Tom Thomas > Harper Macleod LLP > Glasgow, United Kingdom > Lawyer Profile
Harper Macleod LLP Offices
THE CA'D'ORO
45 GORDON STREET
GLASGOW
G1 3PE
United Kingdom
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Tom Thomas
Position
Partner
Tom specialises in intellectual property and technology related matters (including outsourcing) as well as mainstream corporate acquisitions, sales, structures, drafting and negotiating commercial arrangements, and agreements. Tom also has extensive experience within the renewable energy and sport sectors.
Tom is senior partner in the firm’s Intellectual Property & Technology practice and is listed in the International Who’s Who of Business Lawyers. He was previously a member of the panel of independent experts appointed by Nominet UK, the UK level domain name authority, to adjudicate on domain name disputes.
His experience includes:
- Acting for the Scottish Professional Football League (formerly the Scottish Premier League) in relation to its broadcast and sponsorship agreements since 1998 including recent agreements with Sky, BT Sport, the BBC, YouTube, BBC ALBA and overseas rights distributor MP & Silva. Advising Glasgow 2014 Ltd in relation to the host broadcast agreement for coverage of the XX Commonwealth Games in Glasgow; advising sportscotland and various sports governing bodies in relation to corporate and commercial matters.
- Advising the Forestry and Land Scotland in relation to various wind and hydro renewable energy initiatives and their implementation.
- Advising the Highlands and Islands Enterprise in relation to its £146million next generation broadband agreement with BT.
- Advising various agencies and directorates of the Scottish Government in relation to commercial contracts and corporate matters
- Advising a Scottish public body in relation to an outsourcing and shared IT services venture with several other Scottish public bodies.
- Advising various community organisations in relation to renewable energy projects.
- Advising Webhelp in relation to various outsourcing agreements to the mobile telecommunications and financial services sectors in the UK.
Tom is accredited by the Law Society of Scotland as a specialist in Intellectual Property Law.
Education
LLB (Hons)
Lawyer Rankings
Scotland > TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > IT and telecoms
Bringing ‘great knowledge and expertise’, Tom Thomas leads the Harper Macleod LLP team, which specialises in framework services agreements, digital infrastructure projects, and licensing software solutions. Based out of Glasgow, Thomas is an expert in high-value tech contract work and cybersecurity matters, while from Edinburgh, Scott Kerr routinely collaborates with internet-based service providers and Jamie Watt concentrates on data protection issues. In Glasgow, E-Ming Fong primarily focuses on IT disputes. Laura McCorquodale is also recommended.
Scotland > TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Media and entertainment
Featuring the ‘exceptionally knowledgeable’ Jamie Watt at the helm, the Harper Macleod LLP practice has extensive expertise in multi-jurisdictional contract breach and copyright infringement claims, in tandem with a deep specialism in data protection matters. The Edinburgh-based Watt is an expert in trade marks, patent law, and cybersecurity issues. In Glasgow, Tom Thomas routinely advises on film and television production and location agreements. Other key Glasgow-based figures include E-Ming Fong, who regularly handles IT and tech sector disputes.
Scotland > TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Sport
(Leading partners)Boasting a broad commercial offering across the sports sector, ranging from employment to IP and data protection, the Harper Macleod LLP team is praised as ‘approachable’ and ‘responsive’ by the national governing bodies and sports clubs it represents. The practice’s expertise covers the contentious arena, frequently advising on unlawful discrimination, defamation, and financial breach claims. The ‘hugely impressive’ Glasgow-based head Bruce Caldow has considerable experience of handling matters in the football, rugby, and golf spaces; Lorne Crerar stands out for his work in sporting discipline issues; and Tom Thomas specialises in broadcasting and IP rights affairs. Carolyn Morgan primarily focuses on property-related disputes in a sports context, while both David Kerr and Edinburgh-based Jamie Watt concentrate on complex sponsorship agreement topics.
Lawyer Rankings
- Leading partners Scotland > TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Sport
- Sport Scotland > TMT (technology, media and telecoms)
- IT and telecoms Scotland > TMT (technology, media and telecoms)
- Media and entertainment Scotland > TMT (technology, media and telecoms)
Top Tier Firm Rankings
- Public sector > Education
- Insurance > Professional negligence
- Real estate > Social housing
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Sport
Firm Rankings
- Private client > Agriculture and estates
- Private client > Charities and not-for-profit
- Corporate and commercial > Corporate and commercial: elsewhere in Scotland
- Dispute resolution > Debt recovery
- Private client > Family
- Employment > Immigration
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Intellectual property
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > IT and telecoms
- Crime, fraud and licensing > Licensing
- Public sector > Local government
- TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Media and entertainment
- Insurance > Medical negligence: pursuer
- Public sector > Parliamentary and public affairs
- Insurance > Personal injury: defender
- Insurance > Personal injury: pursuer
- Private client > Personal tax, trusts and executries
- Finance > Banking and finance
- Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation
- Real estate > Commercial property: elsewhere in Scotland
- Real estate > Construction
- Corporate and commercial > Corporate and commercial: Edinburgh and Glasgow
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Energy (excluding oil and gas)
- Real estate > Environment
- Corporate and commercial > EU and competition
- Finance > Insolvency and corporate recovery
- Projects, energy and natural resources > Projects
- Real estate > Property litigation
- Transport
- Real estate > Commercial property: Edinburgh and Glasgow
- Employment > Employment
- Real estate > Planning
- Public sector > Education