About

Our Mission

Strategic advantage through specialist understanding.

The companies shaping the future face legal challenges at the nexus between technology, regulation, and national security. Export controls on dual-use technology. Government contracting in sensitive environments. Compliance regimes adapted for yesterday's technology, not tomorrow's.

These problems require more than legal expertise. They require an understanding of how customers, investors and regulators think about technology, risk, and strategic advantage -- and what that means for the teams building in these spaces.

We built Deeptech Legal to provide that understanding.

We work with technology companies in cyber, AI, space, quantum, and defence tech. Our background is in national security and export control. We know how these regimes work in practice, not just on paper.

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Our Founder

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Richard Hanstock

Richard is a specialist technology barrister with over a decade of experience, specialising in national security, export control and sensitive technology relationships.

His career has taken him from courtroom to boardroom, from a leading London chambers to senior legal and operational roles in Cheltenham, reserve legal officer at UK Space Command and sanctions counsel to FCDO. He is appointed to the Attorney General's list of specialist regulatory advocates and is published on a range of topics, including artificial intelligence, data protection and cybercrime.

Richard founded Deeptech Legal to serve emerging technology companies operating in the UK to secure strategic advantage at the frontier.

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Our Values

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Complexity doesn't have to be complicated.

We explain things to empower our clients to make informed decisions, not to demonstrate our knowledge. No jargon, no hedging, no long memoranda that bury the answer. You'll understand where you stand and what your options are.

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What needs to be heard, not what's easy to say.

Good advice sometimes means pushing back. We'd rather have an uncomfortable conversation early than watch you walk into a problem later. If we think you're wrong, we'll say so; respectfully, but clearly. Reciprocally, we create space for our clients to be candid with us, so we can learn and improve.

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Your mission is our mission.

We work with companies whose work we believe in: innovation that creates genuine value; technology that strengthens the UK's strategic position. We're not neutral observers billing by the hour; we're invested in your success.

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Understanding before advising.

The care our clients deserve begins with genuine interest in what they're building. We invest in understanding your technology, your market, and your priorities before we give advice. Through intellectual curiosity and professional rigour, we bring excellence and precision to everything we do.

Trust & Security

We safeguard your secrets.

Our clients operate in sectors where security isn't optional. State-sponsored IP theft, supply chain compromise, insider threats, foreign investment screening: these aren't abstract risks, they're part of our shared operating landscape.

We understand the threat environment our clients face, because we've worked in it.

Your legal adviser shouldn't be the weak link in your supply chain.

We've invested in our supply chain to help you to assure yours.

We take our responsibility to protect your information as seriously as you do. That's why we've undergone an independent audit of our information security posture, to standards set by the NPSA (part of MI5).

We're transparent about our posture so you can make informed decisions.

All clients benefit from our vigilant approach to security, reflected in our Cyber Essentials Plus certification. For clients who need it, we an enhanced service offering for the most sensitive matters, including PGP encrypted e-mail, use of codenames and pseudonyms in our advice and invoices, true third-party AI opt-out and access to our self-hosted E2EE communications platform.

We're not complacent.
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Our vigilance drives our commitment to continuous improvement in our security practices, with a programme of internal review and a roadmap towards further independent certification.

Law for the frontier.

We help technology companies navigate complexity, so they can focus on building what matters.

Strategic advantage through specialist understanding.

We built Deeptech Legal to provide that understanding.

We safeguard your secrets.

Your legal adviser shouldn't be the weak link in your supply chain.