Warmest Wishes from Garfield Smith – Technology & Data Lawyers

On behalf of all the team at Garfield Smith – Technology & Data Lawyers, an email to wish you a very happy festive break with your loved ones.

The macro-economic conditions have not been favourable to many businesses in 2023 with commercial pipelines, access to capital and opportunities to exit more limited than previous years. However, during 2023 we were very pleased to have assisted many of our early stage clients raise new investment and expand and grow. We are also pleased to have assisted our venture capital and family office clients invest in some amazing new start-ups and also our larger institutional clients with their day to day corporate, commercial and regulatory legal requirements. There has definitely been an uptake in activity towards the end of 2023 and I am optimistic that 2024 will be a return to better liquidity in the markets to allow businesses greater opportunities to grow.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) dominated the news in 2023 and we expect this to continue in 2024 as the larger players develop their core technology and many other organisations implement it in their businesses and find exciting ways to use it. We expect the debate on how it should be used and regulated to continue too. We look forward to continuing to lead on legal developments in respect of this transformational technology in the year ahead.

This year our chosen charity is Great Ormond Street Hospital and we are very pleased to be able to support their 2023 Christmas Appeal. To help Great Ormond Street Hospital and to maintain our ongoing commitment to GDPR compliance, we’re going to donate a small sum to Great Ormond Street Hospital on behalf of every recipient of this Christmas message that clicks on Santa’s special red button below and updates their privacy preferences. Our donation to a good cause on your behalf will be instead of posting you a greetings card.

Finally, in line with other corporate and commercial legal practices in the City of London, our offices will close at noon on Friday 22 December 2023 and will re-open for business at 9am on Monday 8 January 2024. However, I and your usual contact at our firm will be available by mobile and by email throughout that period.

With warmest wishes to you and all your family,

 

Garfield Smith