Ashley Hurst > Osborne Clarke LLP > London, England > Lawyer Profile

Osborne Clarke LLP acts for a variety of household names, both corporates and HNWIs, in regard to adverse and intrusive media coverage. The team is experienced in both claimant and defendant work, with experience in data protection work and issues concerning online platforms. Practice head Ashley Hurst is an expert in assisting major tech and media clients with data privacy and cybersecurity matters. Neil O’Sullivan joined the team from Addleshaw Goddard in 2023, and specialises in defamation, privacy and intellectual property disputes.

Osborne Clarke LLP acts for major international and domestic clients in the tech sector, providing strategic data advice, cyber incident response expertise, and advice on developing and emerging technologies including AI, machine learning, and blockchain. The extensively experienced Mark Taylor leads the team and has a strong track record advising clients in the financial services and technology sectors on a broad range of data protection matters. The ‘highly knowledgeable’ Ben Dunham is recommended for data flows advice, privacy policy drafting, and compliance matters. On the contentious and cyber front, Ashley Hurst and Charlie Wedin are the key names, advising international clients on cyber incident response and data litigation cases. The team strengthened its commercial data protection offering with the May 2023 arrival of Jonathan McDonald, formerly the practice head at Charles Russell Speechlys LLP.

The team led by Ashley Hurst at Osborne Clarke LLP is well-versed in matters relating to digital transformation, transactional and regulatory issues. The practice acts for a range of clients including international broadcasters, streaming services, production and gaming companies. Other co-heads John Davidson and Jon Fell are experienced in digital media regulation and telecoms work respectively. Sara Valentine advises on M&A, management buy-outs and investment matters.

Osborne Clarke LLP houses a ‘highly skilled‘ team, which exhibits ‘deep knowledge‘ of the full gamut of advertising and marketing issues. The group assists a varied client base consisting of ad agencies, advertisers, and media owners on a range of issues, including adtech, the use of AI within content, and brand endorsement. In addition to handling M&A and investment matters for ad agencies, the team frequently assists clients with the negotiation of sponsorship arrangements, and NFT related problems. Ashley Hurst jointly heads the practice alongside John Davidson-Kelly, who has vast experience in the establishment of digital platforms; while associate director Chloe Deng continues to maintain a digital regulation focused practice, often advising on compliance projects, in addition to marketing campaigns. Advertising and marketing specialist Nick Johnson acts for a variety of high profile clients in matters concerning advertising policies. Anna Williams, who leads the commercial team in the firm’s Reading office, is an advertising, marketing and sponsorship specialist.