Technology Lawyers & IT Lawyers

“We are lawyers with a passion for Technology Law & IT Law”

Experience that counts

Established in 2000, Nicholls Legal is a law firm located in South Melbourne, Australia. Our general areas of practice include Technology, Communications, Intellectual Property, Defamation, Commercial Law and Disputes – including specific expertise as Technology Lawyers & IT Lawyers.

Typical Technology Law & IT Law matters that we have worked on include:

Negotiating and drafting all forms of Technology & IT agreements, including business/major asset sale and acquisition, supply, distribution, agency, joint venture, telehousing, interconnect, technology development and its commercial exploitation, technology assignments and transfers, outsourcing, facilities management and confidentiality agreements.
Providing the lead legal and regulatory advice to TransACT in relation to its formal tender for the $4.7 billion NBN.
Acting for SmartyHost in the sale of the company to MYOB Ltd.
Acting for the vendor in the sale of a telecommunications fibre-to-the-home network in Western Australia.
Acting for the vendor in the sale of a Technology & IT provider in New Zealand.
Acting for the purchaser in the acquisition of a web-based software development company in New South Wales.
Acting for the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission in preparing model non-price terms and conditions for access to core telecommunications services.
Providing the lead external legal and regulatory advice to the Commonwealth Department of Communications Information Technology and the Arts in relation to its review of telecommunications regulation in Australia, having regard to next generation networks.
Advising a major telecommunications equipment supplier in relation to emerging regulation of Voice over IP-capable devices.
Advising a State water authority on contract provisions for a telecommunications and technology tender.
Acting for an educational institution in relation to establishing a technology joint venture.
Acting for a Technology & IT supplier in relation to a shareholders’ dispute.
Advising a client in relation to commercial exploitation of a software application that predicts people’s language and ethnicity based on their name.
Advising a client in relation to commercial exploitation of a software application that determines key influencers amongst members of a social network.

We have successfully represented parties in litigation at all Australian Superior Court levels, including the Victorian Supreme Court, the Victorian Court of Appeal, the Federal Court of Australia and the High Court of Australia.

In addition to our expertise as Technology Lawyers & IT Lawyers, we also specialize in Cloud Law, Commercial Law & Business Law, Communications Law, Competition & Consumer Law, Defamation & Media Law, Information Security Law & Privacy Law, Intellectual Property Law and Internet Law.

See our publications on Technology Law & IT Law here.

Competitive Fees

We offer very competitive fees including a free initial consultation. Please contact Matthew Nicholls (ph: +61 3 8376 7131) to discuss your Technology Law & IT Law requirements.

Our latest Technology Law & IT Law eNews items are below:

Roaming charges to be abolished in Europe in 2014 - From TechWeek Europe and the Daily Telegraph: The European Commission has voted to end the practice of imposing mobile roaming charges when travelling to different countries in Europe, beginning in July next year. Europe’s 27 commissioners followed a recommendation from vice president Neelie Kroes, and voted last week to abolish roaming charges in Europe. The […]
Australian Information Commissioner’s Statement on US ‘PRISM” Surveillance Program - From the OAIC: The Australian Information Commissioner, Timothy Pilgrim, has issued the following statement on the United States ‘PRISM’ surveillance program: Reports on the surveillance of the communications and online activity of citizens by US intelligence agencies have raised a number of questions, including what this means for the privacy of individuals. Privacy is a […]
TIO Complaint Statistics for January to March 2013 - From the TIO: The Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) has released complaints statistics for the first three months of 2013. The TIO’s summary of the statistics is as follows: The TIO received 40,021 new complaints between January and March 2013, an increase of 4.5 per cent when compared to the previous quarter, and a 23.3 per […]
IACCM publishes 20 critical information security controls - From the IACCM: The International Association for Contract & Commercial Management (IACCM) has published a useful checklist for businesses seeking a guide to information security controls. Based on the SANS Institute’s ‘Top 20 Critical Controls’ document, the guidance is useful for businesses to prioritise and fund information security initiatives. The top 20 tips are Inventory […]
ACCC finalises wholesale prices for broadband services on Telstra’s copper network - From the ACCC: The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has announced that it has completed its inquiry to set terms and conditions for the wholesale ADSL service and published a Final Access Determination (FAD). Retailers utilise Telstra’s copper network to provide ADSL broadband internet to customers. The FAD lays out the price and non-price […]
Attorney General announces mandatory data breach notification laws - From the office of the Australian Attorney General: The Commonwealth Attorney General has announced new laws to be introduced into Parliament requiring businesses and organisations to inform individuals when a data breach involving their personal information has occurred. Attorney General Mark Dreyfus QC made the following remarks: “With businesses and government agencies holding more information […]
ACCC announces inquiry into access to mobile networks - From the ACCC: The ACCC has announced a public inquiry into whether it would be preferable to extend, vary or revoke the domestic mobile terminating access service (MTAS) declaration, or whether to make a new declaration. The MTAS is a service offered between competitors so that calls on different mobile networks can be connected. Mobile […]
ACMA warns AAPT about privacy - From the ACMA: The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) has formally warned AAPT Limited (AAPT) regarding its to protect the privacy of its customers’ personal information as required by the Telecommunications Consumer Protections Code (TCP Code). The ACMA initiated an investigation into AAPT following media reports that some of AAPT’s customer data had been […]
OAIC investigating Telstra data breach - From the OAIC: The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) has opened an investigation into a data breach that resulted in the publication of Telstra customer’s private information online. Australian Privacy Commissioner Timothy Pilgrim issued the following statement: “Telstra has briefed our office about this incident and advised that the documents are no longer […]
ACCC – Proceedings instituted against ByteCard Pty Limited for unfair contract terms - From the ACCC: The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has commenced proceedings in the Federal Court against Internet Service Provider ByteCard Pty Limited (ByteCard, better known as Netspeed Internet Communications) alleging that a number of clauses in the ByteCard standard form consumer contracts are unfair contract terms and should be declared void. The alleged […]
ACCC Chairman Rod Sims: ACCC well placed to deal with communications revolution - From the ACCC: Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) Chairman Rod Sims, speaking at the Australia Israel Chamber of Commerce in Brisbane, has said that the ACCC is is well placed to deal with the many issues flowing from the continuing communications industry revolution. Mr Sims spoke of the benefits of a combined competition, consumer […]
ACMA Chairman Chris Chapman: Telco and media reforms continue - From the ACMA: Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) Chairman Chris Chapman has delivered a speech outlining the current work and priorities of the ACMA at the Communications Day Summit. Among the ACMA initiatives and priorities highlighted were the following: A spectrum plan which portended a $30 smart phone handset and potential economic benefits to […]
ACCC draft decision on NBN Co Special Access Undertaking - From the ACCC, the DBCDE and the Australian Financial Review: The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has issued its draft decision on the the revised Special Access Undertaking (SAU) lodged by NBN Co. The SAU is to form a key part of the framework to determine the cost and other terms under which NBN […]
Key EU nations take legal action against Google - From TechNewsWorld: 6 key EU nations have joined forces to take legal action against Google over the privacy protections of its user data. France, Spain, Italy, the UK, the Netherlands and Germany have announced that they will take joint legal action against Google over its privacy policies. The action will include investigations, and possible fines. […]
Microsoft Launches Patent Monitoring Service - From Forbes and Microsoft: Microsoft has launched a service designed to enable anyone to determine which of its patents are owned and by whom. The internet based patent monitory service tracks changes to a variety of Patent Registers in Europe and North America to help with its cause. The Patent tracker can also track changes to patent families and […]