What they say
"… a stand-out figure in the TMT space, seeks to add value to each instruction ... she is not a fence-sitter and happy to offer a strong opinion where necessary."
Legal 500 UK 2021
With more than 17 years' experience, Debbie has worked with global brands, household names and entrepreneurial businesses advising on trading arrangements, contracts, collaboration agreements, intellectual property rights protection and commercialisation, licensing and royalty agreements, IT contracts (software licences, support and maintenance, SaaS / Cloud, managed services and IT infrastructure contracts), online trading / website regulation, privacy and data protection issues (including GDPRs).
Debbie has worked with manufacturing and distribution businesses, including logistics and international trade agreements, agency terms and sales conditions. She is also an acknowledged expert in the travel sector, working with tour operators, travel agents, destination management companies and suppliers, advising on a wide range of matters including package travel and ATOL regulations, booking conditions and agency agreements. Debbie has also spoken at many ABTA events and contributed to travel and other publications.
Recent work highlights
- Working with some of the UK’s most successful vineyards on matters such as third party growing arrangements, bottling, “white label” production, warehousing and distribution
- Advising a global engineering business on the protection of IP rights, confidentiality arrangements, data sharing and partnership agreements, IP and patent assignment / licensing
- Acting for a leading provider of digital cameras, printers and services in respect of the sale of complex machinery, provision of online services and licensed software products, hardware and firmware, IP rights, GDPR compliance and framework contracts
- Drafting booking terms and conditions and contracts for operating a luggage handling and storage service for an aviation services company and advising on the set up and operation of a remote airport service desk
- Advising an award-winning leisure business on trading arrangements including supplier contracts, terms with accommodation providers, contracts for the provision of children’s entertainment packages and booking conditions for school programmes.
- Advising a specialist travel package agency on Package Travel Regulations, bonding arrangements, ABTA membership, booking conditions, supplier contracts and Local Tour Operator Agreements, and ongoing advice on data protection compliance
- Advising a process and payment platform provider on GDPR compliance, data processing agreements, IT security policies and retention processes, software licensing and services contracts; also on compliance with the Payment Surcharges Regulations
- Advising a super-computing platform on the protection of its complex software engines for the creation of multiple processing activities and algorithm application in various sectors, including gaming, and on IP ownership of the software
Debbie is recognised on Legal 500's elite list of leading lawyers; she is also recognised in Chambers and Partners 2021 for her work in the TMT/information technology space as well as the travel sector.
In respect of the travel sector in particular, Chambers and Partners describes her as: "... very knowledgeable about tour operations and the associated commercial issues." Legal 500 2021 comments: "Debbie Venn is noted for her experience assisting e-tourism and online travel agency businesses, with particular expertise in booking terms and conditions, agency agreements, supplier contracts, package travel terms, and villa rental arrangements."