Nick Watson

Nick advises financial services businesses, corporate service providers, trustees, aerospace manufacturers, importers/exporters, and retailers on UK Russia sanctions and export controls, including legal obligations, compliance programmes, due diligence, licensing, asset freezes, and prohibited dealings.

• Prepared and advised on due diligence programmes and standards relating to compliance with Russia sanctions and export controls.
• Prepared and advised on policies and procedures relating to compliance with the UK’s export controls regime.
• Prepared and advised on policies and procedures relating to compliance with the UK’s Russia sanctions regime.
• Provided detailed written advice on compliance with Russia sanctions, including asset freezes, prohibitions on distributions to/for the benefit of designated persons, questions of ownership and control, prohibitions relating to luxury goods, prohibitions covering specified services and persons “connected with” Russia, prohibitions on dealings in transferable securities, reporting obligations, and OFSI licensing regimes (including reliance on general licences and applications for specific licences).
• Analysed and advised on the categorisation of products under the Harmonised System (WTO), under the Common High Priority Items List, and in relation to classifications of items as civilian or as dual use.
• Considered associated government guidance and related Russia sanctions and export controls laws and regulations.

Nick advises professional services firms (including public relations (PR) and consulting), information, intelligence, and security businesses, retail, leisure and hospitality operators, and technology, and healthcare clients on the UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018, the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR), privacy notices, corporate policies, data retention, DPIAs, LIAs, SARs, data breaches, lawful bases, and training.

• Prepared bespoke privacy notices for a wide variety of businesses covering employees, contractors, websites, clients, customers, guests, and patients.
• Prepared corporate data protection policies and data retention and deletion (DRAD) policies and advised on associated issues relating to special categories of personal data and criminal records (convictions and offences).
• Made and responded to subject access requests (SARs/DSARs) received in general commercial contexts and in the context of disputes (particularly employment relationships – advising both employers and employees).
• Considered and advised on the applicability of various exemptions when making or receiving subject access requests (SARs/DSARs) including legal professional privilege and confidentiality, negotiations with the subject, confidential references, management forecasts/planning, and unlawful acts or dishonesty.
• Advised in relation to data breaches.
• Advised in relation to reliance on different lawful bases and analysed the applicability of different lawful bases in various contexts.
• Advised on legitimate interests as a lawful basis and on associated compliance steps as described in guidance issued by the Article 29 Working Party and the European Data Protection Board.
• Prepared and advised on Legitimate Interests Assessments (LIAs).
• Advised in relation to and carried out data protection impact assessments (DPIAs).
• Prepared and delivered a range of training modules and business briefings on compliance with and the practical implications of the UK GDPR and the Data Protection Act.
• Advised in relation to the relationship between rights arising under data protection laws, the law of defamation, professional regulation of solicitors, and SLAPPs (Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation).
• Assisted with the preparation and completion of records of processing.
• Completed the registration of a company under the EU:US Privacy Shield framework (forerunner to the EU-US Data Privacy Framework).

Nick advises technology, consultancy, investigations, intelligence, and security companies on anti-bribery and anti-corruption, gifts and hospitality, AML, tax evasion, insider trading, directors’ duties, and supplier risk management.

• Prepared and advised on policies and procedures covering anti-bribery and anti-corruption, gifts and hospitality, anti-money-laundering (AML), tax evasion, and insider trading / share dealing.
• Advised on directors’ duties and liability associated with corporate malfeasance and lack of adequate controls and procedures.
• Created and advised on policies for supplier, contractor, and subcontractor risk management, and on associated procedures to oversee their identification, vetting, selection, approval, and engagement (including reflecting related compliance and risk management issues).

Nick advises clients across multiple sectors, including technology, investigations and business intelligence, security, fashion, hospitality and leisure, and cyber, on ethics, standards, and conflicts of interest, creating codes of conduct, ethical action plans, safeguarding policies, and processes to identify, mitigate, and manage conflict risks effectively.

• Created and advised on the adoption of codes of ethics and standards of conduct, ethical risk, and standards of integrity.
• Devised and produced an ethical action plan for a consulting business in relation to client onboarding, operational standards and procedures, and project/task management.
• Created and advised in relation to safeguarding policies and procedures.
• Advised in relation to conflicts of interest and prepared policies, guidance, and processes for the avoidance, identification, and mitigation of risks associated with conflicts of interest.

Nick advises clients on governance and compliance, including board composition, committees, general counsel and internal audit roles, policy integration, and risk oversight, drawing on extensive experience and authorship in corporate governance.

• Advised numerous clients on governance and compliance frameworks including board composition, non-executive/independent directors, board and other committees (nomination, remuneration, audit, risk, ethics, conflicts, compliance), the role of general counsel, internal risk management/risk oversight roles, and internal audit function.
• Prepared and advised on a range of policies, procedures and controls.
• Advised boards, CEOs and non-executive directors on their duties and obligations, personal liability and exposure, and risk management.

Nick advises clients in the investigations and intelligence, security, technology, and manufacturing sectors on business continuity, crisis response, operational incidents, dawn raids, statutory notices, fatality/incident response, and continuity planning for security, intelligence, technology, and manufacturing sectors.

