Of Counsel UK Head of Advertising and Marketing

Stuart Helmer is Of Counsel in the Intellectual Property team and head of the CMS London advertising and marketing group. He has over 15 years’ experience of advising a wide range of businesses on advertising and marketing compliance and disputes and is individually ranked for Advertising and Marketing by Chambers. Clients describe him as ”bloody fantastic … really, really pragmatic and an absolute lifesaver”.

Stuart frequently advises on comparative advertising disputes, including in major High Court litigation in relation to allegedly misleading comparative advertising. He also frequently advises on making and responding to complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority, where he has particular experience of late-stage interventions to reverse or mitigate a draft decision against his client. He also has extensive experience of implementing and operating day-to-day advertising clearance programmes.

Stuart’s transactional experience includes advising on the IP aspects of major M&A transactions, joint development agreements, university spin-outs, and complex licensing, manufacturing and supply arrangements, especially in the lifesciences sector. His disputes practice focuses on trade mark disputes, especially in relation to comparative advertising, where he has advised some of the UK’s biggest brands on protecting their brands from misleading advertising. In advertising and marketing, he advises some of the world’s biggest brand-owners on regulatory compliance and curtailing misleading advertising by competitors. 

2008 – Intellectual Property Diploma, Bristol University, Bristol. 2003 – Distinction, Legal Practice Course, College of Law, London. 2002 – Distinction (3rd in year), Postgraduate Diploma in Law, College of Law, London.