Christopher is a commercial lawyer working primarily in creative commercial sectors – music, television and film, branding and licensing, photography, public speaking, publishing and social influencer deals, as well as reputation management. He brings practical experience to this role, having spent 15 years touring globally with internationally renowned classical crossover group The King’s Singers, with whom he recorded 40 albums and received two Grammy Awards and a MIDEM Award. He also acted as in-house legal counsel from the artist’s perspective, negotiating recording, performing and sponsorship contracts with major labels, international promoters and global brands.
Christopher acts for creative artists including musicians, screen performers, screen executives and screen writers, authors, management agencies, film studios and record labels on all aspects of their contractual relationships including in relation to rights protection and diversifying commercialisation. The rise of NFTs has led to a new market in derivative products relating to music, film, television and video games, each of which raises questions on identifying, defining and protecting copyright material, and Christopher has placed himself at the forefront of legal advice in this area.
Recent focuses have been on ensuring that content creators receive appropriate protection and recognition for their work, and are able to control its wider usage online as many businesses increasingly rely on virtual delivery platforms. In the past 12 months Christopher has also assisted with licensing, franchising and protecting global entertainment and hospitality brands, and has experience in the growth area of manchising.
Expertise
- Music performance
- Touring and recording
- Photography
- Film and television
- Publishing
- Intellectual property
- Copyright
- Public speaking
- Reputation management
- Licensing
- Branding
- Franchising / manchising
- Confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements
Experience
- Acted for several high-profile songwriters and performing artists in negotiations with records labels such as Universal, Decca, EMI Records, publishing houses including Absolute Label Services, Peer Music, Eagle-i and Kobalt, and management contracts with Modest Management, Nick Stewart & Associates amongst others.
- General advice to FlyNet Media including image rights, merchandising and management deal with television personality Ant Middleton, and Exclusivity Contract with Channel 4.
- General counsel for international photography agency LGA Management, advising on all aspects of commercial relationships with photographers, makeup artists, agencies and advertising houses including in relation to image rights, endorsements, shoot engagements and general T&C.
- Advised emerging artists in negotiations with Britain’s Got Talent and other reality television opportunities, and assisted classical/crossover artists with performance, recording and management agreements
- Legal adviser for Tracks 4 Change, a youth enfranchisement project run by Rob da Bank, Maisie Williams and Lizzie Ball including image rights, recording agreement, T&C and performance agreement with Bestival.
- Negotiating a brand licensing deal for a renowned international music and entertainment retailer.
- Advising a reality television star in relation to a Netflix documentary and reputation management.
- Concluding a minimising agreement for a national hospitality concessions brand.
- Multiple podcast and documentary contracts for various clients including changemaking influencers Munroe Bergdorf, Florence Given, Sophia Thakur and Megan Crabbe.
- Musicological and commercial legal advice as part of Keystone team bringing copyright infringement claims in the High Court in separate claims against two major international recording artists.
- Lead adviser to Emporia Brands Ltd, distiller and global distributor of high-end spirits to the drinks trade.
- Advising independent authors and artists in relation to publishing contracts, television option agreements and podcast deals.
- Commercial and corporate structuring documentation for various media start-up companies in the publishing and entertainment sectors.
Please note: The experience list above may include examples of work completed prior to joining Keystone Law.
Recognition
Member of The Law Society
Career
Christopher qualified as a solicitor in 2003. Prior to joining Keystone Law in 2019, he worked at the following firms:
- Clintons
- Stephenson Harwood