Duncan McMeekin
London
Summary
Accomplished professional with extensive expertise in Commercial, IP & Technology, Corporate M&A, and Data Protection. Demonstrates strong capabilities in Business & Strategy, Leadership & Mentoring. Adept at driving business growth and ensuring compliance with data protection regulations. Committed to leveraging skills to achieve strategic objectives and foster innovation within the organisation.
Overview
15
15
years of professional experience
2022
2022
years of post-secondary education
Work history
Senior Manager & Chief of Staff
EY Law
London
05.2022 - 03.2025
- I have been working as the most senior lawyer (below the Partner group) in the private practice Commercial, IP & Technology team of EY Law (within the financial services division)
- My experience includes leading on a number of client projects, drafting and negotiating a wide range of complex commercial contracts (including technology, sourcing, licensing, IP, intra-group and distribution agreements), providing advice on the risks and opportunities that lie within existing contracts and advising on compliance with applicable financial services laws and regulations
- Key experience includes advising: A leading UK banking group on its cornerstone IT and cloud services contract with a global cloud service provider
- A global technology service provider (a critical provider to the UK financial sector) on its contractual rights and obligations under its cloud services contract with a key customer
- A leading UK banking group on a material outsourcing contract for a critical business function, which included advising on compliance with the EBA Outsourcing Guidelines and PRA SS2/21
- A UK multinational health insurance and healthcare company, which included leading a team to inform the commercial strategy of the Chief Information Officer by advising on the contractual opportunities and barriers that exist to achieving cost-savings in respect of its IT supplier contracts
- Several financial services institutions with respect to the compliance/remediation of their contractual arrangements with relevant financial services operational resilience and outsourcing regulations, including the EU's recent Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), the EBA Outsourcing Guidelines and PRA SS2/21
- A leading global insurer on its large-scale data protection remediation project in relation to the EU's Schrems II Standard Contractual Clauses
- I am also: (a) the Chief of Staff at EY Law, working alongside the Managing Partner of EY Law in relation to all strategic and operational matters
- I was selected for this role by the Managing Partner as I had been identified as a leader and potential future Partner within EY Law; and (b) the People Lead at EY Law, responsible for all human resource issues related to the associate and trainee cohorts at EY Law
- I was selected for this role by the Partner group as I was identified as being a mentor and role model to junior lawyers
Senior Legal Counsel
Thomson Reuters
London
05.2020 - 05.2022
- I worked within the Commercial Legal Team at Thomson Reuters, which included leading the commercial team at Reuters News for a 6-month period
- My primary responsibilities at Thomson Reuters were to negotiate and draft a wide range of complex commercial agreements, manage relationships with the executive leadership of Reuters News, inform commercial and strategic policy and provide legal support and counsel on new business ventures and opportunities
- Key experience includes advising on: Various content agreements related to the licensing of Reuters content to customers worldwide as well as the inbound licensing of 3rd party content to Reuters
- A wide-range of other commercial agreements - including ad tech agreements, supply agreements, technology agreements, sponsorship agreements, outsourcing and transitional services agreements
- The above experience also includes providing advice related to copyright, competition law, IP, consumer law and data protection
Senior Legal Counsel
Sky
London
01.2016 - 05.2020
- I worked within the Content & Commercial Legal Team at Sky for 4 years
- I was awarded the 'Best of Sky' award which recognises excellence and is awarded by the Chief Executive Officer to a small number of individuals within the organisation
- My primary responsibilities at Sky were to negotiate and draft a broad range of content-related commercial agreements
- Key experience includes advising on: The content acquisition deals for Sky Sports and Sky Movies channels, including the deals with the Premier League, England Cricket Board, Sony and Disney
- The rights deals allowing Sky to distribute streaming services such as Netflix and Disney+ on the Sky platform
- The distribution of Sky channels on Virgin Media and BT platforms (which are highly complex and strategic deals given that the parties act as competitors)
- Corporate matters relating to Sky's joint venture arrangements
- The above experience also includes providing advice related to copyright, competition law, IP, consumer law and data protection
Associate
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
London
06.2014 - 01.2016
- I worked within the private equity M&A team at the magic circle law firm, Freshfields
- I worked on various corporate M&A transactions across the private equity industry, including clients such as The Blackstone Group, TPG Capital Partners, Permira and Hellman & Friedman LLC
- This experience also included dealing with commercial aspects and support related to the corporate M&A transactions
Senior Associate
Bowmans
South Africa
01.2010 - 06.2014
- I trained at the 'big 5' South African corporate law firm, Bowmans
- I qualified into the corporate and commercial team at Bowmans, being promoted to Senior Associate after 2 years as an Associate
- My experience included advising on various corporate M&A and commercial transactions across both the public and private sector throughout Africa
Education
Attorney of the High Court -
Law Society of South Africa
Bachelor of Commerce (Economics) & LLB - Economics
Stellenbosch University
01.2005 - 12.2009
Head Boy - undefined
St Stithians Boys' College
01.2000 - 12.2004
Skills
- Commercial
- IP & Technology
- Corporate M&A
- Data Protection
- Business & Strategy
- Leadership & Mentoring
Timeline
Senior Manager & Chief of Staff
EY Law
05.2022 - 03.2025
Senior Legal Counsel
Thomson Reuters
05.2020 - 05.2022
Senior Legal Counsel
Sky
01.2016 - 05.2020
Associate
Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
06.2014 - 01.2016
Senior Associate
Bowmans
01.2010 - 06.2014
Bachelor of Commerce (Economics) & LLB - Economics
Stellenbosch University
01.2005 - 12.2009
Head Boy - undefined
St Stithians Boys' College
01.2000 - 12.2004
Attorney of the High Court -
Law Society of South Africa
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