Mark Henley
Based in the London office, I am a director in the TelTech team. For more than 10 years I have focused on technology-related matters. Particular areas of expertise are managing major IT procurement projects and advising on the legal issues associated with free / open source software.
Tel: +44 (0)20 7074 7847
Email: mark_henley@wragge.com
Services: Outsourcing, Information Technology, Commercial, Projects
Business sectors: Public Sector, Tech
Best brains in ...
Advising on free / open source software, assisting with offshore outsourcing and creating multi-vendor framework agreements.
Highlight of your career so far?
Advising on the use of GNU/Linux - the free / open source operating system - in a piece of consumer electronics destined for millions of households. The device in question would also incorporate proprietary software which needed to be kept closed and confidential for security reasons. The interactions between the free / open source software and the proprietary software created some complex legal issues.
Most challenging job you've ever done?
Being asked to rescue a public sector procurement project that was in major difficulty. It involved stakeholders from two government departments and the outsourcing of services from two different agencies to a single contractor. I took over the negotiations, re-established trust between the client and the bidders and brought the procurement to a successful award of contract.
What about outside the UK?
Since the economic downturn began there has been a resurgence of interest in offshore outsourcing. At one stage I was managing two outsourcings to India and one to South Africa for three different clients simultaneously.
What's your definition of going the extra mile ... And when have you done it?
Conducting final negotiations with thirteen international subsidiaries of a mobile telecommunications company while on paternity leave following the birth of my first child. With subsidiaries located in Europe and the southern hemisphere it was a round-the-clock effort – a bit like looking after the baby!
Best example of a creative legal solution?
I was approached by a company which had developed a novel software framework combining free/ open source software and proprietary programs. However the directors admitted that they did not know how to protect their system effectively. I created a licensing strategy which would prevent competitors from taking unfair advantage of their innovations.
When have you ever given a client a real competitive edge?
Working on an IT system design and build project worth approximately £100 million, the other side's lawyers were uncomfortable with drafting or even discussing the technical schedules. I sat down with both parties' engineers to create the documents. They received no input and barely any scrutiny from the other side's lawyers.
What's your single greatest contribution to Wragge & Co's corporate responsibility?
I regularly advise at a law clinic in Bethnal Green which is a partnership between account3, Law Works, The legal Advice Centre and Wragge & Co. We provide legal advice on areas of law such as employment, leases, contracts and intellectual property to not-for-profit organisations and small, start-up businesses.
What's been written or said about you that you're most proud of?
A client at a FTSE 100 company wrote: 'Simply put; he is easy and wholly effective to work with and if I ran a law practice he would be my first hire.'
