Graham Smith joined Bird & Bird in 1983 and became a partner in 1985. His work in the sports sector has been exclusively in the contentious field, including disputes between players and managers and doping disciplinary cases.
Cases in which he has acted in various fields include: Burnet v Francis Industries plc [1987] 1 W.L.R. 802 C.A., Chatterbox (UK) Ltd & others v British Telecommunications plc (The Independent, 1 March 1989), Philips Electronique Grand Public S.A. and others v British Satellite Broadcasting Ltd and others [1995] EMLR 472 C.A., Korda v ITF Ltd (The Independent, 21 April 1999) C.A., BCT Software Solutions Ltd v Jones & others [2002] 12 E.I.P.R. N-196, BCT Software Solutions Ltd v C Brewer & Sons Ltd [2004] FSR 9, C.A., QR Sciences Ltd v BTG International Ltd [2005] All ER (D) 196 (Apr), [2005] All ER (D) 116 (Aug). In IT project disputes he has acted primarily for customers against various suppliers, including disputes over complex database and ERP implementations.
The 2007 Chambers UK Directory describes him as an “original thinker” and “first-rate litigator” who has “written superb books and articles on Internet regulations and the like” and is “particularly sharp on the highly technical aspects of IT - he really knows about software and systems development.”
In 1995 he wrote, for Computer Law & Practice, the first published article in the UK examining damages awards in computer project disputes. His section of the Encyclopedia of Information Technology Law (Sweet & Maxwell) contains a detailed examination of non-contractual liability in the IT field, including negligence liability of suppliers and consultants.
He is the editor and main author of the leading textbook Internet Law and Regulation (Sweet and Maxwell), first published in 1996 and now in its third edition. He is a member of the Advisory Board of BNA's Electronic Commerce & Law Report and is a Fellow of the Society of Advanced Legal Studies. He is rated by Chambers UK Directory as a Leading Individual (first tier) for Information Technology and by the PLC Which Lawyer? Yearbook as a Leading Lawyer for IT and ECommerce.
