the Corporate and Commercial department and the TMT practice of Tanner De Witt. Pádraig has been practising as a lawyer over two decades. Legal 500 Asia Pacific 2020 notes: “Pádraig Walsh is particularly knowledgeable about various subsets of the technology sector, including fintech, biotech, insurtech, edutech and cleantech.”

Pádraig’s practice focuses on TMT work. He has represented suppliers and providers within all verticals of the technology sector and also all businesses in respect of their technology needs. He advises on the full range of common issues including licensing, technology procurement and integration, subscription service arrangements, digital asset commercialisation, data protection, cyber, and venture capital and corporate transactions. He is a member of the Fintech Association of Hong Kong, ITechLaw, and Chair of PrivacyRules.

Technology corporate

Pádraig advises on venture capital equity and debt financings, leading on investment negotiations and completion, and preparing documents to implement deal terms. He also advises on the range of common issues for emerging companies, such as corporate structuring, equity incentive plans, and corporate governance. He represents both investors, strategics, and founders.

Pádraig also advises companies of all sizes on mergers and acquisitions, corporate restructurings, and joint ventures, and advises clients on investment structures and regulatory and governance issues for investments into a range of asset classes.

Technology transactions

Pádraig has deep experience in the commercial and business issues that technology businesses face and has advised clients extensively on addressing and resolving those issues. He has advised a number of clients on legal issues relating to software development and licensing, technology outsourcing arrangements and general commercialisation of technology (including online e-commerce).

Data privacy, governance and management

Pádraig has a particular interest in data protection and has advised clients on the requirements in Hong Kong on collection, use, processing, transfer, storage and deletion of personal data. He has assisted clients to prepare privacy and transfer impact assessments and processes and to respond to regulatory enquiries. Pádraig also advises on cyber and advises on legal and compliance issues in response to data breaches.

Pádraig is the main contact at Tanner De Witt in respect of PrivacyRules, an international alliance of privacy experts that combines legal, cyber and data related expertise to assist clients globally with a multi-disciplinary and multilingual approach. Pádraig also chairs PrivacyRules. Pádraig is a member of the Data Protection Substantive Law Committee of iTech Law. Pádraig has been accredited by the International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) as both a Certified Information Privacy Professional/Asia (CIPP/A) and a Certified Information Privacy Manager (CIPM).

Digital services and fintech regulation

Pádraig’s practice also includes assisting clients on regulatory and compliance issues when developing and deploying technology in financial services. His experience in this area has enabled him to advise clients on a number of innovative and complex fintech projects. He is at the forefront of advising on legal issues for emerging businesses using blockchain technology. This has included regulatory advice in relation to token sale offerings, security token offerings, stable coin listings and tokenisation of equity and fund interests. Pádraig has significant experience advising on the regulation of payment processing.

Pádraig is a Notary Public.

Professional memberships

Data Protection Officers Club Fintech Association of Hong Kong Hong Kong Computer Society Honorary Fellow of the Asian Institute of International Financial Law (with the University of Hong Kong) International Association of Privacy Professionals International Technology Law Association (Data Protection Substantive Law Committee) PrivacyRules (Chair) The International Technology Law Association (Data Protection Substantive Law Committee) The Law Society of Hong Kong (Investment Products & Financial Services Sub-Committee to Practitioner Affairs Committee)