Media: Theatre, publishing and other media

Neil Adleman

Neil is Head of the firm's Theater Group. He advises clients in the theatre and live performance industries, particularly on securing rights, production arrangements, financing and related issues.

Keith Mathieson

Partner

Henry Sainty

Henry is head of the media, entertainment and technology group. He specialises in significant and complex commercial work, with a particular focus on the exploitation of IPR, but also in the related fields of IT and information law (including data protection and freedom of information).

Mark Stephens

Specialising in international, appellate and complex litigation,  Mark Stephens has undertaken some of the highest profile cases in the country and abroad. Mark is a solicitor with an expertise in constitutional, human rights, IP, media and regulatory work, defamation, privacy, media, art and cultural property, data protection and freedom of information, trusts litigation, intellectual property and international arbitration disputes. Mark has created a niche in international comparative media law and regulation. He acts in judicial reviews, Privy Council cases- Ultimate Appeal Court for parts of the Commonwealth, as well as, regulatory cases and inquiries. Mark practices before every level of court in England and Wales and also abroad before international tribunals and courts. He is also a Privy Council agent regularly working with a range of overseas lawyers. Mark is a qualified mediator. He can also assist clients in jurisdictions outside of the UK and has been retained by a number of governments to advise and to represent their interests including, Republic of Cyprus, Jamaica, Libya, Mauritius, and the Russian Republic. He has been appointed by the Foreign Secretary to the FCO Free Expression advisory board and the Lord Chancellor to be a Champion for the Community Legal Service. Mark became board chair of Internews Europe, an international charity dedicated to freedom of expression and trusted media in 2018. Mark chairs a number of bodies including, Internews, the Management Committee of the Programme in Comparative Media Law and Policy Wolfson College, Oxford Centre for Socio Legal Studies and the Bianca Jagger Human Rights Foundation. He is former chair of the Contemporary Art Society, Global Network Initiative, Global Witness the University of East London the Design Artists Copyright Society. And former President of the Commonwealth Lawyers Association. Mark is responsible for innovating the Business & Human Rights portfolio of Cygnet Healthcare in his role as Non-Executive Director. Cygnet is the UK arm of UHS, the largest and most respected healthcare provider in the USA, and provides a wide range of services for individuals with mental health needs, autism and learning disabilities within the UK. He additionally sits on the board as a Trustee of Index of Censorship, the Bianca Jagger Human Rights Foundation, Commonwealth Lawyers Association and Council of the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute and Human Dignity Trust. Mark regularly appears in print, on radio and television. Mark also lectures at Universities and Higher Education Institutions around the world. Mark has contributed to seven books, Miscarriages of Justice: a review of justice in error (1999), International Libel and Privacy Handbook all four editions (2005), (2009), (2013), (2016) published by Bloomberg Press, La Presunción de Inocenicia Y Los Juicios Paralelos (2013) published by Wolters Kluwer (Spain) for the Fundación Fernando Pombo/Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo., Media Law & Ethics in the 21st Century (2014) published by Palgrave MacMillan, This is not a book about Gavin Turk (2014) published by Trolley Books, Media Law and Policy in the Internet Age (2016) published by Hart an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing, Media Law International (3rd Edition) - Specialist Guide for Global Leaders in Media Law Practice (2016) published by Media Law International. He is also on the editorial boards of Communications Lawyer, Copyright World and European Intellectual Property Review.

Duncan Calow

JJ Shaw

Managing Associate: JJ is a Managing Associate in the Digital, Commerce and Creative team, with a particular focus on the sports business, media & entertainment and technology sectors. Sports business  JJ advises clients in the sports industry on a broad spectrum of legal and commercial issues, from both an advisory and contractual perspective. Key areas of specialism include sponsorship (having advised on a number of deals for Premier League and EFL shirt sponsorship), broadcast and media deals, player image rights, fan tokens and the collection and commercialisation of player data. Media & Entertainment  JJ advises major publishers, podcast creators, agencies, talent, advertisers, game developers and digital platforms on a variety of commercial issues that impact the media and entertainment sector. This includes talent deals; brand partnerships; content licensing and media rights deals; advertising & marketing; video game development; broadcast and platform content regulation; and gambling regulation. Commercial & Technology  JJ specialises in advising on emerging technologies, particularly Generative AI (such as ChatGPT) and those relating to Web 3.0 (such as NFTs, the Metaverse and blockchain). He also regularly negotiates and drafts a range of commercial contracts, including contracts in respect of IP licensing; SaaS and other software services; media buying; outsourcing; franchising & distribution; sponsorship; advertising and marketing; and creative services agreements.

Alan Hunt

Partner: Alan is a partner in the Commercial team specialising in the drafting and negotiation of commercial and technology contracts and the development, protection and exploitation of intellectual property assets.He is Deputy Co-Head of the firm's Media & Entertainment group and Co-founder of our network for decision makers of luxury, lifestyle and premium brand businesses – The Collective by Lewis Silkin. He advises clients across a broad range of sectors, but in particular those in media, technology, retail, entertainment, fashion, luxury and advertising. Alan advises on a wide range of commercial and technology matters. Contract drafting and negotiation, and IP protection and exploitation, are at the core of his practice.Alan regularly assists clients with: the negotiation of commercial arrangements including agency and distribution deals, collaborations and partnerships, outsourcing, complex services arrangements, terms of sale and supply, franchise and concession agreements, and e-commerce and goods to market solutions complex technology contracts from software, platform and technology development and licensing to systems integration, managed services and cloud based solutions IP and rights heavy deals such as sponsorship, brand partnerships, acquisitions, merchandising and licensing, endorsement and talent arrangements, and content creation strategic commercial business decisions consumer and data protection law compliance

Elizabeth Morley

Elizabeth Morley is a dispute resolution solicitor with a broad practice spanning international, commercial, media and human rights matters. Liz advises clients across a wide range of commercial litigation and cross-border disputes, with a particular focus on the media sector. She regularly acts for clients on all aspects of media law, including high profile defamation and privacy actions. Her practice also covers reputation and brand-related issues, including contentious intellectual property matters, as well as, data protection and regulatory matters.  Liz often takes on complex matters for clients, which include freedom of expression and human rights issues. She has worked on cases before various domestic and international courts and tribunals, including the European Court of Human Rights and the UN Committee for the Elimination of Discrimination against Women.  She also acts for clients in cases on appeal before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council.

Erica Crump

Partner

Shireen Peermohamed

Shireen is a Partner advising on intellectual property and publishing. She specialises in the resolution of disputes relating to brands, content and technology, as well as advising on their protection and exploitation. She also advises clients on publishing related agreements and disputes. She acts for clients in a diverse range of industries including publishing, theatre, film, TV, music, advertising, interactive entertainment, automotive, retail and leisure and fashion.

Martin Soames

Partner

Jeremy Summers

Jeremy is a consultant within Lewis Silkin’s Media & Entertainment team. He has wide-ranging IP expertise on both contentious and non-contentious matters across a number of sectors, with a particular focus on sports, music, sponsorship, theatre, major events and computer games. His experience includes working in-house on the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, acting for a sponsor of a leading Formula 1 team, and advising on all legal matters relating to a globally-renowned hit Australian musical. Over the course of his more than twenty-year career, he has advised on more than US$1bn in sponsorship deals for some of the world’s most renowned brands and organisations. Jeremy sits on the steering committee of the Henley Business School MBA for Music and the Creative Industries. Jeremy is dual qualified in New South Wales, Australia and England and Wales.