Description.
Performers have many valuable rights that are often overlooked when copyright is considered. These rights can be a valuable source of funding where the copyrighted performance is exploited.
We can advise on the existence of these rights and on how they can be protected, whether by licensing or litigation.
Performers may also receive greater rights and protections if or when the Beijing Treaty on Audio-Visual rights is ratified by the UK Government.
We recognise how important a brand name or image can be to a client – not only in terms of the commercial value but the personal attachment that often arises after clients build the brand up from the ground.
If you are starting out in business we can advise as to the benefits and strength of the branding that you have chosen. We can also assist with increasing the protection that the brand receives– whether by challenging competitors or by registering it as a trade mark.
If you are threatened with a “passing off” action – where someone claims that you are using their reputation to gain business for yourself – we can advise on the merits of that claim and help you defend such a claim in court.
Whether you are licensing other companies within your group or permitting third parties to exploit your trade marks, we can advise you on the appropriate terms. From simple licences to more complicated arrangements where greater control and oversight are required (such as manufacturing agreements), we regularly advise clients on how to ensure they have the best protection possible.
Even where both parties are controlled by the same person, it is important that a formal licence is in place to evidence use of the trade mark and to ensure that it is clear what is to happen in the event that there is a change of control or one party becomes insolvent.
Whether you want to protect your trade mark or are accused of infringing someone else’s rights, we can work with you to help achieve the most favourable solution.
Whilst you may be keen to warn someone using your trade mark that they are infringing, “unjustified threats” of trade mark infringement could result in legal action being taken against you. We act on behalf of clients assisting them in preventing unauthorised use of their marks. As well as litigation we can advise you on dealing with Trading Standards or the UK Border Force to stop the sale and importation of counterfeit goods.
Where you have been threatened with trade mark infringement proceedings, we can advise you on the strength of the claim against you and, if appropriate, the best terms for settlement.
Registering a sign as a trade mark is a great way of protecting your company name and branding. We can advise you on the many different types of signs, such as words, logos, pictures and shapes that can be registered.
We can advise you as to the likelihood of a sign being registered as a trade mark – and the types of goods and services that your trade mark should cover and then help you through the registration process.
We regularly register trade marks in the UK and in the European Union and can advise you on the best method to replicate any registration around the world.
If someone is applying for a mark that is similar to yours, we can advise you on how to oppose that application, whether by engaging in opposition proceedings or obtaining other forms of protection, such as co-existence agreements.
Having created works which are protected by copyright, the next step is to generate revenue from the works. Whilst you may try and exploit the work yourself, we can advise you on a range of ways to exploit the work including the different types of licences, publishing deals and (if applicable) the appropriate copyright collecting societies you should consider joining.
We also can help with copyright valuation, looking at appropriate comparisons or, if appropriate, instructing economic experts to help obtain more revenue from the use of your works.
Copyright can protect a wide range of content, such as novels, songs, photographs, sound recordings, films, paintings and other artworks.
Whether you want to protect your copyright or are accused of infringing someone else’s copyright, we can work with you to get the best possible outcome. We can advise you on the merits of your case and help in presenting your case, both during negotiations and before the court. We advise on the many different remedies that are available in cases of copyright infringement (including injunctions to prevent further infringement, damages and additional damages).
We have substantial experience of copyright litigation in the High Court, the specialist Intellectual Property Enterprise Court and the Small Claims Court.
GSC’s Tax Team is internationally focused. Our clients are highly mobile, business leaders…
GSC’s Tax Advisors is internationally focused. Our clients are highly mobile, business leaders and entrepreneurs based in regions such as Africa, the Middle East, the former Soviet Republics and South East Asia. Meeting their needs requires more than legal expertise; it takes cultural awareness, a global mind set and broad linguistic capabilities.
This is why GSC tax lawyers come so highly recommended. They have built up a high degree of expertise in understanding high-net-worth individuals in all tax aspects of corporate, commercial and financial transactions, with a particular understanding of those transactions’ impact on personal tax.
Our Private Client team is adept at advising on the full suite of private client services…
Our Private Client team is adept at advising on the full suite of private client services.
We have a particular focus on advising on international private wealth that when combined with the firm’s well-established corporate and property departments, means that we are able to provide high net worth individuals, families and entrepreneurs with holistic, tailored advice in relation to their interests both in the UK and further afield..
Our wills and trusts solicitors provide clear and practical solutions to a broad range of private client issues, such as the setting up of both onshore and offshore trusts for wealth preservation, succession planning to help ensure family businesses pass down through generations without being unduly burdened with tax liabilities and helping entrepreneurs to realise the sale of their successful venture in the most tax efficient way.
A summary of our private client services is set out below.
Our approach is to deliver legal advice of the highest quality that is individually tailored, providing practical solutions to the legal and financial issues surrounding the creation, investment, protection and transfer of private wealth and assets.
For details on our charges, please refer to: Probate Services Fees
As markets have evolved and became global, so has GSC’s focus. Today, we work for domestic…
As markets have evolved and became global, so has GSC’s focus. Today, we work for domestic and international clients in real estate and corporate investments, for corporations and business leaders, and for entrepreneurs, on work spanning a wide variety of jurisdictions. From the Middle East, India and Pakistan to Azerbaijan and sub-Saharan Africa, we are advising clients with their investments in many sectors, including:
