Copyright

Service overview: Copyright lawyers

  • Copyright law provides creators with automatic ownership of their work, which can include computer software, designs, images, music, artwork, literature, or films. You don’t need to register it, and there isn’t a UK register of copyright works.
  • It is important that creative individuals and businesses understand how to protect and defend their intellectual property. Our intellectual property strategy services can help you assess the best protection for your circumstances.
  • Harper James’ specialist copyright lawyers can assist with any matter including explaining your rights, licensing your copyright works, sale and transfer/assignment of copyright, or handling a dispute or infringement.
  • Our copyright lawyers can offer a range of strategies to resolve any disputes. When it comes to contentious matters, we are strong advocates for alternative dispute resolution methods in the first instance, as these can lead to amicable resolutions which are realised faster, with less cost, and without long term damage to relationships; a key reason why many clients seek our services.
  • We’re a national law firm with multiple office locations and expert senior solicitors working remotely throughout the UK. This enables us to offer our innovative pricing packages.
How can we help?

What we do: Copyright lawyers

Almost all businesses will have some dealings with copyright, whether you use third party assets or create your own copyright works. Knowing how to stay compliant, avoid and prevent infringement and successfully exploit your creative work can all require detailed legal advice.

Copyright is the automatic right afforded by law to those who create, preventing others from taking ownership, exploiting, or controlling that work, unless you choose to license and exploit your copyright.

Copyright law plays an essential role in protecting the work and ideas of creators. Whether you’ve produced a website, piece of art, literary work, software programme, song, sound recordings, films, broadcasts, poems, or any other type of creative output, it’s important to ensure your creative efforts are properly protected, and effectively exploited.

As a copyright law firm, we can act on your behalf if your work is infringed without your consent by being:

  • adapted
  • copied
  • distributed
  • performed
  • played
  • placed on the internet
  • rented or loaned
  • shown or broadcast.

To learn more about copyright law, please visit our copyright FAQs page.

Our legal copyright services

Our specialist team of copyright lawyers can assist with a range of legal matters including:

  • Selling or transferring your copyright (also known as assignment)
  • Explaining your rights – including copyright, moral rights, and performers’ rights
  • Copyright infringements or disputes – including verifying if another party has applied for rights to use your work (and have usage stopped or assert that the license fee has not been paid), raising a complaint with the copyright tribunal, or taking enforcement action
  • Holistic intellectual property law such as IP strategy, IP disputes and general IP advice.

Handling copyright infringement

Our copyright solicitors understand the importance of acting swiftly in response to any infringement of your copyright, to protect your brand and prevent financial losses, and crucially to convey the message that breach of your copyright will not be tolerated.

Our in-depth knowledge of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 means we can quickly act in response to any infringement against your work.

If an infringement against your creative work has occurred in another country, we will seek to intervene using that jurisdiction’s specific copyright laws.

We can also act for you if you’ve been accused of copyright infringement. Watch our IP partner Lindsay Gledhill explaining a little-known way you can resolve such a situation:

Protecting digital or online works

We are seeing a considerable increase in copyright infringements in relation to digital creative work, including websites, software, and designs. It is not unusual to see entire webpages, including written content, development code, and logos being copied unlawfully. Our online copyright lawyers will act quickly to have the copied content removed from a website and from search engines. We can also hold the website hosting company liable if they fail to delete content which they have been ordered to remove.

Who we help: Creatives, entrepreneurs, SMEs, start-ups

We represent individuals and businesses across the creative industries, technology, retail and luxury brands, including:

  • Computer game developers and designers
  • Graphic designers
  • Architects
  • Employees and employers
  • Musicians
  • Writers and publishers
  • Artists

Why choose our copyright lawyers? Our experience

We’re a modern law firm with a difference. Our innovative remote operating model means that you can access expert City-grade legal advice from partner-level solicitors at a fraction of the cost of traditional law firms. Our solicitors have all been recruited from top 100 UK law firms or large international businesses. Find out more about our copyright lawyers here:

Amanda Mitten

Intellectual Property Solicitor

Amanda joined the firm in 2016 and has over ten years of experience in providing commercial and intellectual property services for clients.

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Rob Cobley

IP & Commercial Technology Partner

Before joining us Rob worked for Santander bank as an IP/brand management lawyer and also at Shakespeare Martineau.

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Lindsay Gledhill

Intellectual Property Partner

Having previously worked at top 50 firm, Walker Morris, Lindsay specialises in IP strategy, dispute resolution and IP exploitation.

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Edward Kilner

IP, Commercial & Technology Associate Solicitor

Ed joins our commercial team and specialises in IT, IP and general technology related contracts, but can also advise on a range of commercial matters.

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David Sant

Commercial Technology & Data Protection Solicitor

David is a commercial solicitor, specialising in technology and data protection. He joins us having worked as in-house counsel for the BBC and OUP.

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Gemma Pickavant

Intellectual Property Solicitor

Gemma advises primarily on trade mark protection, and she is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Trade Mark Attorneys.

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See all solicitors

Pricing plans

Our three transparent pricing packages are designed to give you the widest possible access to high-quality legal advice, whatever the size and nature of your business:

City

Straightforward access to senior solicitors at a competitive rate.

An affordable solution for businesses needing one-off legal support. Receive ‘City’ partner-level expertise at a fraction of ‘City’ prices.

Enterprise

Have legal peace of mind for £189 per month with additional support from £125 per hour.

A monthly subscription legal support package specifically designed for start-ups and smaller businesses.

On-Demand

Providing you with priority access to a dedicated panel of highly experienced solicitors.

Fully account managed quarterly subscription service for businesses with more complex legal needs.

Learn more about our pricing plans

What our clients say

We pride ourselves on delivering an excellent service for clients, but don’t just take our word for it.

Read all testimonials

What next?

Please leave us your details and we’ll contact you to discuss your situation and legal requirements. There’s no charge for your initial consultation, and no obligation to instruct us. We aim to respond to all messages received within 24 hours.

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A national law firm

We mainly work remotely, so we can work with you wherever you are. But we can arrange face-to-face meeting at our offices or a location of your choosing.

Our commercial lawyers are based in or close to major cities across the UK, providing expert legal advice to clients both locally and nationally.

Birmingham
Floor 2, Cavendish House, 39-41 Waterloo Street, Birmingham, B2 5PP
Cambridge
Stirling House, Cambridge Innovation Park, Denny End Road, Waterbeach, Cambridge, CB25 9QE
London
10 Fitzroy Square, London, W1T 5HP
Manchester
13th Floor, Piccadilly Plaza, Manchester, M1 4BT
Oxford
Harwell Innovation Centre, 173 Curie Avenue, Harwell, Oxfordshire, OX11 0QG
Sheffield
2-5 Velocity Tower, 1 St Mary’s Square, Sheffield, S1 4LP