The Games sector is booming and with it, the commercial, regulatory and legal challenges that set this sector apart from other industries in the UK. Those operating in this area need an in-depth understanding of advanced technology, media rights and investment issues as well as advice on more general company and commercial topics. It’s a fast-moving sector, and you need legal advice that can keep pace with the diverse range of issues at play.

Drawn from specialist lawyers across all of our practice areas, our dedicated videogaming team regularly advises clients on the full spectrum of issues that arise for businesses within the industry. Our services include:

• Protecting your core game assets, content and IP
• Advising on software development, licensing and distribution
• Drafting and negotiating a wide variety of commercial agreements and licences
• Investment into your business or the acquisition of targets
• Technical and regulatory compliance (including AI development, lootboxes, microtransactions and content compliance)
• Consumer law compliance, including regulatory considerations in retail
• Media and broadcasting
• Advertising regulations and adtech compliance
• Child welfare, age restrictions and online safety
• Image rights and reputation management
• Cybersecurity
• Data protection
• Disputes and litigation

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is changing the way we do business. From chatbots and natural language processing to smart factories and robotics, AI can help businesses automate and optimise processes. But it also presents a wide range of legal challenges and questions, especially in areas of compliance and data privacy. Can works created by AI be protected? How do you handle security, ensuring that an individual’s data-privacy rights are protected? Who is liable for the information generated by AI chatbots? What are the employment consequences if the use of AI results in redundancy, unintentional discrimination or a bias in your hiring practices?

Navigating regulatory compliance, liability risk, privacy, governance and ownership rights calls for a knowledgeable, experienced team. Collaborating with clients across the AI ecosystem—and covering all legal services that touch on AI—we can help you make the most of these game-changing technologies while staying alive to both the commercial issues that surround the use of AI and an ever-increasing array of global regulations.

From the procurement and contracting of AI-enabled services to intellectual property strategies, data management, ethics and cybersecurity, our specialist team has you covered.

We have a flourishing FinTech practice acting across the breadth of business stages from start-up, through rapid growth and to exit. Working with a wide range of companies, entrepreneurs, investors and venture capitalists, we understand the challenges they face, and offer a uniquely tailored service.

Our practice advises a diverse client base including challenger banks, peer-to-peer e-payment vehicles, Forex companies, high net worth individuals and those utilising Blockchain technology, cryptocurrencies and digital assets.

We regularly advise companies and projects looking to raise funds via Initial Coin Offerings (ICOs) and Security Token Offerings (STOs) in regards to UK law and FCA regulation and the contractual relationship between those offering the token and the token holder. We have particular expertise advising on corporate, commercial, data protection, intellectual property issues and in resolving disputes around digital assets.

We understand that, in this space, simple is better. We keep our approach light touch, focusing only on what needs to be done to secure the best result as quickly as possible, freeing you up to focus on the progression of your business.

From gaming to commerce to the workplace, the metaverse is making waves everywhere. We proactively support the next generation of tech-enabled businesses to capitalise fully on the opportunities being presented by the dynamic virtual spaces  enabled while mitigating vulnerabilities and legal risks.

By definition, the metaverse is borderless—a meeting point for multiple technologies, platforms, software, peripherals and interfaces, as well as blockchain for acquiring digital assets like NFTs. This is often at odds with the territorial nature of IP laws. It’s important to work with a legal team that understands the commercial challenges and grey areas when operating in the virtual worlds sector.

Cutting across conventional practice areas, our metaverse team advises on regulation, commercial contracts, funding, cybersecurity, software development, software licensing, intellectual property, privacy and data protection, digital design/ Online Choice Architecture issues, online safety, real estate, taxation and more. Clients trust us to ensure that all elements of their metaverse operations are legally sound to help them take advantage of fast-moving developments in this space.