WHAT WE DO

Corporate & Commercial

M Law has expertise in a wide range of commercial legal matters ranging from contracts to litigation with a particular focus on the digital sector.
M Law acts for clients from a wide range of areas of business and
e-commerce in the negotiation and drafting of commercial terms. M Law is also instructed by clients in the contentious aspects of contractual disputes.

Tax

M Law can assist in individual and corporate tax planning through to the tax treatment of intellectual property and image rights.
With the presence of Tom, who taught the international tax LLM paper at King's College London, M Law has the benefit of an unrivalled level of tax expertise.
This is reinforced by the presence of Mark Boardman who was with the investigation arm of HMRC.

Film & TV Production

M Law has industry derived experience in all aspects of the production, financing and exploitation of traditional film and television programming and of on-line and digital products, from clearing and documenting underlying rights, through intricate cross border financing structures to the exploitation of, and crossover between, film, television, merchandising, apps, publishing, music, live stage and other media products and rights.

We have learned that our clients need simplification, not complication. Our aim is to reduce documentation and make these transactions more straightforward, but without reducing the proper protections and remedies to which all parties to these transactions are entitled.

Advertising

M Law has industry experience and expertise in both print and broadcast advertising. We have extensive experience of the ASA codes and procedure; agency contracts; ambush marketing; comparative advertising; teleshopping; endorsement, sponsorship and licensing agreements; and issues of data protection. We can provide advice from the germ of the idea through to clearance of the final piece. We can defend you against allegations of the infringement of third party rights, as well as help you to protect your own work

Publishing

With an expert understanding of the publishing industry, we can give our clients commercially-focused advice. We represent several of the UK's most successful publishers as well as regional, online and specialist publishers. Our ethos is that prevention is better than cure. By operating a 24-hour duty system, M Law provides around-the-clock support. We give comprehensive and constructive pre-publication advice, covering all areas of risk, including libel, copyright infringement and contempt.

We draft and negotiate all forms of commercial agreement required by clients in publishing. Our specialist knowledge and experience ensures practical solutions that work to the benefit of publishing clients.

Music

M Law is experienced in both contentious and non-contentious aspects of the music industry, from global tours, to publishing catalogue acquisition and sale, to copyright disputes. We advise on negotiating contracts in respect of touring, recording, publishing, administration, management, production and distribution. We understand artists' image rights and can advise on tax-efficient structures to maximise revenue streams.

Broadcast & Media

We advise on all aspects of broadcasting and digital carriage, including the delivery of voice, data and visual content via the internet, fixed and mobile telephony, television and radio. Our work includes the grant and transfer of broadcasting licences; the acquisition of capacity on satellite, cable and digital terrestrial television; channel sale and purchase agreements; satellite up-linking services; supply of video-on-demand and IPTV, as well as general commercial advice.

We also provide the full range of regulatory advice, including pre-transmission compliance advice, independent third party verification, regulatory investigations, hearings and appeals (OFT, OFCOM, ASA and PSA). Our team includes specialists in specific regulated sectors, such as television, telecoms and gambling; interactive services (including participation TV) and premium rate services. We have a vast amount of experience advising on content-related disputes across all types of platforms and technologies.

Defamation & Privacy

For an individual or company, their reputation is their most valued commodity. M Law has a proven track record of acting swiftly to minimise the impact and repetition of libels, and to prevent adverse press. We will always seek to avoid litigation for claimant or defendant clients by the prompt publication of full corrections and apologies.

The laws of confidentiality and privacy have seen significant developments over the recent years. M Law has been at the cutting edge of this new area, having represented Hello! in the pre-eminent case of Douglas v. Hello!.
M LAW represents individuals including sporting personalities, websites such as Digital Spy and Popbitch, and companies such as Brawn GP on issues of libel, privacy and confidentiality. It also represents a range of publishers such as Hachette (Elle and Red magazines), Hello! magazine and Legal Business

Sport

M Law appreciates that the world of sport extends well beyond the dimensions of the pitch, and that a sports star's image, correctly managed, is a highly valuable asset. We advise on contracts and disputes relating to licensing and sponsorship. Additionally we offer expertise on issues of commercial confidence, privacy and defamation. Clients have included Honda F1, Audley Harrison, Inspire Sports Management and West Ham captain Lucas Neill.

Intellectual Property

We are intellectual property specialists: trade marks, passing off, copyright and designs form the backbone of our work across the industry sectors. We advise on obtaining and defending IP registrations, and similarly defending attacks from IP-holders. In protecting IP rights, speed is often everything. We give advice to reflect that and also have experience obtaining and defending emergency injunctions. We take IP disputes to trial but will always look to find alternative means of resolving disputes, including mediation. Our IP expertise is also transactional, and we regularly advise on the licensing, sale and purchase of IP rights.

Private Client

M Law offers a confidential, bespoke service to individuals, couples and families as well as to trustees, executors and beneficiaries, advising on all aspects of private client work including but not limited to:

- Wealth management and asset protection
- All aspects of trusts and estate management
- Wills, trusts and lifetime gifts
- Inheritance tax advice for both UK and non UK domiciliaries
- Succession planning, share restructuring and cross option agreements
- UK and Non UK domiciliaries advice on remittance, offshore trust structures and capital gains tax

Brand Protection

A company’s brands are among its most valuable assets. We help you maintain all facets of brand protection, including but not limited to set up and protecting trademarks, identifying and taking appropriate action against infringement or misuse of trademarks or intellectual property, and implementing procedures and policies to protect your company brand, especially relevant in the growing digital and social media arena.

