Chambers and Partners 2010

Advertising and Marketing

THE FIRM This firm provides traditional advertising advice informed by cutting-edge expertise on digital, mobile telecoms and new and alternative forms of marketing. Agency clients include McCann Erickson, Phorm and Mortimer Whittaker O’Sullivan, which it has been advising on numerous commercial and operational issues, including its recent Iggy Pop Swiftcover insurance campaign. The team also handles advertising and marketing matters for non-agency clients such as Comic Relief, Virgin and News International. Clients appreciate the firm's understated approach.

Sources Say: "It provides a commercial point of view alongside the legal one, so you're receiving advice that you can actually use to make a decision."

KEY INDIVIDUALS Gerrard Tyrrell has tremendous experience, advising on regulatory compliance, ASA and Ofcom complaints and marketing strategies, among other matters. According to clients, Andy Millmore "knows how to listen and most importantly how to be decisive and get results." He handles a full range of matters for a variety of advertising, marketing, sales promotions and PR agencies. Mark Owen focuses on brand protection, IP and data protection issues arising within the advertising and marketing sector; he is also involved in the development of new media regulations.

Aviation: Regulatory and Commercial

THE FIRM This small aviation group is consistently praised for its enviable and long-standing relationship with Virgin Atlantic. The group handles a varied range of commercial work for lenders, borrowers, lessors and lessees, including a significant amount of finance and leasing arrangements. It has particular expertise in work relating to maintenance agreements, an area of increasing activity.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Asset finance practitioner Alison Wilds leads the firm’s aviation practice.

Charities

THE FIRM The charities team grew out of the firm's impressively strong media practice and the bulk of the workload continues to come from media and arts charities. It recently advised on the registration of The Kevin Spacey Foundation and it also acts for high-profile charities such as Comic Relief. In addition, it counts several theatre trusts amongst its clientele. Beyond arts charities, the team represents a number of other organisations, including youth charities The Children's Society and The Prince's Trust.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Robert Porter remains at the firm as a consultant within the charities group.

Corporate/M&A: Lower Mid-Market

THE FIRM This tight corporate group draws on all of its resources to best represent its clients on a broad range of deals in the marketplace. It has specialist knowledge and experience in the media, entertainment and communication sectors, where it is noted for its work on high-value, complex deals.

Sources Say: "An approachable and friendly team, and each of the lawyers we have worked with has been fantastic."

KEY INDIVIDUALS Colin Howes heads the company and commercial group. He is well known for his tireless corporate advice, and led the team in its work for Target Entertainment on its acquisition of independent production company Greenlit Rights. Head of the corporate finance department Tim Parker advises on corporate transactions and capital raisings. He worked with MAMA Group on its joint venture with HMV.

Defamation/Reputation Management

THE FIRM The team here is well known for its impressive celebrity client base, including individuals such as David and Victoria Beckham, Kate Moss and Roman Abramovich. Recent notable work has included obtaining an apology and retraction from the Evening Standard after it published untrue claims that the Duke of Edinburgh had cancer. In addition, it has particular expertise in matters that relate to online issues.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Regarded as "one of the best in the business," senior partner Gerrard Tyrrell heads the firm's litigation practice and is well known and well regarded for his defamation work. Jo Sanders is "pragmatic and articulate – she really holds her own when dealing with complex matters."

Employment: Mainly Respondent

THE FIRM This team is active in all elements of employment law. Non-contentious reorganisations, contentious contract terminations and negotiations all feature prominently in the workload, with the team acting for clients from the media, entertainment, sport, fashion, telecoms and charities sectors. The team also deals with claims in the High Court and tribunals involving discrimination, unfair dismissal and breach of contract, and recently advised on a seven-figure claim against a law firm involving unfair dismissal and disability discrimination. Recent clients include Visit London, London Irish, Ministry of Sound, Comic Relief and Ladies European Tour.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Howard Hymanson brings a substantial portfolio of clients from his time as head of employment at Blake Lapthorn. He has been handling sex discrimination and mental health claims.

Family/Matrimonial

THE FIRM This firm offers an impressive family law practice to its high-profile clients.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Tom Amlot is both a powerful litigator and a qualified mediator, praised for his strategic prowess.

Franchising

THE FIRM This firm focuses on international work for franchisors, and its clients include Adams Childrenswear, Nissan and Virgin Drinks. It also has experience in handling franchise disputes.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Caroline Turner is the main contact for this work.

