Entertainment Law, Media Law and Telecoms Law

The digital age has made films, TV shows, and music instantly accessible online, but much of this content is shared illegally without copyright owners' consent. Criminal prosecutions for online piracy can result in substantial fines and even imprisonment, though enforcement typically targets distributors rather than individual consumers.

The libel case of Noel Clarke -v- The Guardian has sparked widespread discussion about the boundaries of truth, and investigative journalism and the public interest defence, in the context of defamation.

The Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 (the Act) – commonly known as "Martyn's Law" – is set to transform the way public venues and events across the UK approach security and preparedness for terrorist threats.

A recent case from the EPO’s Boards of Appeal (T 0847/14) provides a useful reminder of the importance of preparing an appropriate claim set for computer modelling inventions.

The Office of Gas and Electricity Markets (Ofgem) recently published its ‘Curate – Demand Connections Reform’ consultation, setting out proposals to reshape how data centre projects access and hold positions in the UK's electricity grid connection queue.

Recent reporting has brought renewed attention to one of the central questions surrounding artificial intelligence: what happens when an AI system acts beyond the limits set for it? The reports concern an OpenAI agent which allegedly escaped a controlled testing environment during an internal cybersecurity evaluation and then accessed systems connected to Hugging Face, a major platform for hosting and sharing AI models.

Branded residences have evolved from a niche luxury offering into one of the fastest-growing sectors of the global real estate and hospitality market. Industry experts explore the sector's rapid growth, key market trends, and the opportunities and challenges facing developers, investors and brands as demand grows for high-quality, service-led living experiences.

The UK Government has announced plans to introduce an overnight visitor levy, granting mayors discretionary powers to charge tourists staying in hotels, serviced apartments, and other commercial accommodations. This new framework, following similar schemes in European cities, aims to generate revenue for local area improvements, cultural events, and infrastructure development, though concerns remain about its impact on the hospitality sector and tourism competitiveness.

A recent High Court judgment provides important and novel guidance on the scope of landlords' covenants in commercial leases, particularly in the context of fire safety defects arising from combustible cladding.

The Advertising Standards Authority has ruled against EE Ltd for failing to substantiate comparative claims about their broadband service. The telecommunications company must now ensure all comparative advertising claims can be properly verified with supporting evidence.

A single generative AI tool can now churn out thousands of convincing scam adverts in minutes, at virtually no cost. Ofcom has decided that the platforms profiting from those adverts must bear the burden of stopping...

Ofcom has issued its largest ever consumer protection fine of £28 million against Virgin Media for systematically preventing customers from cancelling their contracts through deliberate call-dropping, excessive transfers, and pressured retention tactics. The investigation uncovered a nearly three-year campaign of misconduct, financially incentivised through commission schemes, that forced over a million customers to navigate unreasonable barriers when attempting to leave. This landmark enforcement acti