Media: Film & TV

Reno Antoniades

Reno is managing partner of Lee & Thompson. He trained at the City firm Herbert Smith and spent the first two years of his career in their corporate department. It was at Olswang that he began his career in the film and television industries and in 1994 Reno joined Lee & Thompson where he has built up the film and television practice from a near standing start to where it is today. With 22 fee earners, the group is acknowledged as being the largest team of lawyers in the UK working in the creative audio-visual sector. Recognised for his extensive experience and ability to manage and close complex deals, Reno has, for many years, been acknowledged by the industry as one of the leading film and television content lawyers in the UK and represents an extensive list of independent film and television production companies.

Sean James

Sean is a partner and head of the Content Distribution and Transmission group, with a particular focus on the creation, acquisition, licensing and distribution of content via television, online, mobile and other digital platforms. Sean’s many years of experience provides a deep, end-to-end understanding of the commercial, contractual and regulatory issues that confront clients in this sector. Sean is also a director and co-founder of three European video-on-demand businesses and deals with all their content acquisition and platform/OTT regulatory and contractual requirements, as well as helping to formulate and develop their strategy.

Medwyn Jones

Medwyn is a partner specialising in television. Medwyn began acting for the UK independent television sector in the late 1980’s and continues to act for many of the leading television production companies, as well as for rights owners, writers, on-screen and production talent. He advises on all aspects of development, finance, production and distribution of television programmes, as well as sponsorship and broadcasting issues, and the exploitation of secondary and ancillary rights. Medwyn spent the first part of his career involved in UK and international corporate acquisitions and disposals before focusing on the television industry, and has been closely involved in a number of sales and acquisitions of television production companies.

Charles Moore

Charles is Wiggin’s Senior Partner. He specialises in all aspects of film and television production, finance and distribution and is widely regarded as one of the UK’s leading entertainment lawyers. Charles joined Wiggin in 2004 to establish the Film and TV Group. Prior to that, Charles was a studio executive at Paramount Pictures and Fox Searchlight Pictures in Los Angeles. Charles has an unmatchable list of film and TV clients, representing all of the US film studios, US TV networks and major cable companies, as well as many of the leading UK and European independent producers and distributors. During his career, Charles has been leading legal adviser on feature films such as Oscar-winners Schindler’s List, Braveheart and Shakespeare In Love and more recently has worked on feature films such as StarWars: The Force Awakens (Lucasfilm) and Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation (Paramount) and major TV productions such as The Game of Thrones (HBO) and 24: Live Another Day (Fox). Charles initiated the lobbying of the UK Government and played a leading role in the consultation process that resulted in the introduction of the UK TV High End Tax Credit. Charles was Executive Producer of films such as The History Boys, Venus, The Eagle and The Lady In The Van and established Wiggin EP to assist producers source funding and distribution for their projects.

Rachael Astin

Counsel

Blaise Gaymer

Senior Associate in the Media and Corporate and Commercial departments at Simons Muirhead & Burton LLP. Blaise advises clients on a broad range of commercial issues in the media and entertainment sector, primarily surrounding the development, production, distribution and exploitation of all forms of content, including feature films and television programmes in traditional media and on digital media networks. Her clients include production companies, publishers, artists, talent agents and photographers. She has particular experience in advising on the sale and acquisition of companies in the media space and investment arrangements for new companies.

Sarah Lazarides

Sarah is a Partner in the firm's Film & Television Group, specialising in development, production, financing and distribution work for major Hollywood movies, independent UK feature films and scripted and non-scripted television productions. Her recent film work incudes Universal’s Jurassic World Dominion, the first film to resume shooting in the UK following the outbreak of Covid-19, as well as Disney’s live action The Little Mermaid, Cats for Working Title and the Netflix film Rebecca starring Lily James and Armie Hammer. Sarah's recent TV credits include production work on the NBCU series Masters of None and advice on the HBO and Plan B series The Third Day starring Jude Law, as well as non-scripted Amazon show I Bought the Farm. Sarah also advises Jax Media, makers of Russian Doll, on all their UK developments. Sarah’s work for indies has included acting for Complete Fiction, Working Title, Neal Street and Big Talk As well as producers, Sarah frequently advises rights holders on their deals with production companies for film and television projects. This includes work for Michaela Coel, the real life Mangrove 9, Rebellion (owners of Judge Dredd and other titles), DC Thomson (owners of the Beano brand) and Middle Temple, which was a major location in the Netflix series Jack Ryan. Sarah also has extensive expertise in theatre and live events and has assisted on production legal aspects of various West End theatrical productions, including Wicked and War Horse.

