IP transactions lawyers

A great track record of acting for designers and creative businesses

A number of our clients operate in the luxury retail, hospitality and leisure sectors and our IP transaction lawyers assist them in relation to franchising and licensing issues. The decision to license or franchise can be a major leap forward for your business.

However, there are also risks inherent in potentially diluting control of your IP, so we work to ensure you have the right agreements in place to protect your brand. Our IP solicitors advise on strategic as well as legal issues, as you enter into relationships with international partners.

We have years of experience in IP transaction law, advising successful businesses on whether franchise or licensing agreements are commercially and financially appropriate and, if so, the right terms to sign up to.

We also have a great track record of acting for designers and creative businesses going into collaborative partnership with major commercial brands. For example, we advised on licensing agreements for Christopher Kane with Shiseido and Nicholas Kirkwood with Samsung. Additionally, we work with clients in the restaurant and hotel sector as they roll their brands out across the globe.

Our solicitors' detailed legal knowledge of IP transactions can help you to head off any issues before they arise. We have the ability to understand most common pitfalls that a brand may encounter.

For instance, a partner or franchisee may sometimes have the authority to distribute through third parties. This can be dangerous if you do not have a relationship with the sub-franchisee. 

We set up alert systems to inform brand owners when a new retailer enters their network so that they can ensure they sign up to the original agreement. Our IP transaction lawyers will also advise on the best way to audit your franchisees or licensees.