Preiskel & Co LLP > London, England > Firm Profile
Preiskel & Co LLP Offices
4 KING'S BENCH WALK
TEMPLE
LONDON
EC4Y 7DL
England
Preiskel & Co LLP > The Legal 500 Rankings
TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Media: Film & TV Tier 3
With Peter Dally and Hannah Leader at the helm, Preiskel & Co LLP receives regular instructions in the film and television sectors; the team specialises in the financing, production and exploitation of filmed content for feature films and television, as well as independent and studio-based distribution arrangements. The group, which also includes associate Maria Constantin, is a regular port of call for film and television producers and financiers, as well as distribution, sales and rights acquisition companies.Practice head(s):
Peter Dally; Hannah Leader
Other key lawyers:
Key clients
Buffalo Pictures Limited
Dopamine
Thomas Kubr
Holofcener Limited
Work highlights
- Advice to Buffalo Pictures on the production of all of its filmed content, including the second season of “Islands of the Pacific” and the tenth season of “Doc Martin”, among others.
- Advised Dopamine in its capacity as financier on the high-end British three-part drama television series called “Granite Harbour”, which was commissioned by the BBC, produced by LA Productions, and distributed internationally by Eccho Rights AB.
- Assisted Holofcener Limited with various IP issues, as well as drafting both an option and acquisition agreement and a writer’s agreement, for a feature film project about the life of famous female boat racing champion Betty Cook.
TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Media: Media finance Tier 3
Under the leadership of Peter Dally and Hannah Leader, Preiskel & Co LLP specialises in the financing, production and exploitation of filmed content for feature films and television, as well as independent and studio-based distribution arrangements. The team, which also includes associate Maria Constantin, is a regular port of call for film and television producers and financiers, as well as distribution, sales and rights acquisition companies.Practice head(s):
Peter Dally; Hannah Leader
Other key lawyers:
Maria Constantin; Xavier Prida
Key clients
Buffalo Pictures Limited
Dopamine
Thomas Kubr
Holofcener Limited
Work highlights
- Advice to Buffalo Pictures on the production of all of its filmed content, including the second season of “Islands of the Pacific” and the tenth season of “Doc Martin”, among others.
- Advised Dopamine in its capacity as financier on the high-end British three-part drama TV series “Granite Harbour” which was commissioned by the BBC, produced by LA Productions and distributed internationally by Eccho Rights AB.
- Assisting Holofcener Limited with drafting an option and acquisition agreement, as well as dealing with various IP issues, for producers of the feature film about the life of famous female boat racer Betty Cook.
TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > IT and telecoms Tier 4
Preiskel & Co LLP acts for entities in the international telecoms arena on matters concerning fundraising, regulatory issues and acquisitions. Daniel Preiskel, who provides telecoms commercial and corporate advice, jointly leads the team alongside Ronnie Preiskel, who negotiates contracts and agreements. Tim Cowen brings experience in the competition sector and Jose Saras handles privacy and compliance mandates.Practice head(s):
Daniel Preiskel; Ronnie Preiskel
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘Deep knowledge and experience of sector. Responsive to our needs, creative solutions to complex situations and delivery of excellent, apposite legal solutions.’
‘Very knowledgeable team and good access to partners.’
‘Understand the key issues promptly and service is efficient.’
‘Preiskel has a vast pool of specialists in different areas. We always get a dedicated specialist depending on the area of advice we require.’
‘Antony Corel was able to turn around a project into a highly successful one, with highly valuable outcomes.’
‘Preiskel & Co really understand our company, the technology and the market as a whole. Our industry is complex and as a result they have taken time to develop strong robust working relationships with our business and in0house legal team, to truly understand the various intricacies involved here.’
‘Daniel Preiskel is our “go to” lawyer each time we venture into a new product or service, or even make changes to our existing product and services. That is because he has taken the time to fully understand our business.’
Key clients
International Mobile Satellite Organisation (IMSO)
TMT Analysis
IXAfrica
Comms Council UK
Bank of Telecom
NextGen Clearing
Ixcellerate Limited
Dubber
RouteTrader
NTT Data
Work highlights
- Advising IXAfrica on a $50m fundraising from Helios Investment Partners.
- Instructed by TMT Analysis on a range of data-related deals, including the use of telecoms traffic data for fraud prevention and KYC services.
Dispute resolution > Commercial litigation: mid-market Tier 6
Boutique firm Preiskel & Co LLP is well known for handling both cryptocurrency disputes and major High Court litigation, including telecoms sector matters. The firm's dispute resolution department was established in late 2018 by former Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner partner, Robert Dougans, who 'thinks outside the box to get the best result'.Practice head(s):
Robert Dougans
Testimonials
‘The firm has a variety of very interesting disputes. They are often able to get results without having to resort to bringing claims.’
