Phil Robbins
Consultant
- Mobile +44 (0) 07400 686 220
Phil Robbins has unique experience of UK and Western governments, having been a deep specialist in the UK government for more than 20 years. Amongst other things, he developed the UK Government’s understanding of the legal and compliance framework for offensive and defensive cyber activities. This was long before ‘cyber’ became a household term, and his work enabled the capabilities that the UK prizes today.
Phil has advised at COBRA during crises, and regularly briefed senior officials, Secretaries of State and Attorneys General. He played a central role in the creation and implementation of the Investigatory Powers Act 2016 and related compliance regime. Internationally, he has represented the UK at numerous summits, conferences and meetings discussing the international legal framework for cyber.
In 2019, Phil left government to advise the growing number of companies seeking to develop ground-breaking cyber security, defence and intelligence capabilities for industry and government. Phil’s advice is particularly attractive to innovators looking for the pragmatic and commercially astute advice required to bring disruptive technology and services to global markets.
Phil advises on matters such as:
-
- helping tech start-ups and scale-ups grow and prepare for investment/acquisition
- commercialising cyber capabilities (active and defensive)
- Intelligence as a Service inc. data collection, processing, enrichment and international transfers
- the implications of operating across international borders and legal paradigms
- computer misuse, interception, communications offences and the overlay of Public International Law, Human Rights Law and the Law of Armed Conflict
- challenges and opportunities created by advances in Artificial Intelligence
Qualified in 1999, Phil is a Higher Court Advocate (Criminal), has a LLM and a MSc(Econ) in Public Policy and Implementation. He sits on the Advisory Board of Washington College of Law’s Tech, Law & Security Program, is a visiting academic at Cranfield University and a participant in the UK NCSC’s i100.