Intellectual property

Maitland Chambers offers expertise in copyright, passing off and trade marks with members providing the highest quality advice and advocacy in pure intellectual property cases and in cases which intellectual property rights form part of a wider multi-disciplinary dispute.

Members of Chambers have acted regularly in the High Court, the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court in recent years, as well as appearing in the Copyright Tribunal and in copyright licensing arbitrations.

In the music industry, we are frequently instructed by the major record labels, music publishers, national and international trade bodies and collecting societies as well as by recording artists and songwriters. We also have also provided advice and representation across a range of the other fields, including film and TV rights, book publishing, newspapers and computer software.

Our expertise covers traditional plagiarism claims by or against artists and writers and extends to widescale online infringement. In particular, our members have been involved in some of the leading recent disputes concerning internet piracy and the development of the English court’s blocking order jurisdiction. We have also played a leading role in cases concerning the right of communication to the public.

In addition to infringement claims, we provide a great depth of experience in copyright licensing, including the operation of collective management organisations. The involvement of members in Copyright Tribunal references and related arbitrations over many years enables us to offer an informed and profound understanding of the economics and commercial realities of the creative industries.