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Clifford Chance

Clifford Chance
Jonathan Kewley

Jonathan Kewley

Partner and Co-Chair of the Global Tech Group

Partner and Co-Chair of the Global Tech Group
Jonathan Kewley

Jonathan Kewley is the Co-Head of the Clifford Chance Tech Group, a cross disciplinary team of 600+ lawyers globally advising on Tech risk and opportunity. He has a particular focus on the cutting edge areas of Tech ethics, data, artificial intelligence, cyber security and blockchain regulation. He was named one of Global Data Review's "40 Under 40" Tech lawyers around the world.

He has wide-ranging experience in complex Tech projects, spanning M&A, Fintech, IP, and business carve-outs. His clients span a broad range of Tech and non-Tech business areas, including financial services, private equity, internet, telecoms, media, oil and gas, retail and automotive. Jonathan advises companies on every continent, from the West Coast of the US to China.

Jonathan is an editor of Talking Tech, the firm's global Tech thought leadership hub. He speaks regularly on technology transformation and the new world of risk and opportunity this presents, working with leading organisations such as The Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence and The Alan Turing Institute to help steer global discussions in this area. He is frequently quoted as an expert on the future of Tech regulation in the Daily Telegraph, New York Times, Washington Post, China Daily and the Financial Times.

In 2018 Jonathan founded IGNITE, a world-first lawtech training contract which fuses legal training and tech development. Jonathan is an advocate for increased diversity in Tech and Law, both traditionally male-dominated industries. He works closely with the Clifford Chance Accelerate programme which brings men and women together in developing female leaders of tomorrow. He also campaigns for more opportunities in the workplace for those with autism.

Jonathan is a member of our global Cyber Security Risk and Data Risk teams.

  • Blackstone on various strategic technology and data intense acquisitions
  • Mastercard on its acquisition of NETS, a leading European PayTech company
  • Various companies on pre-IPO technology strategy and risk management
  • Coca-Cola on its strategic acquisition of Costa Limited
  • PE houses globally on portfolio company technology roll-out
  • One of the world’s largest tech companies on their AI risk strategy
  • Various boards on cyber and data crisis management
  • Fujitsu on a global cyber compliance programme, and on data centre infrastructure and customer contracting arrangements
  • Cubico Sustainable Investments Limited in relation to cyber security and data protection advice
  • A global bank on ethical issues regarding the use of data and technology, including financial regulatory, data protection, data privacy and antitrust enforcement risks
  • A global financial institution on its global cyber incident response plan, and in relation to cyber breaches
  • Various clients on GDPR compliance and implementation projects
  • Various clients on cyber security exposure, risk mitigation and compliance

News and client work

View all news and client work featuring Jonathan Kewley

Contact details

2023 Predictions on Tech Crises from Jonathan Kewley

Jonathan Kewley, Partner and co-head of the Clifford Chance Tech Group, shares his key predictions for tech crises in 2023. Jonathan thinks that tech will move from something that we love to something that we live in fear of going wrong: the proliferation of deepfakes and their impact on democracies; the impact of AI bias in hiring; cyber-attacks on critical infrastructure and insurance against cyber risk.

About the Tech Group

Integrated and dynamic, our Tech Group is a single global team delivering strategic tech law advice to help clients stay ahead of the curve and outstrip the pace of change.

Career and qualifications

  • Hertford College, Oxford (MA, English) 2003
  • Joined Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer 2005
  • Oxford Intellectual Property Research Centre (IP Law) 2009
  • Joined Clifford Chance 2014
  • Partner since 2017

Professional bodies

  • techUK

Awards and citations

  • Jonathan Kewley is one of the top technology lawyers in the UK. He is widely respected and has built an impressive team in the last few years.
    Legal 500 UK 2024 - Data Protection, Privacy And Cybersecurity – Tier 2
  • Jonathan Kewley is a superstar of the tech law and policy world.
    Legal 500 UK 2022 - Data Protection, Privacy and Cybersecurity – Tier 3
  • Jonathan Kewley combines strong technical knowledge with excellent attention to clients’ commercial interests.
    Legal 500 UK 2022 - Data Protection, Privacy and Cybersecurity – Tier 3
  • Jonathan was named one of Global Data Review's "40 Under 40"  Tech lawyers around the world.
  • Jonathan Kewley has a wealth of experience in technology projects, with particular strength advising clients on the regulatory aspects of blockchain and AI. Clients say they are ‘a very strong team with in-depth knowledge and pragmatic solutions.’
    Legal 500 UK 2021 – Tier 1 – Fintech
  • The 'strength in depth’ of Clifford Chance LLP makes the firm ‘hard to beat for efficiency in executing cross-border, multi-territory TMT transactions'. A key name in this area is Jonathan Kewley, who is known for tech ethics, data, AI, cyber security and blockchain regulation advice.
    Legal 500 UK 2021 – Tier 1 – TMT
  • Clifford Chance LLP's practice is led by Jonathan Kewley, who has a specialism in acting for businesses with a focus on the technology, data and IP sectors; Kewley has also advised companies and governmental organisations on data protection and cybersecurity issues.
    Legal 500 UK 2021 – Tier 3 – Data Protection, Privacy and Cybersecurity