Bray & Krais

brayandkrais.com

Client satisfaction

Richard represents many high-profile artists, performers, managers, record labels, publishers and senior executives, as well as professional sportsmen and women. He is recognised for his music work by The Legal 500 UK 2025 both as a leading individual and in their Hall of Fame.

Joseph is a Partner and Head of Corporate at Bray & Krais. Joseph joined Bray & Krais as an Associate in June 2021 before becoming a Senior Associate in July 2022, and then a partner in June 2024. Before joining the firm, Joseph trained at Taylor Wessing, a leading City firm, and practiced as an Associate at a media-focused West End firm. Joseph heads up the firm’s corporate team, where he advises a diverse mix of clients, including recording artists, music publishers, labels and distributors, investment companies, high-net-worth individuals, sports professionals, consumer brands, and many others within the media, sports, and entertainment industries and beyond. Joseph specialises in advising on M&A transactions – including music catalogue sales – acting for both buyers and sellers, on equity investments, joint venture and shareholder arrangements, celebrity brand partnerships, corporate reorganisations, and general commercial matters.

Simon’s clients include leading individuals and companies across the entertainment and media industries. Simon has particular experience in advising clients on the development and exploitation of media intellectual property rights, and is often called on to work closely with clients to help them devise and implement business strategies to maximise value of their rights and their business in general. He has a particular interest in advising new businesses and start-ups. Simon has a comprehensive understanding of entertainment rights and clearance issues, including across theatrical and live events, the branding and endorsement worlds and the digital sector. Simon is repeatedly ranked as a leading individual and recommended lawyer in industry publications. He is noted in particular for his “exceptional people skills” and found to be “very personable and practical”. Clients appreciate that “he doesn’t give up easily”. Simon “knows his stuff” and his “clear straight-forward advice” is “hugely appreciated” by clients.

Simon heads up the dispute resolution team at Bray & Krais. Joining the firm as a Partner in 2019, Simon teamed up with Andrew Forbes to establish an industry-leading practice, providing specialist advice on contentious matters to clients in the creative industries.  Simon advises clients on contentious intellectual property matters, contractual disputes, partnership disputes, brand protection and reputation management.  He acts for leading recording artists and song writers, record labels, music publishing companies and industry bodies.  Simon also has a wider practice acting for theatrical production companies, book publishers, authors, broadcasters, social media marketing companies, influencers and SVOD companies. Simon is recognised by The Legal 500 as a “Next Generation Partner”.

Mark Krais graduated from Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford with a first-class honours degree in Jurisprudence in 1990. Admitted in 1993. Mark’s clients include event companies, investors, entrepreneurs, live agents, advertising agencies, festival owners, record and publishing companies, high-profile sports people as well as major artists, and song writers, including Ed Sheeran, Elton John and the Rolling Stones. Mark is described in The Legal 500 as “dynamic, well-connected, industry-savvy, and well-respected”, and is recognised as a Leading Partner.

Prior to joining Bray & Krais in 2022, Kelvin completed an LLM in Commercial Law and worked for a boutique music law firm. Kelvin is a trusted adviser to a diverse clientele, including both established and emerging artists, producers, songwriters, managers, music executives, video directors, independent and frontline record companies, independent publishers, models, influencers, entrepreneurs, and athletes on a range of music, entertainment and copyright related matters. Kelvin’s burgeoning practice provides a pragmatic, detailed and tailored approach to protecting both immediate and long-term interests of clients. Kelvin has been particularly successful with emerging artists and start-ups due to his ability to translate their passion into sound commercial decisions. With a strong background in music, artist management and studio management, Kelvin is able to lean on his extensive music industry experience to propel his clients’ careers. Kelvin has earned the distinction of being recognised as a Leading Associate this year by Legal 500. This is in recognition of Kelvin being widely cited by his peers and clients for exceptional and outstanding performance on significant matters. This accolade underscores his growing influence and positive impact in entertainment law.

Udo Onwere leads the Bray & Krais private client and sports offering.  Prior to joining Bray & Krais as Partner in 2016, Udo worked in Farrer & Co.’s private client team. Udo’s main areas of work include advising on all aspects of tax and estate planning for UK domiciled individuals, wills, probates, Court of Protection matters and powers of attorney.  He was previously a professional footballer for 12 years with several clubs including Fulham Football Club.  Building on his sporting background, Udo advises high profile sports individuals (particularly professional footballers, managers and directors) on all areas of private client matters and general commercial issues. Udo also has extensive experience of advising individual professional sportsmen and their agents on contractual negotiations and content.  He is a judicial panel member on regulatory and disciplinary issues for the Football Association and is regularly appointed to adjudicate high profile cases. In addition to the above, Udo advises a number of private business owners and entrepreneurs regarding the creation of family trusts, lifetime settlements and succession planning.  He is also a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and Solicitors for the Elderly. In 2019, Udo was appointed as a director of the British Association of Sport and Law. BASL is an association which represents sports law practitioners, sports administrators and sports law. Udo’s team has been recognised in the Legal 500 in the 2025 Sports Section, rising up the ranks from “One to Watch” to Tier 6.

Jonny is a partner at Bray & Krais, having joined the firm in spring 2022.  He qualified in 2010 and prior to joining Bray & Krais was a partner at another leading music firm. Jonny provides a commercially driven legal service to both creative and business clients across the music industry and at all stages of their careers including artists, songwriters, producers, independent labels, independent publishers, managers, promoters, agencies, executives, entrepreneurs and investors. With experience in the wider entertainment industry, Jonny is also able to advise clients in the TV, film, fashion, branding and literary worlds; and has the benefit of having worked as an in-house lawyer for Swedish media giant, MTG. Jonny is recognised as a Next Generation Partner by Legal 500.

Dorothea Thompson

Dorothea is a Partner working across all areas of the commercial music and entertainment practice at Bray & Krais. Dorothea began her training at London media and entertainment law firm Davenport Lyons, before moving to Bray & Krais in 2014. Drawing on previous experience as a Trade Mark Attorney, Dorothea leads the Branding & Trade Marks practice, advising on the protection, enforcement and exploitation of trade marks, copyright, designs, and domain names (contentious and non-contentious) and the development and exploitation of emerging and established brands including by way of endorsement, sponsorship, and other commercial partnerships. Dorothea also continues to provide commercial music advice including on recording and publishing matters and other rights exploitation, as well as bespoke advice on new and innovative models and other business arrangements.  She is based in London but has eyes and ears on the scene outside the capital, including connections to the north of England. Dorothea has been recognised as a ‘Recommended Lawyer’ by the Legal 500 and in her free time writes for various publications and speaks at events on issues related to music, entertainment, copyright, branding and trade marks.