‘The firm has the personal touch and achieves excellent results for clients.’
‘Robert Dougans brings decades of experience with him.’
‘Robert Dougans is immensely knowledgeable and experienced.’
‘Robert Dougans has excellent client rapport, and makes effective use of Counsel to deliver cost-effective, but quality, representation to his clients.’
‘Robert Dougans is very knowledgeable about the enforcement of foreign judgments and awards.
‘Robert Dougans thinks outside the box to get the best result. At the same time he is not afraid to tell a client what they need to hear (but may not wish to.)’
‘Preiskel’s billing is extremely considerate. It punches above its weight and handles excellent, high-value crypto and banking work.’
Key clients
Bitstamp
GFH Capital
Simwood eSMS
Superior Industries
Barons Financial Services
Boss Equity
Work highlights
- Acting in a cryptocurrency fraud.
- Defending Superior Industries against a claim by Punjab National Bank of India to enforce guarantees in a banking matter.
- Acting in a dispute regarding the licensing of Covid vaccines.
Corporate and commercial > EU and competition Tier 7
Preiskel & Co LLP is reputed for its specialised knowledge in the technology, media, and telecommunications industries. The team is well placed to assist on behavioural competition matters. Practice head Tim Cowen is currently representing a number of parties before the CMA, and in relation to the European Commission’s Google investigations.Practice head(s):
Tim Cowen
Other key lawyers:
Stewart White; Stephen Hornsby; Stephen Dnes; Rachel Machado
Key clients
Movement for an Open Web Limited
London Cremation Company
Connexity Inc
ICOMP
Tobii Dynavox
Hipgnosis Songs Management Limited
Work highlights
- Advised Movement for an Open Web Limited in respect of a complaint to the CMA and other regulators against Google for abuse of dominance.
- Advised the London Cremation Company (LCC) in relation to a CMA sector investigation into funerals.
- Advising Connexity in relation to its High Court Claim for damages against Google.
Preiskel & Co LLP > Firm Profile
Preiskel & Co is a business law firm, based in the City of London, which specialises in UK and international corporate, commercial (including IPR) and regulatory matters with a focus on TMT. The firm also has strong dispute resolution and film and TV departments.
The firm: Preiskel & Co was founded in 2004. Since inception, the firm’s practice has expanded beyond its core telecoms, media and technology expertise to build a leading competition law practice, as well as developing its general IPR, fintech, retail, franchising and cleantech practices.
There is also a significant international element to the firm’s work, with clients in continental Europe, Latin America, Russia, US, Africa and the Middle East. It advises governments, multinationals, regulators, and owner-managed businesses as well as other law firms and major consultancies. It is internationally recognised for its experience in the telecommunications sector, has won various awards such as UK Telecoms Law Firm of the Year, and is known for its TMT practice generally, including data protection, IPR protection, and commercial expertise.
Preiskel & Co is internationally recognised in leading guides such as The Legal 500 for its experience in the telecommunications and technology sectors, competition law including merger control, and in social media.
The firm’s competition team is advising marketers for an Open Web in relation to its CMA complaint about Google’s Privacy Sandbox, and the ensuing CMA investigation. The team also runs competition law damages cases in the CAT and High Court, and advises on merger control laws and their applicability to client transactions, in particular in light of recent reforms.
The dispute resolution team, led by Robert Dougans, has been instructed in relation to a number of high profile commercial court actions, including one of The Lawyer’s top 20 cases for 2021.
The firm benefits from the film and TV expertise of Peter Dally and Hannah Leader, who both have an impressive range of experience advising in the industry. The firm was credited for its legal work on the award-winning film “Blinded by the Light”.
On the social media side, the firm boasts one of the UK’s leading legal bloggers and commentators, David Allen Green, who also writes for the Financial Times. His practice includes advising on high-profile defamation cases, including Twitter-related defamation cases.
Types of work undertaken: The main industry sectors in which Preiskel & Co has expertise are telecoms and IT; complex telecoms regulatory advice; media (including social media); fintech; cleantech; retail (including restaurants, furniture and fashion); gambling including online gaming; and film and television.
The firm’s main practice areas are competition law (including merger control); commercial (including IT, data protection, telecoms, and franchising); regulatory (including telecoms and data protection); corporate; intellectual property (including filing trade marks and patents); online gaming; employment; film and TV and dispute resolution.
