Art & Design

Creativity has value. A work of art, a photograph, a piece of music, a fashion collection, a building or a product may begin with an idea, but protecting, exhibiting, reproducing and commercialising that idea creates legal relationships that can be as important as the work itself.

We advise artists, designers, photographers, musicians, architects and other creative professionals, as well as galleries, collectors, fashion and design businesses, brands and companies operating across the creative industries. Our work extends from fine art and visual culture to fashion, architecture, photography, music and commercial and product design.

At the centre of our practice is the protection of creative work. We advise on copyright, trademarks, designs and other intellectual property rights, helping clients establish ownership, protect their identity and creations, control how their work is used and develop appropriate structures for its commercial exploitation. We also represent creators personally, helping them protect both the integrity and the economic value of their work throughout their careers.

Our approach recognises that creative work is simultaneously personal, cultural and commercial. We seek to understand the work and the creative process behind it, while providing the legal framework necessary to protect, share and commercialise it.

We work with painters, sculptors and other visual artists on the creation, ownership, exhibition, sale and reproduction of their work. We advise on relationships with galleries, agents, dealers, collectors, institutions and commercial partners, as well as commissions, exhibitions, consignments, sales and other arrangements through which works of art reach audiences and markets. We also assist collectors and other participants in transactions involving artworks and collections.

Copyright is fundamental across much of the creative sector. We advise on the ownership, assignment, licensing and enforcement of copyright, including questions concerning commissioned works, collaborations, employee and contractor-created works, reproduction, adaptation, publication and digital use. Where a creator’s work is used without permission, or beyond the scope of the rights granted, we assist in protecting and enforcing the creator’s position.

Our design work encompasses artistic and commercial design in its different forms, including graphic and visual design, architecture and interiors, fashion, industrial design, furniture and consumer products. We advise on registered and unregistered design rights, copyright, trademarks and the contractual arrangements governing the creation, manufacture, reproduction and commercial use of designs. Where designers collaborate with manufacturers, developers, brands or other businesses, we help define ownership and establish how the resulting work may be used and exploited.

Fashion sits at the intersection of creativity, intellectual property and commerce. We advise designers, fashion businesses and brands on trademarks, designs, copyright, brand identity, licensing, collaborations, manufacturing, distribution and commercial agreements. We also assist in protecting collections and brand assets against unauthorised use, imitation and infringement.

Architectural work presents its own combination of creative and commercial considerations. We advise architects and designers on ownership and use of designs and plans, commissions and collaborations, attribution, reproduction and the intellectual property issues that can arise as a concept moves from design to construction and subsequent use.

Photography similarly raises questions that extend beyond ownership of an image. We advise photographers and those commissioning or using photography on copyright, commissions, licensing, reproduction, publication, digital and commercial use and disputes over unauthorised exploitation. Our work seeks to ensure that the scope of the rights granted reflects how, where and for how long an image is actually intended to be used.

In music, we advise artists and other participants on copyright and related rights, recording and publishing arrangements, licensing, commissions, collaborations and the commercial use of music across different media and platforms. As methods of creating, distributing and consuming music continue to evolve, we assist clients in understanding and protecting the rights that underpin their work.

Licensing runs through all of these creative fields. A creator does not necessarily need to surrender ownership in order to commercialise a work. We advise on licences for artworks, images, music, designs, brands and other intellectual property, addressing scope, territory, duration, exclusivity, royalties and permitted forms of use so that creative assets can be exploited while appropriate control is retained.

We also advise on trademarks and brand protection where a creator’s name, identity or business develops value of its own. For artists, designers and creative businesses alike, the distinction between the work and the brand surrounding it is increasingly important, particularly where creative output extends into collaborations, merchandise, digital media or other commercial ventures.

When disputes arise, we represent artists, designers, photographers, musicians, collectors, galleries, creative businesses and rights-holders in negotiations, court proceedings and alternative dispute resolution. Our work includes disputes concerning copyright and design infringement, trademarks and passing off, ownership and authorship, attribution, unauthorised reproduction and exploitation, licensing and royalties, commissions, collaborations and contractual relationships. We also advise on disputes arising from the sale, acquisition, authenticity, provenance, possession and valuation of artworks and other creative assets.

We recognise that disputes in the creative industries can involve considerations that go beyond financial compensation. For an artist or designer, attribution, reputation, creative integrity and control over how a work is presented or used may be as important as its economic value. For galleries, collectors, brands and other businesses, disputes may affect valuable assets, commercial relationships and reputation. We therefore approach these matters with an understanding of both the rights at stake and the wider creative and commercial context, seeking urgent protective measures where necessary and pursuing litigation or other forms of dispute resolution where a negotiated solution cannot adequately protect our client’s position.

From protecting a work at the moment of creation to negotiating how it will be exhibited, reproduced, licensed, sold or commercialised — and defending those rights when they are challenged — our role is to give creators and creative businesses the legal structure they need to retain control of what they create and realise its value.