Our international and domestic client base spans TV, film, music, animation and gaming.

We have the resources and experience to assist with deals of all sizes and levels of complexity, from small-budget, indie films to large, international co-productions; section 481 film relief advice; broadcast and on-demand regulatory advice (including AVMSD and broadcast  licensing); music recording, publishing and licensing; and branding and merchandise.

We have worked with a wide variety of national and international film and TV companies and have an excellent understanding of industry business requirements.

We understand that responsiveness is key for our media and entertainment clients, and we work with our clients to progress and conclude deals efficiently. We take a common sense, pragmatic approach when advising our clients.  Whilst we always work to ensure that we achieve the best outcome for our clients, we do not make things unnecessarily complicated.

Our clients also have the added benefit of our highly experienced trade mark lawyers, who can advise on matters such as trade mark protection and enforcement.  Our Corporate and Competition teams are on hand to assist with buying and selling media companies and assets (for example, film and music catalogues and related assets) as well as media mergers.  Our dedicated Employment, Real Estate and Litigation teams can also provide assistance, where needed.

Aideen Burke, who leads the team, previously worked as Legal Counsel with the country’s largest animation studio and, separately, with a major national broadcaster and telecoms company. Aideen is a Board member of Women in Film and Television.

We also have a wide range of experience in investments and M&A transactions as well as Competition law matters involving businesses operating in the media industry, including:

• Acting for Aleph Group, Inc, a leading global enabler of digital advertising, on the Irish aspects of its acquisition of Ad Dynamo, an exclusive partner to Twitter, Snapchat, Spotify and Verizon Media in the wider African region
• Acting for the sellers in the sale of the Red C Group to the Business Post Group
• Advising the sellers of StoryToys on its sale to Team17
• Acting for Denis O’Brien in the sale of longstanding client, Communicorp Group Limited to Bauer Media Group
• Acting for Reach Plc, the largest commercial national and regional news publisher in the UK, on the purchase from INM of the remaining 50% stake in Independent Star Limited, which publishes the Irish Daily Star
• Acting for Communicorp Group Limited in various transactions over the years to include acquisitions and disposals in Ireland, the UK, Finland, Hungary, Estonia, Czech Republic, Jordan, Latvia and Bulgaria
• Advising Suir Valley Ventures on an investment in War Ducks
• Acting for Communicorp in the acquisition of Emap plc’s Irish radio assets, Today FM, FM 104 and Highland Radio which, at a value of €200 million, is the largest radio deal ever completed in Ireland
• Acting in the sale of FM 104 to UTV Plc
• Acting for the vendors of Channel 6 in relation to its sale to TV3
• Acting for national radio station, Newstalk, in a state aid complaint to the European Commission concerning the state broadcaster, RTÉ
• Advising Trinity Mirror in relation to a proposed acquisition of certain regional titles
• Acting for Independent News and Media in a joint venture arrangement involving Offscript Studio Limited

This knowledge and experience coupled with our convenient locations in Dublin, London and Galway means we are well positioned to assist you on your next project.

Experience

• Contractual arrangements in respect of development, financing (including s.481) and production (including rights clearances and chain of title), post-production and distribution of film and television projects.
• International and domestic co-production arrangements.
• Advising international broadcasters and platforms on Irish television broadcast and on-demand regulatory regimes and broadcast licensing arrangements.
• Broadcasting agreements including carriage licenses, sports rights agreements and distribution agreements.
• Carrying out chain of title reviews of film and television projects.
• Music publishing, recording and merchandise deals.
• Libel reviews of scripts and print and online publications.
• Advising on copyright law issues in publishing industry, including for authors and publishers, as well as multi-jurisdiction joint publication arrangements.
• Advising leading art galleries, auction houses and museum on art law issues, including copyright, droit-de-suite, provenance disputes, and event management issues.