Jennifer Parker

Jenny is a specialist Film and TV lawyer, recognised as a “Rising Star” by The Legal 500 (2020). She works with clients in connection with the creation, financing and exploitation of audiovisual content across all platforms. In addition to a broad range of development and production work (for both scripted and unscripted content, including documentaries), Jenny advises on high value, multi-jurisdictional film and TV financing transactions. Her work often includes international elements and/or complex rights issues, including arising from music and sport. Jenny is commended for delivering technical legal advice with a commercial and pragmatic approach. As well as speaking regularly at industry events, she has been appointed to advise on expert legal panels and in 2018 was shortlisted for a female leadership pipeline award. Recent credits include “Liam Gallagher: As It Was” and “SAS: Red Notice”. “Jenny Parker is a brilliant lawyer. Smart, collaborative, accessible, nice and also pragmatic.” Legal 500

Antony Swiatek

As a Partner in the firm’s Film, Television & Games Group, Antony advises leading independent producers and other talent-led production companies in connection with the development, financing, production and exploitation of a wide variety of film and television projects. Antony joined Lee & Thompson as an associate on qualification in September 2011, after an introduction to film financing transactions at Ingenious Media and 4 years as a film production liaison, then a trainee, at Olswang. Antony has extensive experience of UK independent feature film production as well as international co-productions involving countries across Europe, North America and Asia, and he also works closely with clients on high-end television projects and SVOD/streamer commissions. Over the last few years, Antony has developed a growing specialism in life rights adaptations and documentary projects, particularly those relating to the worlds of music and sport. Antony is a regular speaker at industry events and seminars, including training and mentoring for emerging producers via the James Walker Legacy Award, the National Film & Television School and Film London.

Razwana Akram

Partner - specialist in Finance and media, particularly film, TV and IP, some deals: advised Fred Berger (the producer of LA LA Land) on his latest film entitled “Teen Spirit.” She is one of Coutts’ external lawyers advising on finance matters. 

Euan Lawson

Partner

Nicki Parfitt

Nicki trained at the city firm Denton Hall and, after qualifying in 1993, spent two years in their media department specialising in publishing and libel law and also acting for a number of film and television production and distribution companies. In 1996, Nicki joined Pearson Television and became Head of Legal and Business Affairs for Pearson Television Productions in continental Europe and Latin America. In 1998, she was appointed as the Head of Legal and Business Affairs and a Board Director of Portman Entertainment Group (now Digital Rights Group). During this time Portman established itself as a prominent packager, executive producer and sales agent of international feature films and television drama programming and Nicki developed an expertise in the financing, production and distribution of high profile UK and international productions and co-productions. Nicki joined Lee & Thompson as a partner in April 2001. In 2006 she left to pursue another role as a director in the film sales sector and returned to the firm as a partner in 2011. She represents a number of financiers, sales agents and production companies. Her sales agency work is unique in that it is unprecedented for a private practice lawyer to have worked so extensively within the film sales sector as well as running  a film sales agency.

David Quli

David is a partner and specialises in media finance. He advises financiers, producers and distributors on all matters relating to the financing of the development, production and exploitation of films, television programmes, video games and music. In particular he advises on all production, financing and distribution documents including loan, security, completion guarantee, inter-creditor and distribution agreements and has extensive experience structuring complex international co-productions and financings (single picture, slate and library financings). David represents a number of the banks and funds active in the media sector.