Digital & New Technologies

Constant developments in technology are driving a global digital revolution that is fundamentally changing how we live and operate.

Business must be able to innovate and respond rapidly to changes in competitive challenges, customer expectations and regulatory requirements.  To do this successfully, organisations need integrated and comprehensive advice to help them navigate the business opportunities and legal risks.

Simpson Grierson is a leader in digital and technology matters.  Our specialists help clients to develop and implement their strategies around the use of current and emerging technologies, with a focus on effective risk management.

We work with clients in sectors which are at the leading-edge of digital disruption and digital innovation, including fintech, agritech, media and entertainment, healthtech, adtech, cloud, telecommunications and software development.  We are also active supporters of tech-focused business incubators including Astrolab and The Icehouse.

Our services

We have a long track record of helping clients to:

• deliver major technology and telecommunications projects
• ensure that their privacy and data protection practices and processes are legally robust
• protect and exploit their intellectual property
• manage social media use and reputational issues
• implement e-commerce and payment systems
• manage compliance risks relating to the use and exploitation of technologies.

Increasingly we are advising on key emerging digital and technology opportunities and challenges for global and local organisations of all sizes, including:

• Internet of Things
• artificial intelligence 
• data strategy and maximising database value
• cyber security
• new technologies such as blockchain, wearables and smart machines.

We are an active member of the New Zealand Tech Alliance, and its associations AI Forum, Agritech New Zealand, BlockchainNZ, Digital Identity New Zealand and FinTechNZ.

Examples of our work

• Harmoney - advising on the establishment of New Zealand's first licensed peer-to-peer lending service
• SmartCo – advising on a joint venture between eight electricity lines companies to procure and deploy electricity “smart meters” which record and relay consumption information back to SmartCo via wireless telecommunications
• Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) - numerous technology projects over many years, recently including agreements for the delivery of an Advanced Survey and Title Services solution to replace Landonline
• Inland Revenue -  providing legal support in relation to its business transformation programme, including the procurement process for primary programme support
• New Zealand Olympic Committee – acting on the development and sponsorship of the official NZ Olympic Team app
• Local Fibre Companies (Enable Networks, UltraFast Fibre and Northpower Fibre) - all aspects of the roll-out of ultra-fast broadband including their wholesale services agreements with retailers, compliance with their agreements with Crown Fibre Holdings, undertakings given by the LFCs in favour of the Commerce Commission and issues arising out of their build programmes
• Wellington region local authorities (Wellington City Council, Porirua City Council and Upper Hutt City Council) and Wellington Water Limited –advising on a major project involving implementing shared services ICT infrastructure across the region