Entertainment & Sport

Members of 7KBW have built a strong practice in the field of sports and entertainment law, applying their excellence and expertise in commercial dispute resolution to this fast developing area.

Members of Chambers have experience acting for individual sports men and women, professional sporting teams as well as sports regulatory bodies both in an advisory capacity and as advocates before arbitral tribunals and in the High Court.  Members have recently represented BAR in BAR v Jenson Button and Williams Racing to retain the services of Jenson Button for the 2005 Formula One season; acted for International Motorsport in a claim against Welsh Ministers in respect of the cancellation of the Welsh world motor rally; represented the Rugby Football Union in a High Court dispute with premiership clubs; and acted for insurers in IMG -v- Simmonds [2003] EWHC 177 (Comm) in a contingency insurance dispute arising out of the cancellation of the Sahara Cup, a cricket tournament between India and Pakistan.

In addition, members of 7KBW have acted in an array of different disputes in the music, film, television and other entertainment industries.  These typically cover the construction and application of contracts of insurance, the infringement of copyrights and trademarks and other contractual disputes.  Important recent cases include: Warner Chappell v Michael Bolton, in which members of Chambers represented Warner Chappell in  a Commercial Court case concerning the infringement of copyright by the US singer/songwriter and rights of subrogation between co-assureds; acting for Chris Blackwell defending a claim brought by Steve Winwood for a shareholding in Island Records; acting for BBC Worldwide in a claim brought by it in relation to the exploitation of its archive of rock music; representing reinsurers in CNA International Reinsurance & Others -v- Companhia de Seguros and Tranquilidade [1999] Lloyd’s Rep IR 289, a case concerning the cancellation of a concert by Placido Domingo in Lisbon due to the illness of the performer’s mother, in which reinsurers secured a favourable construction of a policy of contingency reinsurance against the largest insurance company in Portugal; and Pinewood Studios v. Casino Royale, in which members of Chambers are currently representing Casino Royale in a High Court action concerning the destruction of the 007 Stage at Pinewood Studios.

 

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