Media, Entertainment & Sport
Reputation. Respect. Result.
Tenancy
We are always happy to consider applications from established practitioners to join Wilson Legal Chambers. We are committed to achieving equality of opportunity in all aspects of our endeavour.Clerks, Marketing & Business Support
The success of our laywers is underpinned by our excellent clerks and business support functions and, from time to time, we look for high performers to join our team.Most of our media and entertainment work naturally arises in the context of our core commercial and regulatory practice areas.
"The clerks team are extremely helpful and friendly. Super responsive and they go over the way to meet solicitors and client’s needs."
We have wide experience of dealing with commercial contracts between media organisations and companies, agencies, managers, promoters, trade associations, as well as disputes relating to media coverage rights.
Our members have previously advised various TV production companies on contractual football coverage rights, as well as individual players on image rights and their protection. In addition, we have acted for Premiership and lower league football clubs and have mediated between them and sponsors over their media obligations.
Our sports work is also heavily based on our core practice areas. The COVID-19 pandemic led to a large number of sponsorship disputes between sponsors, governing bodies and teams involving the effect of force majeure clauses and the principles of the law of frustration.
We have advised on disputes in almost every sport; from football, rugby union, Formula One motor racing and cricket to tennis, show-jumping and polo. We have also acted for industry bodies such as Sport England and in cases involving sports law and finance, such as in the long-running Olympic Park dispute involving West Ham United, Leyton Orient, and Tottenham Hotspur.
We also have extensive experience of advising on confidential and sensitive matters in this area.
Our work includes cases relating to:
- Commercial contracts
- Sponsorship disputes particularly arising out of COVID-19 issues
- Fraud claims
- Professional negligence claims
- Regulatory disputes
- Intellectual property including copyright, royalties, trademark issues and image rights
Significant Cases
- Instructed by the defendant sports clothing manufacturer in a c.£2 million dispute concerning a rugby licensing agreement, involving (amongst other things) a dispute about the effect of a force majeure notice issued following the cancellation of fixtures as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Acting for Rangers Football Club in a dispute with Sports Direct concerning matching rights provisions in a retail agreement, raising issues regarding the proper interpretation of such provisions, as well as issues relating to deceit, economic torts and injunctions.
- Acting for a video game studio in a dispute concerning the development of a fantasy action role-playing game for Windows, Xbox One and PS4.
- Acting for a major publisher in a dispute with a high-profile celebrity relating to the payment of advances under a book publishing contract and the impact of the celebrity not attending a schedule of agreed PR events in the run up to the launch of the hardback version of his biography.
- Acting for Cian O’Connor in the Court of Arbitration for Sport appeal filed by Horse Sport Ireland and Mr O’Connor against the decision rendered by the FEI Appeal Committee which meant the Irish team did not qualify for the Olympic Games in Rio in 2016.
- Instructed by the respondent in on notice proceedings for an injunction in a dispute concerning distribution rights to a season of the television series The Walking Dead.
- Representing Cardiff City Football Club in three separate sets of proceedings against its former head coach and others in relation to claims of conspiracy, misrepresentation, and unjust enrichment.
- Defending the boxer Ricky Burns in respect of claims arising from management and promotion agreements concluded between him and Frank Warren.
Experiences
Let Our Experience be Your Guide
The Board The primary purpose of the Board is the stewardship of the firm and the oversight of the implementation of the strategy. The Board’s remit covers matters pertaining to the firm’s culture and values and it acts as guardian of the firm on behalf of the Partnership.
The Executive Committee The Executive Committee is responsible for the development and implementation of the firm’s overall strategy; major initiatives, priorities and investments. It is the firm’s key decision-making body and is responsible for the overall performance management of the business.
Wilson Legal Chambers is a pre-eminent commercial set of laywers’ chambers in London. Members provide specialist legal advice, support and advocacy services worldwide, and the laywers expertise covers all areas of arbitration, litigation, regulation and dispute resolution. The work here embraces all aspects of domestic and international trade, business, commerce and finance. Laywers at Wilson Legal Chambers are recognised specialist counsel in the many diverse fields of commercial law, also regularly accepting nominations as arbitrators, mediators and experts. The principal areas of practice are arbitration, banking and financial services, civil fraud and investigations, commercial litigation, company and insolvency, competition and EU law, employment, energy and natural resources, insurance and reinsurance, intellectual property, media, entertainment and broadcasting, professional liability, public law, sports, gaming and licensing, and tax and revenue law.
Wilson Legal Chambers is committed to promoting and advancing equality and diversity. Chambers does not discriminate against members, pupils, staff, applicants or clients on the basis of race, colour, ethnicity, nationality, sex, pregnancy or maternity, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marriage or civil partnership, religion, belief or age. As part of our commitment to equality and diversity, Chambers ensures that all those involved in recruitment have training in fair recruitment, reviews its recruitment procedures annually and monitors the allocation of unassigned work among members and practising pupils
25
Years of Experience
About Us
Wilson Legal Chambers is Your Best Partner for Legal Solutions
The work here embraces all aspects of domestic and international trade, business, commerce and finance. Laywers at Wilson Legal Chambers are recognised specialist counsel in the many diverse fields of commercial law, also regularly accepting nominations as arbitrators, mediators and experts.