Media and creative industries

With long-standing experience of advising across the media, entertainment and creative industries, our multi-disciplinary team provides innovative solutions to both businesses and individuals. By leveraging the firm’s well-known strengths in the technology sector, our lawyers are able to advise clients on the latest developments in this evolving market, where new technology and traditional forms of media and entertainment intersect.

Legal solutions for the media and tech sectors

Our diverse practice group has stand-out expertise spanning advertising; film and TV; music; publishing; theatre and the performing arts; gaming and interactive entertainment; and social media. Whenever circumstances demand, we provide detailed, industry-focused advice across commercial, intellectual property, corporate, dispute resolution, employment, immigration, reputation management, and property. Additionally, we offer bespoke training sessions addressing emerging trends and legal issues.

Passionate about the sector, our experts take pride in ensuring clients receive the most effective and pragmatic advice on all the challenges they face, from brand protection and contract disputes to the impact of artificial intelligence and blockchain technology in the creative industries, as well as the evolution of well-established and developing platforms across all forms of digital and print media.

Our media lawyers act for production companies, film studios, television networks, publishers , actors, theatres, dancers, musicians, record labels, music schools, computer games developers and social media companies. The team’s clients range from household names to disruptive start-ups and those who are just beginning to forge a name for themselves. This diversity makes us uniquely well-placed to understand the wider industry, spotting trends and horizon scanning for issues that could affect our clients.

For creative professionals and artists, we take a holistic approach providing legal support across all aspects of life and career, including visas and immigration applications (for short-term projects such as location filming, music festivals and music tours as well as permanent relocations), family advice (including prenups, international surrogacy and adoption), brand management and protection, reputation management, contractual disputes, international tax planning and wealth management.

The lawyers in the team are all extremely knowledgeable which allows them to thoroughly assess a situation and provide top notch advice.

Ranked by both Chambers UK and Legal 500, our media lawyers are described as ‘an impressive group’, ‘seasoned media professionals’ and ‘easy to deal with at all levels’. They will always bring their knowledge and experience of the industry to bear in devising a one-stop solution, however complex a matter may be.

We recognise the global nature of our sector and actively leverage our international offices and connections, which have been cultivated through our involvement in Multilaw and the European Law Group. This enables us to efficiently obtain and coordinate legal advice across various jurisdictions.

How we help our clients

Immigration advice for production companies, film studios, agents and talent

Sponsorship, merchandising and endorsement agreements for brands, media and talent

Advice on advertising issues, including those arising with the ASA, Ofcom and the CMA

Trade marks, image rights and brand protection

Employment contracts and service agreements, including with talent and creatives

Dispute resolution across all aspects of the media and creative sector

Property issues for production companies, publishers and film studios

Reputation management and privacy

Domestic and cross-border acquisitions and disposals and general corporate finance

Copyright licence, author publishing and editor agreements, including open access licensing

Data protection and GDPR requirements

Digital publishing, including subscriptions, cloud based services and technology driven by Web3

Distribution studio and video contents concept

Microphone in conference room to communicate to the audience

Their response time to requests for support and advice is almost immediate, and they are always supported with options and alternative approaches.

Responsible. Timely. Great knowledge. Ensures results.

Recent work highlights

Immigration support for musicians

Working with several musicians and their agents/managers on various matters ranging from Global Talent applications to shorter term visas, for instance for UK tours. Recently, we helped a musician exceptionally re-instate his visa after he had inadvertently allowed it to expire.

Acquisition of iconic record label

Advising the purchasers of a well-known record label on their multi-million pound acquisition. The deal, involving bank and equity funding, included seven UK group companies and an overseas subsidiary, with significant funds committed to the label’s future development.

West End creative worker sponsorship

Assisting a well-known theatre production company with the coordination of creative worker sponsorship for British and US casts and crews, to allow for collaboration between them and to enable joint-rehearsals for the seamless transfer of London’s West End plays to Broadway.

K-pop band trade mark enforcement

Advising South Korean company Bighit Entertainment on registering and enforcing the UK and EU trade mark rights of the world-famous K-pop boy band BTS and a number of other acts.

Guidance on NFT publishing platform

Advising a German publisher on its NFT platform which makes it possible to publish, buy, trade and collect NFT books and other literary works as digital originals. We provided regulatory guidance and advised on the platform terms of use.

Training for production companies

Delivering ‘Respect in the Workplace’ training sessions to the casts and crews across a number of production companies, with a focus on the prevention of discrimination, harassment and bullying.

Influencer social media post advice

Advising on whether influencers’ social media posts comply with the Advertising Standards Authority’s marketing and advertising codes (CAP and BCAP).

TV production contract dispute

Acting for a television production company in a dispute over a production agreement concerning content standards and payment of substantial sums.