AI, Digital Assets & Technology

The barristers at 4 New Square have expertise both domestically and internationally across a wide range of disputes concerning artificial intelligence (AI), digital assets (such as cryptoassets, cryptocurrencies and non-fungible tokens) and technology and telecommunication.

Artificial intelligence (AI)

AI is reshaping litigation and regulation, presenting novel challenges in areas such as data security, professional standards, intellectual property and commercial litigation.

We are at the forefront of advising and acting in relation to claims involving AI.

We are particularly attuned to the emerging opportunities and risks (eg hallucination) presented by AI, including questions of liability, accountability and compliance in professional and commercial contexts.

Digital assets/cryptoassets

We handle a wide range of legal issues relating to the increasing use and development of digital assets such as cryptocurrencies.

Technology/IT disputes

We act in disputes across a number of different industries involving a wide range subject matters including project failures and contractual disputes, software and hardware development and implementation, systems integration, intellectual property disputes, cryptocurrency, blockchain technology, online gaming and gambling, cloud computing, data centres, smart grids, ad tech, systems integration and data protection.

In addition, as the market leading set for professional negligence work, we have extensive experience in advising on professional liability claims which relate to information technology professionals.

Featured Cases

• Crypto Open Patent Alliance v Wright [2024] EWHC 1198 (Ch): concerning whether Dr Wright, an Australian computer scientist, is actually Satoshi Nakamoto, the pseudonymous individual who invented Bitcoin. (featured in the Lawyer’s Top 20 cases for 2024.)
• IBM v LzLabs & Ors: a dispute concerning the development of a rival product to the IBM Mainframe (featured in the Lawyer’s Top 20 cases for 2024.)
• An arbitration relating to a $multi-million claim relating to a failure to pay for a large quantity of cryptocurrency.
• Offshore dispute relating to a minority shareholder action relating to a crypto trading platform.
• Advising in a prospective opt-out collective action in the CAT against a cryptocurrency trading platform.
• R(Ayinde) v London Borough of Haringey: representing the barrister defendant suspected of “AI hallucinations” in their work, in which the High Court gave its first guidance on AI use by lawyers.
• Cross-examination of an expert witness concerning the suspected use of AI to generate materials submitted to court;
• Advising on disciplinary proceedings arising out of suspected AI misuse.