HANOVER HOUSE, 14 HANOVER SQUARE, LONDON, W1S 1HP, ENGLAND
- Tel:
- Work 020 7667 5000
- Fax:
- Fax 020 7667 5100
- DX:
- 44617 MAYFAIR
- Web:
- www.harbottle.com
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Harbottle & Lewis is a full service commercial law firm with specialist expertise in the media, entertainment and communications industries.
The firm: The firm has been at the centre of many of these industries’ largest and most high profile transactions and cases, and its lawyers are recognised for some of the most pioneering work in the exploitation of digital media and content.
Harbottle & Lewis focuses on the provision of innovative and effective advice on corporate, employment, finance and asset leasing, intellectual property, litigation, property and tax law, as well as providing more general commercial and regulatory advice.
It provides specialist advice to clients in all areas of the communications and creative industries including advertising, broadcasting, digital media, fashion, film, interactive entertainment, music, publishing, sponsorship, sport, television and theatre. The firm also advises on the legal issues faced by organisations and individuals in the media spotlight such as defamation, data protection, privacy and private wealth.
Harbottle & Lewis has additional niche expertise in aviation, charities, family, private client and personal injury.
Clients range from entrepreneurs, designers, agencies, companies and investors to international rights holders across a broad spread of specialist media and entertainment industries including: Virgin Group, XIX Entertainment, Penguin Books, Warner Music, Sony BMG, Electronic Arts; Diageo, News International, Universal Music Group, Channel 4, Lucasfilm Ltd, Really Useful Group, McCann Erickson, Omnifone Ltd and the PGA European Tour as well as actors, musicians and other media and sports personalities that include Kate Moss, Roman Abramovich, David and Victoria Beckham, Danny Cipriani, Clarence House/The Royal Household, Sophie Dahl, Jade Ewen, Gok Wan, Jamie Cullum, Chelsea Football Club and the England Cricket Team.
Types of work undertaken: Harbottle & Lewis is large enough to handle virtually any transaction in its specialist industry areas and complementary practices, but it is also of a size that enables it to remain focused on those sectors and exploit the common factors between them.
Recent corporate highlights include advising MAMA Group Plc on its £46m recommended takeover offer by HMV Plc; interactive game company Zattikka in relation to its $5.5m investment through its parent company Expedite 5; and BBC Breakfast presenter Kate Garraway on her much-publicised online business goodypass.com.
High-profile and recent litigation includes defending The Sunday Times in a High Court claim to $18m made by the estate of Jimi Hendrix; acting for IP exploitation company Joltid in its much publicised dispute with Skype/eBay concerning its licensed technology; representing Lucasfilm Ltd in its case against Shepperton Design Studios in relation to the 1977 Star Wars film; acting for former Football Association chairman and Labour peer Lord Triesman in relation to a defamatory claim made by Sport Magazine for which he received substantial damages; and defending Last Minute Network Limited, the company behind the lastminute.com brand, from an unfair dismissal and breach of contract claim by the company’s vice president of Human Resources, EMEA.
Other recent work includes advising EA Sports on becoming the official Sports Technology Partner of the Barclays Premier League; advising Npower on its three-year deal to become the new sponsor of the Football League; advising DreamWorks on all aspects of Steven Spielberg’s War Horse; and advising Live Nation in relation to the Help for Heroes concert at Twickenham. The firm also advised on Universal Music’s DVD Agreement for the ‘Big Four’ (Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax and Megadeth); and on synchronisation licences for music agency Tonic Music Limited for a number of high profile advertising campaigns, including the new Lynx deodorant campaign and Sky Sports’ Football World Cup campaign.
The firm continues to advise on long running west end and international theatre productions including We Will Rock You, Billy Elliot, Wicked and The 39 Steps; acts on a number of Television shows including Sherlock and Merlin; and recently advised Penguin on its high profile joint venture arrangement with family entertainment company Chorion in relation to the future television, publishing and merchandising exploitation of the Beatrix Potter properties.
Number of UK partners 30
Number of other UK fee-earners 59
Above material supplied by Harbottle & Lewis LLP.