The Leeds office of national law firm Shoosmiths is gearing up to celebrate the very best of the city’s digital technology sector this week, as Leeds Digital Festival gets underway for its fourth consecutive year.
Shoosmiths Leeds is an associate sponsor of this year’s Leeds Digital Festival, which will bring together international, national and local perspectives on digital themes between 23rd April and 3rd May.
Leeds Digital Festival is the largest digital festival in the north of England and aims to celebrate the region’s thriving digital economy.
A recent report by TechNation revealed that the Leeds’ tech sector is worth £1bn, with 168 start-ups setting up business in the city since 2016. Around 35,000 people are employed in digital tech jobs in Leeds, with local workers having a “digital tech turnover” of £83,000 per employee.
Alex Kirkhope, partner in the technology, media and telecoms team at Shoosmiths Leeds, said: “Leeds is home to one of the fastest-growing digital clusters in the UK and is already renowned as a leading location for digital tech innovators.
“Given the rapid rise in the number of tech and digital SMEs launching across the region, it’s crucial that business owners understand the broad range of legal issues that can arise when launching a new product, whether that’s protecting your Intellectual Property (IP), effectively contracting and monetising digital platforms, building robust data compliance and management strategies, or understanding the full spectrum of funding options available.
“Shoosmiths has a proven track record of advising clients to develop and negotiate contracts for the delivery of complex, high-value technology assets, as well as supporting tech start-ups and SMEs through their investment lifecycle, and our support of Leeds Digital Festival reaffirms our commitment to supporting the city’s ambition to drive this growth forward and further strengthen Leeds’ position as a hub for tech and digital expertise in the UK.”