Ian De Freitas > Farrer & Co > London, England > Lawyer Profile

Acting for clients in the education, sport, and media sectors, Farrer & Co handles compliance, data retention queries, and data transfers. Henry Sainty leads the team, which also includes Ian De Freitas, head of data disputes, and Owen O’Rorke, whose practice spans both contentious and non-contentious matters. Associate David Morgan is recommended for marketing and adtech compliance advice. Jeremy Isaacson, a freedom of information specialist, and data litigator Tom Rudkin were promoted to partner in 2022.

Farrer & Co is noted for its ability to handle IP licensing, trade mark portfolio management and copyright pre-publication advice, among others. On the litigation side, the department is particularly active in the technology, betting, sports, art and retail sectors. Co-lead Peter Wienand maintains a strong non-contentious practice, routinely operating strategic or organisational change projects for IP-centred businesses, while Ian De Freitas heads the IP disputes team, with notable experience in branding and copyright cases. Owen O’Rorke assists clients with IP work and brand issues, and David Copping focuses has experience in the media, technology, culture and higher education arenas.

Farrer & Co acts in significant disputes involving parties from across Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, the Far East, sub-Saharan Africa, and the Caribbean. Its core focus is commercial arbitration, but it also houses experts in investor-state arbitration, art-related matters, and sports disputes. The practice is also increasingly active in marine construction and shipping matters. Hendrik Puschmann leads the group, which comprises sports disputes specialist Kate Allass, construction expert Edward Banyard Smith, and commercial disputes partner Ian De Freitas.