Media, Entertainment & Sport

Media & Entertainment

Serle Court members specialising in media and entertainment bring extensive experience across both contentious and non-contentious matters.

Our barristers regularly appear in the higher courts and specialist tribunals, and we are uniquely placed to provide counsel combining both commercial and intellectual property law expertise with sector knowledge. Our barristers also bring industry experience to their practices, and between them have former careers in acting, theatre production, art, journalism and communications policy.

We work with a broad range of clients – creatives, production and broadcasting companies, technology and communication companies and other key stakeholders – advising on the full spectrum of issues involved in media and entertainment including copyright, branding, contract, licensing and other specific rights attaching to works of performance and creativity.

Our expertise spans disputes across theatre, film, music, data and communications including co-authorship, devised works, licensing and permissions for the use of imagery and other copyright works in film, and a wide range of music-related disputes.

Recent examples of our work in media and entertainment include:

• Defending a copyright infringement claim brought against Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber and Sir Trevor Nunn in relation to the song ‘Memory’ from ‘Cats’ the Musical.
• Acting for Ant and Dec in relation to a dispute over works of art by Banksy
• Representing Peppa Pig in a high-value claim against Wolfoo for artistic and sound recording copyright infringement in 4,000 videos. The value of the claim is c£1 billion worldwide with relief sought in 150 countries.
• Acting in a dispute between current and former band members of the well-known reggae band ASWAD as to the ownership of the name and goodwill.
• Representing the media group Canal + in various trade mark hearings.
• Acting in a copyright infringement claim in relation to scripts used in videos posted on YouTube.

Sport

Serle Court is home to several members with expertise in the laws, rules and regulations governing sport, and we are instructed in some of the sector’s most sensitive and challenging disputes involving elite athletes.

We have experience of disputes across all sports, including football, rugby, cricket, horse racing, athletics, motor racing, sailing, swimming and diving. Our barristers frequently advise on and act in a full range of domestic and international disputes, appearing before tribunals such as the Court of Arbitration for Sport and in the High Court.

Representing a wide variety of clients – including sport competitors, domestic and international governing bodies, stakeholders and commercial partners – we advise on both contentious and non-contentious matters. Our non-contentious work covers drafting rules and regulations, and advising on their implementation and adoption.

We have a particular strength in selection and Paralympic classification issues, with members appearing before the Board of Appeal of Classification.

Our intellectual property barristers advise on brand and licensing disputes relating to sports teams.

We have extensive experience of ADR in sports disputes. Members sit as arbitrators for domestic and international tribunals, including Sport Resolutions, as well as investigators in disciplinary matters. Our mediators mediate a range of sports disputes, including commercial disputes in cricket and football, competition disputes in rugby, and disputes involving national associations, clubs and coaches in triathlon.

Our barristers also contribute to leading publications and journals including Lewis & Taylor – Sport: Law & Practice (3rd and 4th edition).