Corporate & Commercial Tax TV & Film Production Advertising Publishing Music Broadcast & Media Defamation & Privacy Sport Intellectual & Property Private Client Brand Protection

Corporate & Commercial

M Law has expertise in a wide range of commercial legal matters ranging from contracts to litigation with a particular focus on the digital sector. M Law acts for clients from a wide range of areas of business and e-commerce in the negotiation and drafting of commercial terms. M Law is also instructed by clients in the contentious aspects of contractual disputes.

Tax

M Law can assist in individual and corporate tax planning through to the tax treatment of intellectual property and image rights.With the presence of Tom, who taught the international tax LLM paper at King's College London, M Law has the benefit of an unrivalled level of tax expertise.
This is reinforced by the presence of Mark Boardman who was with the investigation arm of HMRC.

Film & TV Production

M Law has industry derived experience in all aspects of the production, financing and exploitation of traditional film and television programming and of on-line and digital products, from clearing and documenting underlying rights, through intricate cross border financing structures to the exploitation of, and crossover between, film, television, merchandising, apps, publishing, music, live stage and other media products and rights.

We have learned that our clients need simplification, not complication. Our aim is to reduce documentation and make these transactions more straightforward, but without reducing the proper protections and remedies to which all parties to these transactions are entitled.

Advertising

M Law has industry experience and expertise in both print and broadcast advertising. We have extensive experience of the ASA codes and procedure; agency contracts; ambush marketing; comparative advertising; teleshopping; endorsement, sponsorship and licensing agreements; and issues of data protection. We can provide advice from the germ of the idea through to clearance of the final piece. We can defend you against allegations of the infringement of third party rights, as well as help you to protect your own work

Publishing

With an expert understanding of the publishing industry, we can give our clients commercially-focused advice. We represent several of the UK's most successful publishers as well as regional, online and specialist publishers.

Our ethos is that prevention is better than cure. By operating a 24-hour duty system, M Law provides around-the-clock support. We give comprehensive and constructive pre-publication advice, covering all areas of risk, including libel, copyright infringement and contempt.

We draft and negotiate all forms of commercial agreement required by clients in publishing. Our specialist knowledge and experience ensures practical solutions that work to the benefit of publishing clients.

Music

M Law is experienced in both contentious and non-contentious aspects of the music industry, from global tours, to publishing catalogue acquisition and sale, to copyright disputes. We advise on negotiating contracts in respect of touring, recording, publishing, administration, management, production and distribution. We understand artists' image rights and can advise on tax-efficient structures to maximise revenue streams.

Broadcast & Media

We advise on all aspects of broadcasting and digital carriage, including the delivery of voice, data and visual content via the internet, fixed and mobile telephony, television and radio. Our work includes the grant and transfer of broadcasting licences; the acquisition of capacity on satellite, cable and digital terrestrial television; channel sale and purchase agreements; satellite up-linking services; supply of video-on-demand and IPTV, as well as general commercial advice.

We also provide the full range of regulatory advice, including pre-transmission compliance advice, independent third party verification, regulatory investigations, hearings and appeals (OFT, OFCOM, ASA and PSA). Our team includes specialists in specific regulated sectors, such as television, telecoms and gambling; interactive services (including participation TV) and premium rate services. We have a vast amount of experience advising on content-related disputes across all types of platforms and technologies.

Defamation & Privacy

For an individual or company, their reputation is their most valued commodity. M Law has a proven track record of acting swiftly to minimise the impact and repetition of libels, and to prevent adverse press. We will always seek to avoid litigation for claimant or defendant clients by the prompt publication of full corrections and apologies.

The laws of confidentiality and privacy have seen significant developments over the recent years. M Law has been at the cutting edge of this new area, having represented Hello! in the pre-eminent case of Douglas v. Hello!. M LAW represents individuals including sporting personalities, websites such as Digital Spy and Popbitch, and companies such as Brawn GP on issues of libel, privacy and confidentiality. It also represents a range of publishers such as Hachette (Elle and Red magazines), Hello! magazine and Legal Business

Sport

M Law appreciates that the world of sport extends well beyond the dimensions of the pitch, and that a sports star's image, correctly managed, is a highly valuable asset. We advise on contracts and disputes relating to licensing and sponsorship. Additionally we offer expertise on issues of commercial confidence, privacy and defamation. Clients have included Honda F1, Audley Harrison, Inspire Sports Management and West Ham captain Lucas Neill.

Intellectual Property

We are intellectual property specialists: trade marks, passing off, copyright and designs form the backbone of our work across the industry sectors. We advise on obtaining and defending IP registrations, and similarly defending attacks from IP-holders. In protecting IP rights, speed is often everything. We give advice to reflect that and also have experience obtaining and defending emergency injunctions. We take IP disputes to trial but will always look to find alternative means of resolving disputes, including mediation. Our IP expertise is also transactional, and we regularly advise on the licensing, sale and purchase of IP rights.

Private Client

M Law offers a confidential, bespoke service to individuals, couples and families as well as to trustees, executors and beneficiaries, advising on all aspects of private client work including but not limited to:

- Wealth management and asset protection
- All aspects of trusts and estate management
- Wills, trusts and lifetime gifts
- Inheritance tax advice for both UK and non UK domiciliaries
- Succession planning, share restructuring and cross option agreements
- UK and Non UK domiciliaries advice on remittance, offshore trust structures and capital gains tax

Brand Protection

A company’s brands are among its most valuable assets. We help you maintain all facets of brand protection, including but not limited to set up and protecting trademarks, identifying and taking appropriate action against infringement or misuse of trademarks or intellectual property, and implementing procedures and policies to protect your company brand, especially relevant in the growing digital and social media arena.