Associate, Corporate - Intellectual Property (IP) & Commercial

The role

Our IP & Commercial team provides legal and strategic support to entrepreneurs, creative individuals, SMEs and multi-nationals on intellectual property, commercial, and data protection issues.

The team advises on the creation, acquisition and exploitation of IP through agreements that have IP at their core, such as licences and endorsement arrangements.

We also draft, negotiate and advise on a wide range of commercial contracts such as franchise agreements, supplier contracts, software agreements, agency and distribution agreements, and strategic alliances of all kinds.  

We advise on advertising and consumer law issues. Our advertising work often centres on the digital space, particularly social media, but we also advise on affiliate marketing and ASA compliance.

We advise on all stages of data protection compliance, from dealing with data protection issues in commercial contracts to international transfers of personal data, to managing data breaches and communications with the regulators (working hand-in-hand with our Data Privacy Disputes team).

The team have a broad and impressive client base including;

• Retail and consumer brands such as Pandora, Euroffice, Simon Carter and Wicked Foods;
• World famous artists and international art galleries;
• Media companies and trade organisations for creative industries.

We have an excellent opportunity for an experienced Associate to join the team. The team are very collegiate and really enjoy working together. You'll be part of a team headed by 3 entrepreneurial Partners, all of whom are recommended individuals in the WTR1000. The team has grown hugely in recent years and fully intend to keep doing so.

Whilst candidates with experience across IP, commercial and data protection are welcome, we are also keen to consider commercial lawyers with experience in either IP or data protection.  

Role responsibility

Typical responsibilities will include;

• IP - Advising on intellectual property across a range of industry sectors that rely on the creation, protection, development and exploitation of IP including art, retail, technology and sport.
• Commercial - Advising organisations on commercial issues such as advertising, promotions and consumer protection. Drafting and negotiating licences, assignments, agency and distribution agreements, franchises and other commercial agreements.
• Data Protection - Advising on a range of data protection issues drafting data protection clauses in commercial agreements and standalone data protection agreements, privacy policies and impact assessments.
• Supporting teams around the firm on the IP aspects of transactions, such as M&A deals and joint venture agreements, including conducting IP due diligence, drafting and negotiating IP and data protection warranties.
• Business development activities, both with other members of the team and in order to build your own practice.
• Providing efficient professional support for partners.
• As you develop in experience, you will be given responsibility for your own matters and the opportunity and support to develop the skills, mentor, supervise, and take responsibility for less experienced junior Associates and trainees.

About you

Ideally you will be able to demonstrate;

• Experience of drafting and negotiating complex commercial contracts; and
• Non-contentious and contentious IP (drafting agreements for the exploitation of IP, resolving disputes at pre-action stages and assisting litigators on IP aspects of cases); and/or
• Experience advising on data protection matters including UK GDPR compliance for clients based in the UK and abroad and drafting data protection agreements and policies.
• The ability to provide advice to clients at all levels of seniority in a clear and confident manner.
• The ability to approach issues creatively and collaboratively.
• A commercial, pragmatic, and proactive approach.
• The ability to work independently and manage your own workload.
• The ability to create and maintain excellent client relationships, developing credibility with clients in order to become a trusted advisor and a first point of call.
• A willingness to work as part of a team assisting colleagues when necessary in order to provide the highest levels of client service.
• Excellent attention to detail.

Benefits

• Competitive salary
• 25 days annual holiday
• Permanent Health Insurance
• Life Assurance
• Interest free Season Ticket Loan
• Private Healthcare
• Pension Scheme
• Staff Introductory Scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme

About us

We are a London based, full-service law firm, specialising in providing straightforward advice to entrepreneurial businesses and individuals on domestic and international matters.

We have grown substantially in recent years, including two mergers and an office move. We’ve also matured in terms of our approach to providing advice to our clients, seeking to simplify and improve the experience of working with a modern, independent law firm.

We’re proud of our journey. Without losing sight of where we’ve come from, we are focused on where we’re going. We are evolving and growing every day. And just like our clients, we are ambitious and moving forward. Many of our clients are entrepreneurial, ambitious enterprises who are often privately or family owned, or private equity backed. We are one of the only London based law firms with a large private wealth offering alongside significant business law capability.

The firm also advises major corporates on particular specialist legal matters who find our straightforward approach a compelling alternative to larger, less personal firms.