Preiskel & Co is internationally recognised for its international telecoms work advising some of the world’s largest telecoms operators and handset manufacturers as well as telecoms regulators/ministries. The firm boasts one of Europe’s leading EU competition lawyers, Tim Cowen, whose practice focuses on complicated second phase merger investigations, EU advocacy challenges, and competition damages claims. Daniel Preiskel and Ronnie Preiskel are also recognised in their own right as leading telecoms lawyers.
Preiskel & Co plays a leading role in various telecoms and other industry associations including: MEF (Mobile Ecosystem Forum), the International MVNOx Association, ISPA (ISP Association), ITSPA, FCS, Spanish Chamber of Commerce, the International Institute of Communications, the British Institute or International and Comparative Law, as well as being on the Communications Law Committee of the IBA.
Main Contacts
| Department | Name | Telephone | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senior partner | Daniel Preiskel | ||
| Managing partner | Ronnie Preiskel | ||
| Competition | Tim Cowen | ||
| Competition | Ronnie Preiskel | ||
| Telecoms and IT | Daniel Preiskel | ||
| Telecoms and IT | Ronnie Preiskel | ||
| Corporate in other sectors | Ronnie Preiskel | ||
| Corporate in other sectors | Tina Cowen | ||
| Corporate in other sectors | Daniel Preiskel | ||
| Media (including social media) | Daniel Preiskel | ||
| Media (including social media) | David Allen Green | ||
| Fintech, cleantech, retail and other sectors | Daniel Preiskel | ||
| Fintech, cleantech, retail and other sectors | Ronnie Preiskel | ||
| Gambling including online gaming | Daniel Preiskel | ||
| Gambling including online gaming | Jose Saras | ||
| Other | Ronnie Preiskel | ||
| Corporate | Karthyaeni Vittala |
Lawyer Profiles
| Photo | Name | Position | Profile |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Tim Cowen | Tim Cowen focuses on EU and UK competition law and EU regulatory… | View Profile |
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Daniel Preiskel | Current position: senior partner. Specialist area of practice: telecoms and IT. Daniel… | View Profile |
|
Ronnie Preiskel | Managing partner, PREISKEL & CO LLP. Work on commercial, corporate and regulatory… | View Profile |
|
Jose Saras | Jose is a partner at PREISKEL & CO LLP and has international… | View Profile |
|
Karthyaeni Vittala | Karthyaeni is a Partner at Preiskel & Co and is dual qualified… | View Profile |
Staff Figures
Number of UK partners : 5 Number of other UK fee-earners : 25Diversity
Diversity, Equality, and Inclusion
Diversity of psychology, diversity of experience and diversity of viewpoints lead to the best and most innovative solutions and outcomes for our clients and for our own growth as a firm. We work hard to foster equality and diversity and an inclusive firm where people from all backgrounds across gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation and disability can flourish. Our teams are truly representative of the multiple countries and continents in which we work.
From flexible working to training initiatives and building an environment of respect and trust, we empower every member of the firm to reach their full potential, at work, at home and in their other pursuits. We continue to challenge how we are shaped and how we approach our ethical responsibilities.
Social Responsibility
Our social responsibility can, we believe, best be provided through matters and on issues where we can add value to our core mission as lawyers. We support charities such as the British Institute of International and Comparative law and the Bingham Centre for the Rule of Law, as well as not-for-profit organisations dealing with public and social policy affecting the technology, media and telecoms sector, such as the International Institute of Communications.
Tim Cowen is a board member of the Bingham Centre, which is reviewing what can and should be done to reform corporate governance and facilitate companies fulfilling their Environmental and Corporate Social Responsibility aims through legally enforceable governance systems.
We support David Allen Green’s highly respected and independent legal blog, Law and Policy, and his social media commentary on Brexit, blogging to over 200,000 followers and regularly writing for the Financial Times, the New Scientist, The Guardian and other publications. We also support educational charities, such as English Speaking Union (www.esu.org) which is a charity “working to give young people the speaking and listening skills and the cross-cultural understanding they need to thrive” and ORT UK, whose mission is “Impact Through Education”.
We are also active in supporting young people entering the legal profession and act as mentors to students at Queen Mary (University of London) and sponsor the Preiskel & Co Prize for their LLM students.
Pro Bono
As a leading TMT law firm, we understand that not all businesses can afford legal costs. We can help clients in suitable cases to obtain funding from third-party funders and are committed to supporting pro bono cases, ensuring that access to the best legal and commercial advice is not restricted to large corporates. We encourage SMEs and charities to contact us regarding pro bono work. We have, for example, supported pro bono, the Open Rights Group in their successful intervention in the UK Supreme Court in 2018, see more at this link.
We are also strong advocates of access to justice, supporting important organisations such as The London Legal Support Trust.