Information Technology (TMT)

THE FIRM This firm maintains a very capable technology practice, specialising in advising clients in the media sector. One example of recent work is its advice to DTG Testing, a subsidiary of television industry group Digital Television Group.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Having previously practised in Silicon Valley, Mark Owen advises clients in the USA, including Lucasfilm, Expedia and Wham-O. Mark Phillips is joint head of the e-commerce and technology group and the interactive entertainment group. He specialises in corporate, commercial and copyright work for clients in the media, arts and technology industries.

Intellectual Property: General

THE FIRM This group's media and entertainment practice feeds into IP, where it is highly regarded for its copyright work. Other areas of expertise include brands and personality rights work, design, patent, trade mark filing and licensing issues. Clients include consumer-facing brand owners, consumer content owners and b2b companies. Highlights include representing Virgin Enterprises in a number of disputes and also advising Mama Group on the IP aspects of the group's acquisition of the Heaven nightclub.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Team head Mark Owen is widely respected and undertakes a substantial amount of brands and IP litigation. Shireen Peermohamed joined the team from Rouse Legal and earns praise in the sector.

Media and Entertainment

THE FIRM Clients agree that this focused and committed media firm has expertise across the board. The firm's company commercial and corporate finance groups provide specialist advice to clients such as Target Entertainment and MAMA Group. The music group recently added A&G Records and Seventy Recordings to its client roster, and has also acted for Universal Music Group. The publishing group climbs in the rankings having earned recognition for its work in the traditional print and new media sectors, where digital content and distribution feature highly in the workload; the team also earns high marks for its work in the children’s books sector. Publishing clients include Egmont, Penguin and Macmillan as well as authors Gary Rhodes and Richard Branson; the group has also been representing Safari Books Online, a joint venture between O’Reilly Media and Pearson, on content distribution arrangements. The well-respected computer games practice advises publishers such as Take Two Interactive Software and Rockstar Games, as well as PR companies and trade newspapers. The computer gaming team acted for TTIS on its successful appeal to the Video Appeals Committee over the controversial video game 'Manhunt'. The firm continues to be at the forefront of this market, despite the loss of Seb Belcher to Take Two.

Sources Say: "Genuine specialists with deep, broad experience." "Superb industry knowledge and real-world, practical application of the law stand the firm in good stead at the crossover between music and theatre."

KEY INDIVIDUALS Consultant Bob Storer is acknowledged for his commendable contribution in the film and TV industries, while impressive department head Medwyn Jones for Shine on all aspects of the 13-episode family series 'Merlin'. Abigail Payne demonstrated her production finance expertise by acting for Fragile Films on the production and financing of 'Easy Virtue' and by advising RBS on the financing of ITV's 'Ladykillers' and the BBC's 'Badly Drawn Roy'. She is "extremely efficient, diligent and wonderfully knowledgeable." Former BBC lawyer Tony Ballard has been acting for DTG Testing on a range of contracts with Freesat for conformance testing. Paul Jones was previously at Polydor Records and is "well-travelled, practical, proactive and commercially aware." He focuses on live and recorded music with an emphasis on online and mobile distribution channels. "Proactive and excellent negotiator" Neil Adleman is noted for his advice on the rollout of 'Billy Elliot' worldwide, and for his work on 'Zorro', 'We Will Rock You' and 'The 39 Steps'. Caroline Turner leads the publishing group and is "on the ball, detailed and brilliantly commercial." Mark Phillips is a key individual in the computer games team. Paul Groves' practice covers the exploitation of digital media and development contracts across console, mobile and online platforms.

Private Client

THE FIRM The small team here focuses almost exclusively on tax. High-profile clients come to the department via the firm’s entertainment and media practice.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Sarah Bridge is a senior associate and head of the private client department. "You can rely on her to deal with your affairs promptly, thoroughly and with great skill." Glen Atchison is now the firm's managing partner but still takes on fee-earning work. His advice is always well informed and commercial.

Real Estate: Mainly Mid- Market London

THE FIRM Commentators draw attention to this group's expertise in the media, leisure and entertainment sectors, where it acts for a number of high-profile clients. Clients speak extremely highly of the team, whose highlight work has included advising Mama Group on the acquisition of historic London nightclub Heaven.

Sources Say: "The lawyers genuinely care about their clients, and take as much interest in our company as we do."

KEY INDIVIDUALS Robert Reilly is the first point of contact for real estate work and receives positive feedback from numerous sources.

Sport

THE FIRM This firm's sports team has had a strong year on the commercial side, advising Cadbury on the negotiation of its tier 2 sponsorship deal with LOCOG and assisting Diageo with its sponsorship of the British and Irish Lions tour.

KEY INDIVIDUALS Bob Mitchell heads the group with his “pragmatic and sensible approach.” Sources applaud the successful balance he manages to strike as “he always looks after his clients' best interests, but also manages to close the deal.”