• Prepared and advised on business continuity plans, crisis response protocols / crisis management plans, so-called dawn raids, and associated policies, templates, communications, and processes .
• Supported businesses and individuals in the aftermath of terrorist attacks, RTIs (road traffic incidents) and other operational situations where fatalities or serious injuries were sustained or business continuity was threatened.
• Supervised interviews (including protecting the interests of the business and supporting affected personnel) conducted by external counsel concerning terrorist or kidnap incidents.
• Responded to statutory notices, demands and subpoenas issued by the SFO, the DoJ, the US courts, German police, and other authorities.

Nick has acquired deep insight advising clients in the security, business intelligence, and investigations sectors on risk management and security, including duty of care, legal and ethical risk mitigation, SOPs, insurance programmes, and global operational risk frameworks.

• Advised in relation to the duty of care owed to staff, contractors, and consultants in a range of situations, including personnel operating overseas and in hostile, exposed, or dangerous environments.
• Advised on legal and ethical risk mitigation in the security sector, including advice on RUF (rules on use of force), PIPs (post-incident procedures), and MOUs with sovereign military forces and police authorities.
• Supervised and negotiated insurance programmes and portfolios covering multiple jurisdictions and a wide range of operations.
• Advised on business expansion, including opening new offices and expanding into new jurisdictions across Europe, sub-Saharan Africa and MENA.
• Considered and advised on the business risks and legal obligations arising from new services and commercial operations.
• Drafted and advised on standard operating procedures (SOPs) for new or modified services and business operations.
• Conducted numerous on-site business risk assessments and risk reviews (legal and compliance, operational, finance, ethics, etc.) in Europe (including Russia) and Africa.
• Implemented risk management frameworks for commercial operations in MENA and sub-Saharan Africa.

Nick advises on domestic and international commercial agreements, framework and master services agreements, standard terms, supplier and contractor management, and preliminary commercial arrangements, including MSAs, SOWs, NDAs, MoUs, and complex partnership agreements.

• Advised on and negotiated a wide range of commercial agreements and relationships domestically and internationally on behalf of businesses in the security, public relations, cyber, engineering, investigations, and intelligence industries working with multinational corporations in the oil & gas, extractives, and technology sectors, the United Nations, the European Commission, the FCO / FCDO, sovereign wealth funds, and the EBRD, amongst others.
• Acted as fractional General Counsel to a major concierge / lifestyle services business.
• Produced MSAs and framework contracts for a broad range of professional consulting, security, and risk management services.
• Produced drawdown contracts such as statements of work (SOWs), purchase orders (POs), task orders (TOs), and call-off agreements.
• Produced standard terms and conditions of business for a variety of different businesses.
• Conducted gap and risk analyses assessing contractual and operational risks and exposures for a number of different services and businesses.
• Created a commercial contract playbook to help commercial colleagues negotiate standard terms and conditions of business.
• Prepared supplier, contractor, and subcontractor agreements.
• Provided preliminary agreements, including confidentiality agreements, NDAs, CDAs, memoranda of understanding, heads of terms, and heads of agreement (MoUs/HoTs).
• Produced specialist contracts relating to the provision of maritime security services (both armed and unarmed), mobile and static security (armed and unarmed), and governing relationships with sovereign military and police security forces.
• Responded to RFIs, RFPs, ITTs, and tenders for tasks and projects ranging in value from £5,000 to £25,000,000 and prepared accompanying written submissions, explanations of services, and summaries of policies, procedures, and SOPs.
• Advised on commercial partnerships, collaborations and introduction, referral, and commission arrangements with businesses spanning the public relations, insurance, medical, information security (InfoSec), financial analysis, logistics and litigation sectors.
• Supported and oversaw relationship initiation, management and winding down / termination.
• Oversaw due diligence into proposed business partners, contractors, subcontractors, suppliers and associates including related vetting procedures and ongoing management.
• Drafted memoranda for and delivered briefings to group and regional executive committees, group risk committee and board of directors regarding high-risk contracts, proposed new lease terms, captive insurance structures, local ownership requirements for overseas operations, and licensing and regulatory obligations.
• Advised on a wide range of issues concerning corporate growth and strategy.
• Advised on a range of legal and operational risks, including advice on triage and prioritisation.

Nick draws on extensive in-house experience from his time at a global power technology business and an international risk consultancy. He advises on legal risk and crisis management, and governance and compliance frameworks.

• Carried out legal and operational risk reviews across Europe and Africa for a specialist risk consultancy.
• Advised a business intelligence firm in relation to a complex data protection and defamation matter, including analysis of legal arguments, advising on risks, and negotiating the terms of settlement.
• Advised a global manufacturing business in relation to a health and safety investigation into an incident at one of its sites.
• Advised a specialist investigations business in relation to the UK’s Russia sanctions regime and reliance on OFSI’s general licence for legal services.
• Advised a lifestyle and concierge business on its exit from an under-performing franchise relationship.
• Advised a public relations (PR) consultancy on the negotiation of commercial terms with Middle East sovereign wealth-controlled entities including a property developer and an investment fund.
• Advised a security services consultancy on the negotiation of multiple contracts with Oil & Gas majors, technology giants, governments, and supra-national bodies.

Co-author of a new (in 2025) private company governance chapter in Practical Commercial Precedents

A speaker and writer on crisis management from a lawyer’s perspective – Practical Law Practice Notes, articles and interviews: “Crisis management for in-house lawyers”, “How to create a crisis management or business continuity plan that is fit for purpose” (video), and “The in-house lawyer’s role in successful crisis management” (the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) annual conference).