Toomas Seppel

Toomas specializes in law pertaining to the technology industries. He is working with various start-ups, gaming, FinTech, e-commerce, and SaaS companies.

Within the technology industry, he advises on EU laws concerning software-based services, implementation of new technologies, and expansion into new business markets. He also covers matters related to companies with crypto-based business models and tokenization projects.

Toomas takes a proactive stance on the current concern with privacy and data laws, advising companies on the building of products and services that comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Since 2018, he is the founder of GDPR Register, a legal tech company providing software for GDPR compliance.

In music industry law, he advises all participants in the industry, including publishers, labels, artists, composers, and managers. The focus extends to contract law matters and copyrights for Estonia’s most acclaimed artist. The principal part of his work in film industry law relates to financing models, contractual matters, image rights, and rights clearance.

He actively mentors startup companies through Prototron, Climate Launchpad, and Tehnopol programs – all key players in the Estonian start-up ecosystem. He is also frequently recommended by Chambers Europe, IFLR1000, and The Legal500.

Expertise

• Intellectual Property
• Data Protection
• Information Technology
• Regulatory and New Business Models
• Blockchain & Crypto
• Dispute resolution

Professional experience

2019- Hedman Law Firm, partner
2017-2019 Hedman Partners Attorneys-at-Law, attorney-at-law
2012-2017 Hedman Partners Attorneys-at-Law, attorney
2008-2012 Estonian Film Foundation, legal advisor examining contracts
2004-2012 Author’s Compensation Fund Foundation, councilor
2002-2012 Estonian Ministry of Culture, adviser of Media and Copyright Department
2005-2007 Phare program 2002/000-579.03.01 “Enforcement of EU Intellectual and Industrial Property Legislation”, project manager
2004- Lector of intellectual property in different universities
2001-2002 Tallinn’s  Circuit Court, adviser

Success stories

• Advising SMI Group OÜ (Aufort) in their global gold tokenization operations
• Advising Electricview on establishing the legal framework for a new business model
• Advising GoSwift on developing a comprehensive licensing model
• Advising Cocone’s European subsidiary in the application for a virtual currency services license
• Advising crypto exchange aggregator Bitsgap
• Advising the Estonian film heritage streaming platform Arkaader
• Advising the North Estonian Regional Hospital on personal data protection matters
• Advising Haut.AI in establishing a partnership with Ulta Beauty
• Advising MTÜ Filmi Esmasalvestuse Tootjate Ühing
• Advising Talent Protocol in the launching of a web3 tokenisation platform
• Advising Admiral Markets Group AS on its acquisition of 100% of shares in Moneyzen OÜ
• Represented the Ministry of Justice in a dispute with various Estonian authors’ and performers’ societies;
• Advising Bolt in acquiring investment from Didi Chuxing

Education

1997-2002 Institute of Law, University of Tartu, BA

Membership

2013- Estonian Bar Association
2011-2013 Ministry of Justice’s working group on codified intellectual property

Languages

Estonian, English, Russian

Personal

Toomas devotes some of his time to lecturing at the Estonian Academy of Arts and at the Georg Ots Tallinn Music College on intellectual property and copyrights.