Mr Gordon Williams > Lee & Thompson LLP > London, England > Lawyer Profile

Lee & Thompson LLP
80 Charlotte Street
LONDON
W1T 4DF
England

Work Department

Dispute Resolution

Position

Partner, Dispute Resolution and Head of Brand Protection

Career

Gordon joined the firm in 1997 to lead its contentious practice.

Representing both individual and corporate clients, he has specialised in the litigation and resolution of entertainment industry disputes throughout his career since his qualification in 1989. Gordon has unique experience of dealing with disputes involving high profile entertainers, from musicians and sports personalities to actors and celebrities. One Direction, David Beckham, Victoria Beckham, the Spice Girls, Sir Tom Jones, Robert Plant, the Jimi Hendrix Estate and The Rolling Stones are among the household names he has acted for, while corporate clients have included EMI, Sony and Universal. Under his direction, the firm has established itself as one of the UK’s leaders for contentious entertainment work with a reputation for providing a quality “one-stop” service covering all types of dispute, whether they involve contractual rights, intellectual property rights or a client’s image, brand or reputation.

Recognising its growing importance as a practice area, Gordon also set up the firm’s dedicated Brand Protection Group through which he directs the brand management programmes for a broad range of clients across the areas of music, film, television and sport, including David Beckham and One Direction.

Lawyer Rankings

London > TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Intellectual property: trade marks, copyright and design

Lee & Thompson LLP is noted for its expertise in the creative industries, including film, music and digital media sectors. The team has a wealth of experience advising on prosecution, licensing and general advisory mandates. Dominic Bray spearheads the practice, specialising in disputes, notably within the film, TV, music and advertising sectors, while Gordon Williams’s expertise involves handling trade mark portfolios and Martyn Bailey is well-versed in copyright issues.

London > TMT (technology, media and telecoms) > Media: Music

Lee & Thompson LLP‘s client roster spans the generations, from heritage acts such as Depeche Mode and Roxy Music, in addition to the biggest artists of today such as Harry Styles, Little Mix and Dave, through to emerging talents including Wet Leg and Yungblud; the latter being an area in which Liv Lyons excels. The team also acts for music organisations, publishers and record labels, and collection societies. Lawrence Engel is a regular fixture on non-contentious matters; he co-heads the practice with dispute resolution head Dominic Bray. Lizzie Payne-James has a track record of work for well-known artists, while Tim Fowler‘s expertise can be seen in contractual matters, including recording, publishing, management, production and live performance agreements. On the contentious side, experienced litigators Gordon Williams and Martyn Bailey come recommended.