Bristows Law Firm

Tom is a partner in Bristows’ Artificial Intelligence practice, advising clients across the AI ecosystem on procurement, governance and regulatory compliance. He advises both emerging AI businesses and established market leaders on the issues arising from AI adoption – from negotiating and structuring contracts with AI vendors, to designing governance frameworks that keep pace with a fast-moving regulatory landscape.

We are proud to report our successful defence for SOPHiA GENETICS of a PI application brought by Guardant Health Inc in the UPC Court of Appeal (2 July 2026; UPC_CoA_19/2026). Four complex patents relating to liquid biopsy and cancer diagnostics technology in the rapidly developing field of data-driven medicine had been successfully defended against at first instance in the Paris Local Division, with one of these further defended on appeal.

Earlier this week, the Bristows Families and Carers Network hosted an informal Father’s Day lunch – one I was so pleased to attend (and not just for the delicious pizza). Huge thanks to Jonathan Ross for organising it and to everyone on the Bristows Families and Carers Network for making it such a welcoming space for everyone at Bristows.

Event Information Join us for our open evening where we’ll introduce you to the Solicitor Apprenticeship programme. This event is designed to give aspiring solicitors a clear understanding of the apprenticeship route to qualification and offer exclusive insights into life at Bristows. You will also get a chance to talk to our apprenticeship provider, Partners, Associates, current Solicitor Apprentices, and speak directly with employees from across the business.

Bristows is delighted to announce that Tom Sharpe, a leading AI partner, will be joining the firm in July 2026. This strategic move underscores our commitment to our market-leading AI offering and deepens the team’s senior capability to meet increasing client demand in the most transformative area of business and technology today.

Bristows partner Sophie Lawrance has been quoted in a recent Law360 UK article examining the Competition Appeal Tribunal’s approval of a landmark “drop hands” settlement in a £482.5 million collective action against Qualcomm. The article explores the significance of the ruling, which allowed the claim to be withdrawn without any damages being paid to class members, and considers what it means for the future of collective proceedings and settlement approvals in the UK.

Event Information “Women’s health power hour: From research to reality” will bring together leaders from government, industry and innovation to discuss the systemic drivers of the gender health gap and their impact on women’s lived experiences. Moderated byEllen Lambrix (Partner) from Bristows LLP, the panel will feature: Dame Lesley Regan, Women’s Health Ambassador for England, Chair of Wellbeing of Women, Professor of Obstetrics & Gynaecology at Imperial College, London.

Event Information We are delighted to be hosting a lunchtime panel discussion during London International Disputes Week in conjunction with Oxera and Serle Court. This session will explore the challenges of litigating cases in the life sciences sector, focusing on the interplay between liability and damages.

Our team of technology lawyers arguably comprises the largest group of open source software lawyers in any UK law firm. We counsel clients on open-licensing their code bases and AI models and the use and exploitation of free and open source software as well as working with them to manage the regulatory, security, IP and other risks inherent in managing open source software based systems and services.

Event Information The Employment Rights Act 2025 looks set to deliver the biggest shake-up in employment law in a generation. Employers need to be prepared for the changes which are being introduced in stages throughout 2026 and 2027. We are pleased to invite you to an in-person event at our London office where our Employment team will unpack what’s changing, what it means for your organisation and how you can prepare with confidence.