Technology and digital innovation have pushed English copyright law far beyond the focus of traditional copyright works. The prevalence of digital media and emergence of artificial intelligence means that today’s copyright lawyers must also be specialists in digital technology, data, platform liability and generative content.
The team at Stephenson Harwood advises creators, curators, developers and platforms of copyright and related rights. The team forms part of our broader IP, technology and data practice, allowing us to leverage all necessary expertise to protect, commercialise and enforce your copyright.
High-quality practice, with personable, friendly team. That's a rare combination.’
The Legal 500 UK 2025, Intellectual Property
Whether you are a creator, curator, developer or platform our team of experts can help you keep abreast of legal developments in this evolving area of law, formulate clear, pragmatic strategies to ensure your commercial goals are achieved and, where necessary, defend or enforce your copyright and related rights.
Our Services
Evolving technologies and global markets are reshaping the copyright landscape, bringing new challenges and exciting opportunities for business. Our copyright team has extensive experience supporting clients to commercialise their most valuable intellectual property, and defend or enforce their copyright and related rights.
- Advised a genealogy company on highly complex investigations into copyright ownership and subsistence relating to historical records for use in their family tree databases, including advising on Crown copyright protection and the Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2015;
- Advised a provider of AI-generated translation services, on the UK's regulatory and legislative approach to using copyright works for the purposes of training generative AI models. Our advice covered risks under the current UK AI regulatory and legal frameworks, including UK copyright legislation (CDPA), copyright case law, potential regulatory/political developments;
- Advised a global technology and data provider on the enforcement of its copyright in the UAE under newly introduced UAE copyright laws;
- Advised a global cosmetics company on securing copyright and intellectual property rights for an AI-generated film celebrating the 170th anniversary of an iconic perfume;
- Advising an insurance group on a dispute in relation to the ownership of copyright in its proprietary decentralised crypto finance platform;
- Advising a pharmaceutical company in relation to the protection, commercialisation and enforcement of its own patient reported outcome questionnaire;
- Advising the estate of Niki Lauda in relation to the use of his signature and name on a limited edition supercar;
- Advising celebrity chef Ken Hom in relation to the use of a photograph of himself on his autobiography 'My Stir fried Life';
- Advising artist, Feanne, in relation to the use of her artwork on a dress sold by a London fashion company.
Please contact Helen Conlan and Rob Jacob for more information on how we can support you.
Awards and Recognition
"One of the core strengths of this team is that the advice always aligns with the client's commercial interests. The team is very strong, quick and to-the-point in IP strategy and cross-border work."
Leading Firm – Tier 3: Trademarks, copyright and design
