Waterfront Law advises UK-based defence tech companies at the intersection of innovation, regulation, and international opportunity. Our clients develop cutting-edge technologies with both commercial and defence applications—from secure communications and cybersecurity platforms to autonomous systems and advanced sensors. As pioneers in the dual-use sector and one of the first law firms to specialise in this space, Waterfront offers unrivalled insight and expertise.
Whether you’re scaling with government contracts or expanding internationally, we help you navigate the legal complexity with clarity and confidence.
• Dual-use technology companies
• Early to mid-stage growth, often with MoD or NATO contracts
• UK-based with international clients
• IP-intensive businesses with export control considerations
• Commercial contracts – Government procurement frameworks (inc. G-Cloud and DPS), IP license agreements for both defence and commercial usage.
• M&A and investment – Angel and VC investment support, buy and sellside M&A, management buy outs, joint ventures, shareholder documents.
• Data protection – including cross-border transfers and incident response.
• Export control – HTS classification, dual use export control licenses and consents.
Waterfront Law is proud to be part of DIANA Legal Connect, a network of law firms supporting dual-use innovators across NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA).
DIANA is a bold and strategic initiative, accelerating deep tech innovation across 32 member nations. Its mission: to empower companies developing transformative technologies in areas such as advanced communications, autonomy and unmanned systems, infrastructure resilience, quantum, biotech, and cybersecurity.
As part of Legal Connect, Waterfront Law sits at the intersection of law and innovation. We provide strategic legal support to help innovators navigate complex regulatory landscapes, and bring breakthrough technologies to market securely and responsibly.
Learn more about NATO DIANA here.
Waterfront Law is also a proud member of D3IP, a UK-focused network dedicated to accelerating innovation by transforming how government and industry collaborate.
D3IP is reshaping the landscape for innovators by streamlining engagement with government and supply chain partners. By enabling early, direct interaction with challenge owners, D3IP breaks down traditional barriers—making it easier and faster for organisations to bring forward solutions without the usual procurement hurdles.
As part of D3IP, Waterfront Law leverages its legal expertise at the heart of this dynamic ecosystem. We guide innovators through regulatory complexities, helping them seize new opportunities and deliver impactful technologies to market efficiently and compliantly.
Learn more about D3IP here.
Our defence tech team is led by Partner and Head of Corporate and Commercial, Andrew Gordon.
Strategic legal support for telecoms and digital infrastructure leaders