The support and expertise on offer at Schwartz & Watkins LLP includes advice in relation to privacy, press regulation...
Barristers at Schwartz & Watkins LLP have a wealth of expertise in relation to a broad range of work in this area. Members regularly act for newspaper groups, publishers, television, radio and satellite broadcasters, online media outlets, production companies, performers and studios.
The support and expertise on offer at Schwartz & Watkins LLP includes advice in relation to privacy, press regulation, intellectual property, competition issues, commercial agreements, injunctive relief, publishing and recording contracts and regulatory codes and licensing.
Recent work has included acting for News International in its capacity as a Core Participant in the Leveson Inquiry into the culture, practices and ethics of the press; acting for News Group Newspapers publisher of The Sun and former publisher of The News of the World, in relation to both the Voicemail Interception Compensation Scheme and the High Court group litigation in numerous claims brought by alleged victims of phone hacking and other unlawful practices. In addition, Terry Burn QC was appointed by News Corporation to be the independent Chairman of the Management and Standards Committee (MSC), a body set up to look into related practices at News International.
In STV Central Ltd and STV North Ltd v ITV Network, barristers here acted in a claim by STV (formerly called Scottish Television) in a dispute regarding broadcasting rights held by ITV Network for all its members. The dispute concerned whether ITV Network was entitled to grant closed video-on-demand rights in favour of Virgin and BT without consulting STV; and in the matter of Atex Group Ltd, barristers here acted for the respondent in an unfair prejudice petition relating to a large media company whose principal business is digital content management, advertising and distribution systems.
In Starbucks (HK) Limited and another v British Sky Broadcasting Group Plc and others [2015] UKSC 31, a team of barristers at Schwartz & Watkins LLP acted for Sky, the successful Defendants/Respondents in the Supreme Court proceedings dealing with a claim for passing off and the use of ‘NOW TV’ as the title of an internet protocol television service.
Other instructions have involved advice to broadcasters on potential breaches of licence conditions and the Ofcom Broadcasting Code and advising a well known US film director's management company in potential proceedings flowing from an agreement for use of a property whilst filming in London.
