Morrison Foerster Bolsters Market-Leading Technology and Transactions Credentials with Triple Partner Addition Including Mike Pierides, Will Holder, and Oliver Bell

Morrison Foerster, a leading global law firm, is pleased to announce the addition of three partners, Mike Pierides, Will Holder, and Oliver Bell, adding significant strength and depth to the firm’s global, cross‑border technology transactions credentials. Collectively, they bring over 55 years of experience bolstering the firm’s capabilities in tech-focused M&A, complex technology transactions, outsourcing, and digital transformation.

Pierides joins Morrison Foerster as partner with a broad practice that adds further depth to the firm’s premier technology bench. He brings extensive experience across technology and commercial transactions, advising on major outsourcings, data privacy and cybersecurity, strategic restructurings, “GPU-as-a-service” transactions and technology-mandates transactions such as licensing and “as-a-service” arrangements. Pierides advises clients across numerous innovative industries and sectors including AI, data centers, financial services and fintech, aviation, and telecommunications.

Holder arrives as partner with a tech and media-focused M&A practice spanning public and private M&A, joint ventures, private equity and portfolio company transactions, and general corporate matters. He advises clients, including global companies, asset managers, and private equity houses, on their strategically important, cross‑border transactions across the consumer, sports, media, fintech and technology sectors, with particular experience representing clients in the music and fintech subsectors.

Bell will join Morrison Foerster as partner in the coming weeks. His practice focuses on technology-led transactions, large-scale IT outsourcing and data center-focused mandates. He advises global clients on the full outsourcing life cycle, from initial scoping of requirements to negotiation, completion, and day-to-day contract management, while also representing clients in the disaggregation of and exit from complex agreements, technology-related M&A, and data privacy and cybersecurity. Bell represents clients across numerous industries, including technology, data centers, financial services, aviation, leisure, retail, automotive, and the public sector.

“Technology is at the heart of everything we do at Morrison Foerster,” said Chair Eric McCrath. “Welcoming Mike, Will, and Oliver reflects our continued investment in our core tech M&A and technology transactions capabilities, and builds on the firm’s broader growth across key sectors including AI, fintech, and data centers. Together, these additions strengthen our cross-border platform and our ability to advise clients on their most complex, technology-driven mandates.”

“Our global Technology Transactions practice sits squarely at the intersection of technology, AI, data, and intellectual property, and adding Mike, Will, and Oliver enhances this offering for our clients,” said Andrew Boyd, Morrison Foerster’s London office managing partner. “Mike and Oliver add further strength and depth to our premier London Technology Transactions Group, supporting our key client relationships and playing a substantial role in some of the firm’s most complex, technology-driven mandates. Will brings nearly three decades of experience representing clients active in technology, music, and sports in their most critical and sophisticated M&A matters. We see synergies between their practices and the firm’s core strengths, and we are excited to welcome our new colleagues to the firm.”

Pierides, Holder, and Bell represent the eighth, ninth, and tenth partner additions in London in the last 12 months, following the arrivals of Susana Cao Miranda as a Complex Litigation partner (March 2026), Freddie Schwier as a Tax partner (January 2026), Private Equity partners Eleanor Shanks (November 2025) and David D’Souza (July 2025), Leveraged Finance partner Ambarish Dash (July 2025), and Joshua Kaplan and Dan Jones as Fintech and Financial Services partners (October 2025). Their arrivals also follow the firm’s most recent global partner promotions round, during which Jenny Galloway and Luke Rowland were promoted to the partnership in London in the Investigations + White Collar and M&A practices, respectively. In addition, Morrison Foerster opened its 19th office globally in Seattle, a critical market for technology and regulated industries, in February 2026.

“MoFo’s incredible depth and top-class credentials in technology, AI, data centers, and fintech, and leadership on some of the world’s biggest AI industry deals over the last two years, were draws for me,” said Pierides. “There are great synergies between my practice and the firm’s global platform, and I look forward to introducing clients to the firm’s top-class Technology Group. MoFo is focused on strategic growth in London, welcoming 10 partners over the last 12 months alone, and I am pleased to have joined at such an exciting time, further growing the firm’s London presence and expanding our existing, top-tier credentials in technology.”

“Morrison Foerster’s reputation for tech M&A, with clients operating at the cutting edge, is second to none,” said Holder. “The firm prides itself on advising the world’s blue-chip technology companies and premier entertainment, media, and music platforms, on deals that routinely end up on the ‘front pages.’ I see significant alignment between the firm’s strengths and my practice—and look forward to working with colleagues around the world and connecting clients to MoFo’s best‑in-class tech M&A platform.”

“MoFo’s reputation across technology, AI, and other innovative industries made it a compelling proposition for me and the team,” said Bell. “I look forward to working closely with colleagues across the firm’s platform globally to further grow the practice, as well as to working alongside the world’s top tech companies to help deliver their business‑critical mandates, on which Morrison Foerster regularly plays the leading role.”

Both Pierides and Bell join Morrison Foerster from a U.S.-headquartered global law firm, where Pierides was deputy leader of its technology, outsourcing, and commercial group. Pierides holds an LL.B. from the University of Manchester, completed his LPC with the College of Law, and is admitted to practice in England and Wales. He is frequently ranked across major legal directories and rankings and is a regularly published thought leader in technology. Bell holds an LL.B. (Hons) from the University of East Anglia, completed his LPC with the College of Law, and is admitted to practice in England and Wales. Holder joins Morrison Foerster from another global law firm, where he was a partner. He holds a B.A. from the University of Manchester, completed his legal studies at the College of Law, Guildford, and is admitted to practice in England and Wales. Holder is regularly ranked in major legal directories and rankings, including as a leading individual for TMT.