Clintons

Clintons is an award winning boutique law firm, based in Covent Garden in Central London. It specialises in representing clients in the entertainment, media, creative, digital, marketing and sports industries. It provides a full and personal service to businesses, entrepreneurs and high-net-worth individuals working in these and wider commercial fields.

Types of work undertaken
Music: music is a fundamental part of Clintons’ practice and has been since the firm’s foundation over 50 years ago. Clintons has helped shape today’s music industry through its clients and the transactions and cases with which it has been involved.

Theatre: the firm’s lawyers are involved in leading productions in the UK and around the world on a regular basis, representing theatrical producers in relation to UK and overseas productions, and preparing contracts with all creative elements, theatres, investors and exploiters of subsidiary rights. Clintons also represents a large number of composers, lyricists and playwrights and, in many cases, works with their agents, designers (set, costume, lighting, sound) and choreographers. Clintons also represents investors in theatre, both institutional and private. In the case of certain highly successful composers, lyricists, playwrights and designers the firm acts in effect as agent as well as lawyers, taking care of all aspects of their business.

Family: Clintons has one of the leading family law practices in the UK. Its family law practitioners are recognised as experts in their field and have been involved in many of the leading family law cases over the last decade (including the groundbreaking case of Parlour v Parlour and the widely reported Court of Appeal decision in Hvorostovsky v Hvorostovsky). The firm is well known for representing high-profile and high-net-worth individuals; at the same time it represents a broad range of people from all walks of life in connection with divorce; pre- and post-nuptial agreements and all other family law matters.

Brand management, advertising and marketing: Clintons advises on all aspects of protection and exploitation of brands – contentious and non-contentious – for brand owners, image rights holders and those involved in the provision of marketing services. The firm also has a thriving trade mark practice and is a registered representative at both the UK IPO and at the European Trade Mark registry in Alicante. Clients include brand owners, publishers, creative individuals, digital media specialists, advertising and PR agencies, sports marketing and sponsorship consultants, direct marketing agencies, individual designers, design companies, production houses, market research companies, merchandising companies and high-profile image rights holders (including sportspeople and other celebrated individuals).

Digital media and interactive content: Clintons’ long-standing media, entertainment, copyright and technology expertise has resulted in significant practice growth in representing clients active in the digital economy, particularly in the structuring and delivery of entertainment and interactive content in music, film, computer games and social media. The firm’s clients are at the forefront of the digital delivery of audio and audio visual material, including music, film, TV content and games apps and other software. For Clintons’ creative talent client base, the firm’s detailed knowledge of the digital environment is a fundamental part of the service that the firm provides. The firm’s lawyers are uniquely qualified to guide clients through corporate structures, licensing, commercial requirements and other aspects of the protection and exploitation of creative material online.

Litigation and dispute resolution: Clintons has a formidable reputation in the area of litigation and dispute resolution. Its partners are eminent in this field and handle a full range of contentious issues, including the most complex and high-profile litigation. Although the firm deals with a wide diversity of litigation matters, it will come as no surprise that it has particular expertise in entertainment, media, creative and related industries. Indeed, many of the cases in which the firm has acted have contributed to the law governing these areas. In-house lawyers and other solicitors frequently turn to Clintons for advice on substantial and complex matters.

Reputation management and protection: Clintons has a wealth of experience in advising on reputation management, including defamation. The firm’s clients include well-known recording artists, television personalities, actors and sportsmen. Clintons also represents corporate entities including talent agencies, broadcasting and software companies. The firm’s lawyers provide sound, pragmatic advice on the full range of reputational issues including defamation (both libel and slander); infringement of privacy (including claims involving alleged phone hacking); malicious falsehood/trade libel; endorsement and image rights agreements; data protection and misuse of information; protection from harassment; and dealing with the press generally.