Nicholas Blomfield

Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technology

Nicholas advises businesses developing, procuring, deploying or investing in artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies.

His work includes:

• AI governance frameworks, internal policies and accountability structures
• Legal and regulatory risk assessments for AI products and deployments
• AI procurement, SaaS, technology-vendor and development agreements
• Data protection, automated decision-making and the use of personal data in AI systems
• Intellectual property, confidentiality and ownership of AI-generated outputs
• Training-data, copyright and content risks
• Product counselling and responsible deployment of AI systems
• Governance of autonomous and agentic AI
• Internal investigations, regulatory engagement and technology-related disputes
• Building legal processes and compliance infrastructure for technology companies
• Digital assets, financial technology and institutional blockchain businesses

Nicholas focuses on practical implementation rather than abstract compliance. He helps clients identify which risks genuinely matter, establish proportionate controls and move products or commercial projects forward without unnecessary legal friction.

Space and Satellite Law

Nicholas has a focused practice advising businesses, founders and investors operating in the commercial space, satellite and space-technology sectors.

His work covers:

• UK regulatory and licensing strategy
• Satellite and orbital-operations issues
• Commercial agreements for space and satellite services
• Mission, technology-development and collaboration agreements
• Satellite data, intellectual property and data-commercialisation arrangements
• Risk allocation, liability and insurance considerations
• Corporate governance and investment into space-technology businesses
• Artificial intelligence, autonomy and cybersecurity in space systems
• Cross-border structuring and coordination of international legal advice
• Regulatory readiness for early-stage space ventures

Nicholas’s space-sector practice draws on his broader experience of regulated markets, financial services, digital assets, complex technology and international business operations. Where a matter requires specialist scientific, engineering or foreign-law input, he works with the appropriate technical and legal advisers to provide clients with coordinated advice.

Building Safety and Property Disputes

Nicholas maintains a substantial contentious building-safety and property practice. He acts for freeholders, developers, managing agents, leaseholder groups and tenants in disputes involving:

• The Building Safety Act 2022 and cladding remediation
• Remediation Orders
• Remediation Contribution Orders
• Building Liability Orders
• Leaseholder protections and landlord certificates
• Service charges and interim fire-safety measures
• Waking-watch, alarm-system and temporary safety costs
• Section 20 consultation and dispensation
• Deposit-protection disputes
• Rent Repayment Orders
• Complex landlord and tenant litigation

He acts on both sides of claims. This enables him to understand how liability arguments are constructed, anticipate opposing strategies and position clients effectively at an early stage.

His approach is to resolve matters commercially where possible while preparing from the outset for decisive litigation where necessary.

Nicholas is a solicitor of England and Wales and a solicitor in Ireland. He has approximately eight years’ post-qualification experience, together with earlier legal and commercial experience, and is undertaking further qualification as a barrister in England and Wales.

His professional background spans:

• Artificial intelligence and technology
• Digital assets and decentralised finance
• Capital markets and derivatives
• Investment funds and asset management
• Corporate governance
• International regulatory matters
• Property and building-safety litigation

Nicholas has worked with major international institutions including BlackRock, J.P. Morgan, Barclays and Simmons & Simmons.

Most recently, he served as Interim General Counsel and subsequently Deputy General Counsel of an institutional digital-assets business. In those roles, he advised senior management on regulatory strategy, governance, commercial arrangements, risk management and cross-border operations.

He has completed the London School of Economics programme in AI Law, Policy and Governance and writes on artificial intelligence, technology regulation, legal accountability and the future of legal services.

This combination of private-practice and in-house experience enables Nicholas to advise not only on what the law requires, but also on how legal advice will affect a client’s product, operations, financing, reputation and wider commercial strategy.

Nicholas is direct, pragmatic and outcome-focused. His priorities are:

• Identifying the real legal and commercial risks at an early stage
• Converting complex regulation into practical decisions
• Establishing strong strategic positioning before disputes escalate
• Building legal infrastructure that supports growth rather than obstructing it
• Resolving disputes efficiently where possible
• Litigating robustly where early resolution is not achievable

He is particularly suited to matters that sit between traditional legal categories or involve new technology, developing regulation, multiple jurisdictions or technically complex evidence.

Outside legal practice, Nicholas has a strong interest in artificial intelligence, space exploration, emerging technology and public policy. He also enjoys spending time with his young daughter, gardening, windsurfing, kitesurfing, scuba diving, hiking, rowing, gym training and Muay Thai.