ACK Media Law LLP

ACK Media Law is a boutique media practice which acts for high-calibre clients.

The firm: Established in June 2008, ACK Media Law is a niche practice with extensive specialist media experience. It consists of two partners, two assistants and paralegals, and acts for broadcasters, publishers, and film and television producers . It regularly advises on reputation management and copyright issues, and clients include such names as Fifty Shades Limited; Associated Newspapers; Studio Lambert; and Music and Entertainment Rights Licensing Network Limited;

Types of work undertaken

Brand licensing and merchandising: ACK Media Law aims to help clients get the most from their intellectual property rights, whether by assisting in relation to their exploitation or affording the legal protection to protect or enforce rights.

Content clearance: the firm’s experienced media litigation team advises on all pre-publication legal clearance issues, including defamation and malicious falsehood; intellectual property; privacy and breach of confidence; and compliance with the relevant regulatory codes including the OFCOM code.

Contracts: the firm drafts contracts involving intellectual property rights, including copyright assignments and licences, film, TV, publishing and merchandising agreements. It also advises on contractual disputes.

Data Protection Act and Freedom of Information Act: ACK Media Law has experience in conducting reviews of clients’ data processing in order to ensure that they have the correct procedures in place to comply with the Data Protection Act; and advising in relation to data protection notices on marketing material. It advises on investigations and requests for information.

Defamation and malicious falsehood: the firm is a leading practitioner in defamation law. It helps individuals and companies to protect their reputations, and publishers, broadcasters and others to avoid and resolve complaints brought against them. ACK Media Law represents both claimants and defendants.

Intellectual property: ACK Media Law regularly advises on a wide range of intellectual property matters including copyright; passing off; trade marks; domain name disputes; image rights and endorsement; database rights; publishing rights including electronic rights; and protecting client brands. It acts for individuals such as artists, musicians, authors, photographers and playwrights who wish to exploit and protect their own intellectual property rights.

Litigation: the media litigation team acts in high-profile intellectual property disputes including copyright, passing off and trade mark infringement, often involving multi-jurisdictional issues. It represents clients in alternative dispute resolution, in particular at mediations.

Media dispute resolution: the firm acts for media organisations and individuals in all types of media-related disputes. Examples include media contractual disputes involving TV licences, production agreements, directors’ contracts; general contract matters; ADR (such as mediation and arbitration); injunctions; debt collection matters; intellectual property disputes; and internet disputes

Reputation management: ACK Media Law’s media litigation team is experienced at acting for individuals and organisations that need to take urgent action to protect their reputation or privacy. The firm advises on injunctions to prevent publication where appropriate and works closely with PR advisers to ensure that clients’ reputations are protected and strengthened in every possible way.