Alex Lawrence-Archer

Alex works on advisory and contentious matters at the intersection of data protection/privacy law, public law, AI and new technologies.

Notable instructions have included:

• Bringing claims against AI foundation model operators, including acting for claimants who have filed proceedings against xAI (the company behind the Grok AI system), on data protection and misuse of private information grounds.
• Advising clients on both enforcing and complying with the Online Safety Act, including reconciling regulatory duties with commitments to encryption.
• Bringing claims in relation to the private sector use of facial recognition technology.
• Securing a widely-reported apology and rectification for a UK journalist inaccurately categorised as a ‘vaccine sceptic’ by UK government surveillance.
• Advising public policy clients and parliamentarians on reforms to platform regulation and data protection, including drafting amendments.
• Drafting keynote reports on AI regulation for thinktanks the Ada Lovelace Institute and Connected by Data.
• Advising a major web browser provider on approaches to more privacy-preserving advertising attribution and their response to regulatory complaints under the GDPR and ePrivacy Directive.
• Bringing regulatory challenges to the infringement of workers’ data rights in the gig economy and performing arts, in particular in relation to the use of generative AI.
• Advising the Serpentine Gallery on a significant generative AI project blending novel approaches to artistic creation and the empowerment of individuals.

Alex has experience across civil and public law litigation procedure including:

• Bringing applications for judicial review.
• Costs budgeting and case management in multi-track High Court litigation.
• First-tier Tribunal (Information Rights) proceedings.
• Making successful applications for anonymity and reporting restriction orders in the High Court.
• Advising on the defence of civil claims under the UK GDPR.

Prior to joining AWO, Alex was Chief Operating Officer of the UK Government’s Centre for Data Ethics and Innovation, where he influenced significant policy developments in AI ethics and established a team focused on understanding public attitudes to AI. He also previously helped lead London-based insure-tech startup Brolly as Chief Operating Officer and in-house counsel. Earlier in his career Alex worked as a litigator at Linklaters LLP. He holds a Graduate Diploma in Law with distinction from the University of the West of England and a first-class B.A. in Economics from Durham University.

He is a member of the legal panel for LawforChange, a fund focused on taking legal actions in the public interest. He also sits as a magistrate in the family court.

Alex regularly speaks at events and delivers trainings on the law relating to privacy, surveillance and artificial intelligence.