David Sant

David is an experienced commercial technology and data protection lawyer, who qualified in 2009. With a background in software development, he helps businesses navigate complex technology, commercial and data issues with practical advice grounded in an understanding of how digital products and services actually work.

David brings particular insight from both his technology and in-house legal experience. Before retraining as a lawyer, he worked as a software developer for California-based start-ups and UK web businesses during the dot-com boom. He also co-founded an early immersive technology project designed to display photographs of the real world within a simulated 3D environment.

Before joining Harper James in 2020, David worked in-house at the BBC and Oxford University Press.

At the BBC, he supported the Future Media and Technology Division, advising on significant technology services agreements with suppliers. He also worked within the BBC’s Intellectual Property legal team, advising on copyright and trade mark matters.

David later joined Oxford University Press, where he advised the global publishing business on digital collaborations, copyright, licensing and wider commercial matters, including developing self-service contract templates.

David has particular experience in:

• Drafting and negotiating a wide range of commercial and technology agreements, including software licences and SaaS agreements, software development agreements and software reseller agreements.
• Advising on data protection issues across client businesses, with a particular emphasis on digital collaborations.
• Advising on legal issues in the creative industries, particularly publishing and copyright matters.

David’s combination of technology and in-house experience gives him a strong understanding of the pressures facing directors and commercial teams. He works closely with clients to understand their products, business models and priorities, helping them find practical solutions to legal and commercial challenges.

Clients value David for his approachable manner, practical advice and ability to communicate complex legal and technical issues clearly.

Away from work, David enjoys discovering – and occasionally writing – music, continually trying to take up running, and hiking and cycling with his family in Oxfordshire.

"My technology background allows me to understand how clients' software-based services are structured. That helps me give relevant and practical advice on legal risks and solutions."