UK technology-focused boutique ClearCube Law has formally launched following the firm’s four founding partners all completing transitions from their previous roles.
The London-based firm was founded in September 2025 by Alison Berryman and Matt Cunningham, with Anna Ward and Juliet Nutland joining later, ahead of the official launch.
All the partners had worked together at IP and IT boutique Waterfront Law. Each of them then went their separate ways – Cunningham to an in-house head of legal role at Hack The Box after 18 years at Waterfront, while Berryman, who headed Waterfront’s technology team, left in 2021 after 17 years, moving to leadership roles at two start-up law firms, Stephenson Law and Biztech Law.
Nutland moved in-house to data company Xceptor, then went to another boutique firm, Law 365, before joining ClearCube Law. Ward moved to Mishcon de Reya, where she was a managing associate, and then to Biztech Law.
Each partner brings distinct expertise in key areas for tech SMEs; together, they cover venture capital and M&A, commercial contracts, data protection and privacy, intellectual property, technology regulation and corporate governance.
Berryman advises technology businesses on commercial contracts, data protection and regulatory matters, including leading negotiations with enterprise customers and conducting data protection compliance reviews.
Cunningham advises on venture capital, private equity and M&A transactions, including advising Bohr and Trybe on investment rounds and acting for Marathon VC and Genesis VC on various early-stage investments.
Ward specialises in intellectual property and commercial matters, including supporting Hack the Box on an outsourced in-house basis, while Nutland brings in-house, regulatory and commercial contracts experience, including advising businesses such as True Brands and General Index on a variety of matters.
ClearCube's tech sector clients include founders and leadership teams without internal legal departments, sole in-house counsel needing support and larger legal teams facing gaps in technology, data or IP expertise.
Berryman said: “Our clients don’t need a traditional law firm with high overheads and lengthy, detailed memos; they need experienced and flexible lawyers who understand their business and can act quickly when it matters. That’s what we’ve built.
“Template tools and low-cost platforms have their place, but tech businesses navigating funding, IP or complex contracts need real expertise behind them, people who can spot the questions they didn’t know they needed to ask. [We] provide experienced specialists, working directly with clients, without the overhead or the opacity that often comes with bigger firms.”
The move was driven by a clear view of the market gap they wanted to serve. Berryman explained: “We’d talked about setting up our own firm on and off for over a decade. Over time, it became clear that the traditional law firm model wasn’t well suited to the kinds of clients we enjoy working with – particularly tech start-ups and scale-ups.”
She added: “At our former firm, as it evolved, the focus shifted more towards larger corporate clients and IP litigation. That inevitably changed how [it] positioned itself, and it became harder to maintain a clear, consistent offering for early-stage and scaling businesses.”
After gaining experience elsewhere, the partners felt ready to launch. “We had a much clearer idea of what our clients actually need and respond to,” said Berryman, adding: “It felt like the right time to bring that together under our own brand.”
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