RPC houses a 'brilliant, yet friendly and personable' team, which assists a number of notable clients, namely Shiseido, New Look,and Dreams. The 'impeccably pragmatic' group frequently acts in campaigns, handling endorsement and giveaway related issues, and green claims. Practice head Oliver Bray is a recognised advertising specialist who has 'always goes above and beyond' when assisting clients with copy approval matters, and regulatory investigations. Senior associate Hettie Homewood has a great deal of expertise, having spent time in-house within the e-commerce and luxury retail sectors. Homewood primarily focuses on advising retailers, tech businesses, and media agencies.

Legal 500 Editorial commentary

Testimonials

Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.

  • 'Impeccably pragmatic, their advice enables swift navigation of black letter law and applicable regulations.
  • 'Conclusive output from a brilliant, yet friendly and personable team.'
  • 'Oliver Bray always goes above and beyond.'
  • 'Rachael Ellis is an expert level advisor.'
  • 'Tom James is a rising star.'
  • 'The team is very knowledgeable, pragmatic and approachable. There is always a very prompt response to any queries, and they always have a sensible approach.'
  • 'Oliver is an expert in the field of marketing and advertising, he is always available to discuss potential issues or concerns. Olly always gives a perspective which evidences his years of experience.'

Key clients

  • Google
  • Youtube
  • PizzaExpress
  • Shiseido
  • Techtronic Industries
  • Jet2 Holidays
  • New Look
  • Dreams
  • News UK & Ireland
  • Which?
  • Darabase
  • News UK

Work highlights

  • Advising Google on advertising and marketing and legal clearance work, including international campaigns.
  • Advising PizzaExpress on its advertising and marketing campaigns, including prize draws; competitions; contests; rules around influencer marketing; endorsement and meal giveaways; direct marketing; data compliance; and copy review.
  • Advising Dreams on sports and entertainment-related endorsements, sponsorship and creative arrangements, including those relating to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and Paralympic Games.

Lawyers

Hall of Fame
The lawyers at the very top of the profession, widely known and respected by peers and clients for their longstanding involvement in market-leading work.
Hall of fameRPC
Senior Partner.  Oliver is Senior Partner at RPC and a recognised specialist in commercial law. He has over 25 years' experience with particular expertise in commercial contracts, advertising and marketing, regulatory investigations/proceedings, data protection, consumer, intellectual property and digital. He is ranked in the Legal 500's "Hall of Fame" and "Top Ranked" by Chambers and Partners for both commercial and advertising/marketing. He works with some of the world's highest profile brands and digital platforms, providing advice on all aspects their commercial operations and consumer engagement.  He is the co-editor of the leading text book ‘Advertising Law and Regulation’ (Bloomsbury Professional). He is Chairman of the City of London Law Society Commercial Law Committee, a member of the Ad Law Group and an editorial board member of Digital Business Lawyer and Entertainment Law Review. He was awarded "Best Client Partner" at the 2016 British Legal Awards and is recognised by Acritas for outstanding client service.
Leading associates
Rising stars with regular involvement in their team's key work, and recognition from peers or clients as being ones to watch.
RPC
A Senior Associate in RPC's Commercial, Technology & Outsourcing team, Hettie advises clients in a variety of sectors, including household brands, retailers, tech businesses, and creative and media agencies. Hettie has worked within a wide range of industry sectors with a particular focus on consumer facing businesses and e-commerce. She brings a unique perspective to her practice, having worked extensively both in private practice and in-house, collaborating with stakeholders at all levels. Putting her clients' individual desired outcomes at the heart of her approach to drafting, negotiating and advising on commercial matters, Hettie is able to cut through the legalese to deliver targeted and pragmatic legal solutions.

Practice head

The lawyer(s) leading their teams.

Oliver Bray

Other key lawyers

Hettie Homewood, Rachael Ellis, Tom James