Expertise/Tech &
Digital
Tech & Digital
At the forefront of tech developments
Our Digital group consists of a multi-disciplinary team that focuses on global tech firms, significant digital platforms and other major players in data-heavy industries.
Our various expertise groups cover Digital Platforms, Fintech, Industrial Tech and Venture Capital and they work together to offer clients a well-rounded proposition covering various topics. These include strategic boardroom advice; data privacy & cybersecurity; mass claims; consumer protection; artificial intelligence; cryptocurrency, competition & regulation; intellectual property; media law; internal investigations; enforcement actions; foreign direct investment; M&A; and funding.
We understand the opportunities and the risks associated with the platform economy and help our digital clients to navigate this dynamic and fast-paced landscape.
Our recent track record, advising:
- Just Eat Takeaway in all M&A and competition aspects relating to its acquisition of Delivery Hero in Germany, its merger with Just Eat and its acquisition of Grubhub in the US.
- Salesforce as lead counsel in the first mass damage claim based on the new regulatory regimes for class actions under both EU privacy law and Dutch civil law. The claim vehicle was declared inadmissible by the District Court of Amsterdam.
- AirBnB in its defence against civil class actions in the Netherlands in relation to the alleged unlawful double charging of service costs.
- Booking.com in proceedings against German hotels in relation to price parity clauses.
- A leading sales platform in a global trademark dispute.
Contact
Helen Gornall
Partner
Tobias Cohen Jehoram
Partner
Axel Arnbak
Partner
Geert Potjewijd
Partner
Jaap Barneveld
Partner
Related expertise
Competition & RegulationData, Cyber & PrivacyFinancial Institutions & FintechIntellectual PropertyVenture CapitalRecent Matters
26 August 2025
De Brauw advises Bain Capital on its investment in HSO
A De Brauw and Weil team have advised Bain Capital on its agreement to invest in HSO, a leading global Microsoft services partner. The transaction is subject to customary regulatory approvals and is expected to close in the coming months. Financial terms were not disclosed.
11 August 2025KKR acquires minority stake in Etraveli Group
KKR has agreed to acquire a significant minority stake in global travel technology company Etraveli Group. The strategic partnership between CVC and KKR positions Etraveli Group for an exciting next chapter of growth and reinforces its position as the world’s largest flight intermediary and fulfilment company outside of China.
6 June 2025De Brauw advises Collibra on its acquisition of Raito
De Brauw advised Collibra B.V., a leading company in unified governance for data and AI, on its acquisition of the Belgian company Raito BV, which specializes in data access governance. Through this transaction, Collibra aims to demonstrate its ongoing commitment to unifying and automating data and AI governance for all data users across various data sources. This initiative is designed to help organizations accelerate their use of data and AI with confidence.
Industrial Tech
Our Industrial Tech Group is a subset of our Digital group and consists of a multidisciplinary group that aims to consolidate our vast experience working for tech-heavy industrial clients with a focus on:
- Arbitration in tech-focused disputes
- Pan-European and cross border patent litigation in pharma, life sciences, telecoms and consumer goods markets
- UPC litigation with a focused cross expertise and international team
- IP contacting and licensing, joint ventures and IP heavy M&A
Our recent track record includes:
- Advising a client in the construction sector in major FRAND proceedings
- Representing a FMCG client in high stake litigation including questions of competition and patent law, resulting in a successful complaint before the French Competition Authority.
- Advising a technology client on the disentanglement of one of its major business units as well as advising on the sale of that division
Insights
30 June 2025
DOJ provides guidance on shift in US white-collar enforcement strategy
As discussed in our February update, the Trump administration started its second term by announcing significant changes in the white-collar enforcement priorities of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). A brief recap: President Trump ordered the DOJ to pause Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) investigations and enforcement actions for 180 days. Attorney General Pam Bondi had signalled shifts in the DOJ's priorities towards the goal of "total elimination" of drug cartels and Transnational Crime Organizations (TCOs). Several of the Attorney General's memoranda at the time also alluded to potential deprioritisation of corporate enforcement in business-related national security cases and protection of US companies in particular. On the basis of these broad strokes directions, the DOJ had been directed to issue new guidelines.
28 February 2025CJEU issues important decision on cross-border patent injunctions
On 25 February 2025, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) answered preliminary questions in a long-awaited ruling
in a case between BSH Hausgeräte GmbH (BSH) and Electrolux AB (Electrolux). The ruling clarifies certain aspects regarding cross-border patent injunctions against defendants domiciled in an EU member state and seems to broaden the possibilities of cross-border injunctions.
28 February 2025Uber case: "external entrepreneurship" is fully relevant when defining a working relationship
On 21 February 2025, in a long-awaited ruling in preliminary proceedings, the Dutch Supreme Court delivered answers to the ongoing issue of how to assess the employment status of workers (in this case, Uber drivers). In its ruling, the Supreme Court confirmed once more that no hierarchy exists among the factors relevant in determining if a legal relationship qualifies as an employment agreement existing under article 7:610 Dutch Civil Code. These factors are set out in the Deliveroo ruling.