Creative Industries

1. Corporate

We have worked closely with many leading companies across a broad range of digital, film, creative and media industries. We advise them throughout the development, licensing and operational cycle on many corporate needs including:

• Start-up and growth capital sourcing and structuring

• Strategic and commercial advice to new and developing businesses

• Corporate governance

• Buy-outs and public offers

• IPOs and pre-IPO preparation/restructuring

• Joint ventures

• LSE/AIM listing and continuing compliance

• Mergers and acquisitions

• Private equity financing

• Regulatory issues

• Secondary issues and capital reorganisations

• Shareholder agreements and incentive packages

Please see our corporate services page for more information.

2. Commercial

The creative industries team at Hugh James includes specialist commercial advice from leading lawyers in the fields of commercial contracts, agreements and litigation. Many of our clients are at the forefront of advances in the uses of technology and we assist them in achieving their commercial objectives.

We understand that fast-growing companies have fast-moving needs.

We have considerable experience of issues relating to the design, development and acquisition and use of creative technologies for applications such as post-production, digital animation, digital delivery and download and cinematic technology.

We assist companies who rely on the technologies that underpin the rapid spread of broadband access, both fixed and mobile, the new business opportunities that they create and the effects of regulation, including the AVMS and e-Commerce Directives.

The team offers regulation and contracts advice on the following:

• Contracts and agreements
• Telecommunications 
• Advertising and sponsorship
• Affinity deals
• E-business and e-commerce 
• Defamation
• Data protection
• Digital licensing

IT disputes

Increasingly IT disputes are something which creative businesses are having to deal with. The IT disputes specialists within the creative industries team have a depth of experience to handle any arising situation.

Intellectual property

Hugh James has a team of experts within the field of intellectual property. We can offer assistance in all areas of IP including:

• Patents
• Trademarks 
• Copyright
• Digital media rights

Please see our commercial services page for more information.

3. Commercial litigation

We advise a wide range of clients in the media and entertainment industries on all matters relating to commercial litigation. Hugh James are well respected for our work in this area.

Our team are renowned for their expertise and experience in dealing with sensitive high profile litigation, defamation and privacy cases.

We are recognised for our expertise in handling press management and media crises. We provide advice on the following:

• Commercial disputes, including licence distribution and agency agreements for all media formats
• Strategic advice on intellectual property claims, breach of copyright and design, trade mark infringement, patents, passing off and breach of confidence

• Alternate dispute resolution/mediation

• Insolvency advice

• Insurance claims

• Judicial review proceedings

• Management disputes

• Music litigation

• Pre-publication clearance

• Privacy and defamation, as well as image management advice to high profile individuals

• Royalty claims

Please see our commercial litigation services page for more information.

4. Commercial property

Within the creative industries team we also have several experts who are able to advice on all commercial property matters relating to the creative industry sector.

We deliver astute commercial property advice and services, taking care of the details so that you can focus on creative and commercial activities.

Our services include:

• Acquisition and disposal of business premises
• Acquisition and disposal of investment property
• Commercial property development
• Landlord and tenant
• Lease renewals
• Residential conveyancing
• Tax, VAT and Stamp Duty Land Tax
• Tenant default

Please see our commercial property services page for more information.

5. Employment

Employment law is a key area of expertise within the Hugh James creative industries team. We can offer help and advice on all aspects of employment law including breach of contract disputes (including employment) and HR consultancy and advice. They also provide custom and bespoke training on a variety of subjects.

Please see our employment services page for more information.

To read more about the Hugh James training offering please visit our training pages.

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Hugh James creative industries experience

The Creative Industries team has a depth of experience advising investors, production companies, public relations companies and multi-media companies.

Our experience includes advising:

• AIM listed independent television production group Boomerang Plus plc on a range of projects including:

        - the acquisition of Indus Films, producers of shows such as Amazon with Bruce Parry and Coal House

        - a joint venture with Channel 4 to host The Big Freeze, an annual snowboarding and music festival held

          at Battersea Power Station

        - the acquisition of extreme sports magazine Method

• The sellers of TV company Presentable (producer of Late Night Poker) on its £6 million disposal to AIM listed RDF Media Group

• Welsh Rugby Union and Millennium Stadium Plc on various matters including broadcasting agreements and events contracts

• Greenfield Media on various corporate and other matters

• the management team on the MBO of digital media group Media4

• the shareholders of TV company Fflic on its sale to Boomerang

• RBS on its funding of various transactions including the acquisition by Freshwater of London PR Agency Attenborough Saffron

• London PR agencies Kitcatt Nohr, Alexander Shaw and Trinity Communications on various matters including joint ventures

• On the sale of Core Systems, owner of leading UK property website homesonview.co.uk, to the Guardian Media Group

• Sgript Cymru on its merger with Sherman Cymru, a leading Welsh theatre company

• On the £3.8m re-development of Chapter Arts Centre, one of Europe's largest and most dynamic arts centre; and 

• Elfen Graphic Design on various aspects of its business

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Contact

Gerallt Jones

Partner, Head of Corporate and Banking Division

E gerallt.jones@hughjames.com

T 029 2039 1095

Meet the rest of the corporate team