Clive Gringras

CLIVE GRINGRAS is co-leader of the firm's Global Technology Group. He is an international disputes and transactional technology and AI lawyer working with Global 100 companies. Clive is trusted by these companies on high-stakes matters ranging from first‑of‑a‑kind litigation to billion-dollar technology-rich cross-border transactions to first-impression AI disputes. He is particularly experienced representing very large tech companies in regulatory investigations and litigation. He is also a leading advisor for cybersecurity, data security, and related investigations and litigation.

Clive received Microsoft’s Law Firm Leader Award. With almost three decades of practicing experience, he is also a well-respected commentator. His book, Gringras: The Laws of the Internet, now in its seventh edition, is the only UK judicially acclaimed text on the subject. Clive co-wrote the bestselling computer game Elite for the ARM-based computer the Archimedes. Clive has been called to give evidence to four UK parliamentary inquiries on spam, information security, AI, and regulation of the internet. He is a Visiting Scholar at the University of Sheffield and has held appointments as a Visiting Professor at the University of Law and as a Visiting Associate at Oxford University’s Internet Institute.

Clive has received acknowledgement from numerous industry ranking guides, including most recently:

• Chambers UK 2026 – Spotlighted as one of only seven UK lawyers for UK-wide Artificial Intelligence, re-recognized for the second consecutive year as one of just eight partners in IT & Outsourcing: Disputes Specialists, and ranked for Information Technology & Outsourcing, where clients comment “Clive is exceptional. He offers excellent legal analysis capability and excellent soft skills as well. He is really commercially-minded,” and “Clive provides invaluable legal and commercial advice on all aspects of technology, services, strategic deals, and litigation.”
• Legal 500 UK 2026 – Re-recognized for the second consecutive year in the “Hall of Fame” for Technology, Media, and Telecoms, and recommended for Finance services: contentious.
  
• Chambers UK 2025– Ranked as one of only seven UK lawyers spotlighted for London IT & Outsourcing: Disputes Specialists, where sources say, “Clive is one of the most innovative lawyers I have ever met,” and that he has “great depth of technology and commercial acumen” and “brings a sophisticated and commercially oriented approach to highly complex transactions.”
• Chambers UK 2025 – Ranked for London Information Technology & Outsourcing, and UK-Wide Media & Entertainment: Games, Interactive Entertainment & Social Media, where he is praised as a “consummate technology lawyer, advising leading software, online marketplace and social media companies on all manner of commercial, regulatory, IP and data privacy matters.”
• Legal 500 UK 2026 – Recognized in the “Hall of Fame” for Technology, Media and Telecoms with the directory quoting a source as praising, “Clive Gringras stands out for his depth of experience in contentious and transactional matters involving technology clients, including Fortune 100 companies and US tech giants.”
• Chambers Global 2025 –Recognized as a Global Market Leader for Spotlight: Artificial Intelligence, where it was noted that “he has expertise in advising leading software, online marketplace and social media companies.”
• Best Lawyers 2021 – Awarded “Lawyer of the Year” for Technology in London.
  

Recent examples of Clive’s work include advising:

• Verdane, a European investment firm, in its agreement to partner with Smartbox Assistive Technology Group.
• Apollo-managed funds in their acquisition of a majority stake in Kelvion, a leading global provider of energy-efficient heat exchange and cooling solutions, from funds advised by Triton Partners.
• Stellex Capital Management LLC on the acquisition of the environmental technology business from Dürr Group.
• Foundation AI company on multiple confidential disputes, necessitating cross-border actions and litigation actions.
• A technology giant on over US$10 billion of cloud transactions, including on a US$2.8 billion deal with a major financial exchange.
• Numerous intellectual property actions for technology companies, including its copyright levy litigation throughout Europe and copyright, trademark infringement, and instrument of fraud cases.
• Hundreds of cybercrime actions for major technology companies.
• A global social media company on an investigation by the European Union’s Consumer Protection Cooperation Network.
• A major technology company on the Competition and Markets Authority’s investigation into its consumer business.
• A games console company on the Competition and Markets Authority’s investigation into its games subscription business.
• A major real estate company on the Competition and Markets Authority’s investigation into the leasehold market.
• A global financial services company on an investigation by the European Union’s Consumer Protection Cooperation Network.
• A number of online gaming companies on the Competition and Markets Authority’s investigation into their business.
• An online ticket marketplace on its dispute with the Competition and Markets Authority.
• A technology giant on the Competition and Markets Authority’s investigation into its consumer cloud offering.
• A major advertising network on the Competition and Markets Authority’s investigation into social media endorsements.

*Some of the above matters were handled prior to joining Sidley.

• Chair of Technology Advisory Board, Our Future Health
• Founding Editorial Board Member, Computer and Telecommunications Law Review, Sweet & Maxwell
• Visiting Scholar, University of Sheffield

• Trustee, Alzheimer’s Research UK