Christian McDermott, an experienced technology lawyer, advises clients on large-scale technology contracts, commercial collaborations, as well as fintech and payments transactions.
Mr. McDermott advises global and UK-based clients — including major financial institutions as well as publicly listed, private, and emerging companies — on the development, use, and commercialization of technology, in particular:
- Large-scale technology and outsourcing projects
- Complex commercial collaborations
- Fintech contracts
- Established and emerging payments technologies
- Licensing and distribution arrangements
- Diligence on technology and fintech M&A and IPOs
- Transitional services arrangements
- General commercial law and intellectual property matters
Mr. McDermott draws on more than a decade of experience with technology and fintech matters. He has a keen sense of what is at market, utilizes effective collaboration strategies, and has developed a reputation as a skilled negotiator who knows how to get deals done.
Accolades
- Ranked – Next Generation Partner for IT and Telecoms
The Legal 500 UK 2021-2022
- Named a Key Lawyer for Fintech
The Legal 500 UK 2021-2022
- Named a Key Lawyer for Venture Capital
The Legal 500 UK 2021
- Ranked - Next Generation Lawyer for Commercial Contracts
The Legal 500 UK 2017
Mr. McDermott’s representative transactions include advising:
Outsourcing and Technology
- A global retail and investment bank on the multi-billion Euro global outsourcing of its investment banking IT infrastructure
- A leading UK insurer on both: the outsourcing of policy administration activities; and the outsourcing of certain IT and business processes
- A global UK-headquartered retail and investment bank on the top-down renegotiation of its relationship with its biggest IT supplier, comprising individual hardware, software, and services streams
- A European financial services provider on the formation of a joint venture with a leading US telecoms company, including the drafting and negotiation of various associated business and outsourcing arrangements, as well as the launch of a co-branded credit card
- A global media company, negotiating framework services agreements with the client’s three main offshore service providers
Fintech and Payments
- Thomas Cook Group plc on the payments-related aspects of its attempted rescue, in particular the renegotiation of arrangements with its three largest payment service providers
- Interswitch on its strategic partnership with Visa, which made Interswitch one of the most valuable African FinTech businesses with a valuation of US$1 billion
- A nation state on the development of a new domestic and international payments system, including the drafting the various underlying commercial contracts
- CVC and Blackstone in connection with the £2.96 billion acquisition by a consortium comprised of Blackstone and CVC Capital, of Paysafe Group, a UK-based online payment solutions company
- The underwriting banks on the US$2.4 billion IPO of Nets — Scandinavia’s largest payments processor