Dr Sam De Silva

Dr Sam De Silva is an award-winning Partner and Global Co-Head of the Commercial Practice Group at the leading international law firm, CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP. Based in the firm’s London office, Dr De Silva specialises in strategic technology and outsourcing projects, encompassing all forms of cloud computing (SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS), IT and business process outsourcing, system development and integration, software licensing, and service agreements. His expertise extends to advising on artificial intelligence, data protection, privacy, cybersecurity, and PCI DSS issues.

On the international stage, Dr De Silva has served as the UK representative on the EU Commission’s Expert Group on Cloud Computing Contracts and currently represents the UK on the IT Law Committee of the Bars and Law Societies of Europe (CCBE). He is on the Board of iTechLaw, an international association for technology law professionals, and was formerly on the Global Board of the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS). Nationally, he has chaired the Law Society of England and Wales Technology and Law Committee and served on the EU Committee. He is currently on the AI Law Committee of the City of London Law Society and the Technology Board of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales (ICAEW). Dr De Silva is a former elected Trustee of The Chartered Institute for IT (BCS) and a former member of its Council. He currently serves as the Chair of the BCS Legal Specialist Group.

Dr De Silva is a recognised authority in legal risk management, having co-convened an ISO Working Group that developed the pioneering ISO Standard on the Management of Legal Risk (ISO 31022). His contributions earned him the BSI Standards Makers Award in 2019 for “Representing the UK.” In 2020, he was honoured with the Risk Management Champion Award at the 11th annual CIR Risk Management Awards and the “Social Programme of the Year” category at the Global Sourcing Association UK Awards for Best Practice in Strategic Sourcing 2020/21. He was also a finalist for Solicitor (Private Practice) at the Law Society Excellence Awards 2020 and won the Governance Champion of the Year at The Chartered Governance Institute Awards in 2021.

Sam is consistently recognised as a leading individual in the Legal 500 and Chambers & Partners directories and has been honoured with Lexology’s Client Choice Awards for Data Privacy & Protection in the UK in 2021, 2024, and 2025. In addition to being a qualified English solicitor, Dr De Silva is also a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand and a Solicitor of the Supreme Court of New South Wales, Australia. He is listed in the Who’s Who of Information Technology 2025, Who’s Who of Data Privacy and Protection 2025, and the Who’s Who of Data Security 2025 as both a Global Leader and Thought Leader in these areas of law.

Publications: Sam has written for a variety of journals and magazines, including Financier Worldwide, Law360, Risk and Compliance, Board Agenda, OneTrust Data Guidance, Lexology Pro, Digital Business Lawyer, E-Commerce Law and Policy, Biometrics Technology Today, Procurement & Outsourcing Journal, ITNow, Pharmacy Management, Supply Management, Computer Law Review International (CRi), Marine Trader, Chartech, E-Finance & Payments Law & Policy, Governance & Compliance, Professional Outsourcing, Commonwealth Law Bulletin, Financial Technology News and Computer and Telecommunications Law Review.

He has authored chapters in The Handbook of Board Governance (3rd edition, Wiley), The Risk Management Handbook (2nd edition, Kogan Page), The LegalTech Book (Wiley), A Practical Guide to IT Law (3rd edition, BCS), Commercial Law Practice: An Expert Guide (Wilmington plc), Cloud Computing Service and Deployment Model: Layers and Management (IGI Global), Outsourcing Management for Supply Chain Operations and Logistics (IGI Global), Free and Open Source Enterprise Resource Planning: Systems and Strategies (IGI Global), Investigating Cyber Law and Cyber Ethics: Issues, Impacts and Practices (IGI Global), Innovations in SMEs and Conducting E-Business: Technologies, Trends and Solutions (IGI Global), and Information Communication Technology Law, Protection and Access Rights (IGI Global).