WHO WE ARE
About Abbas Media Law
We are specialists on all aspects of UK
law and regulation affecting the television, film, advertising and publishing
industries. We advise before publication and broadcast, working with creatives to minimise legal
and regulatory risk, and following publication and broadcast,
defending content when it and its producers come under attack. We work day-to-day with many of the country’s leading
creative content producers.
Content Advice
We are experts in all aspects of the law – defamation, privacy,
contempt, copyright (including fair dealing), the criminal law
– that affects the publishing and broadcasting of content in
the UK, as well as all relevant regulatory rules – Ofcom, ASA,
BBC Editorial Guidelines, IPSO and the Editors’ Code.
Nigel Abbas, the firm’s founder, is the primary author of
Channel 4’s Producers Handbook, a comprehensive practical guide to best practice, regulation and the law as they
apply to the making and broadcasting of the broadcasters’
programmes. Equal in scale and ambition to the BBC Guidelines, it is now the benchmark for best practice training and
procedures in the UK independent television sector. The
Handbook was first published in 2008 (as a joint handbook
for Channel 4 and Channel 5) and is now made available online at http://www.channel4.com/producers-handbook/
Abbas Media Law’s lawyers and advisers are some of the
most experienced content lawyers in the country. They have
advised on an enormous amount of television, film and other
content over many years, across all genres. Content that we
work on appears on television, in cinemas, on-line or in print
week-in-week-out.
We advise and work on some of the most exciting and
challenging factual programming; films and dramas, including the most hard-hitting factually based works; and all kinds
of entertainment and comedy programmes. We advise on
content from start to finish: advising on treatments and the
feasibility of projects even before commission, advising on
scripts, rough cuts, fine cuts, right through to picture lock. At
other times clients seek advice on specific issues e.g. libel,
copyright or other issues. We also advise many of the mainstream news providers.
Business Affairs & Rights
We advise clients, both companies and individuals, on all
aspects of business and commercial affairs, and chain of title and rights issues, in connection with the television, film,
advertising and publishing industries. We advise on dealmaking, draft and negotiate all types of agreements, and we
can answer all your day to day queries. See page 14.
Regulatory threats and complaints
We have many years’ experience dealing with high-profile
post-broadcast complaints to the media regulators in particular Ofcom and the ASA, advising on strategy, tactics, drafting of submissions and defences and advocacy.
Legal Threats
Lawyers at Abbas Media Law have worked on some of the
most legally challenging programmes over many years, including programmes made for the BBC’s Panorama and
Channel 4’s Dispatches strands, fending off threats of attack
from numerous high profile individuals and companies. We
regularly advise and represent clients when legal threats are
made against programmes and other content, both before
and after publication.
Litigation
We advise and represent clients in most areas of litigation
affecting the media, advising on strategy, tactics, drafting
of pleadings and advocacy. Current and recent litigation
in which we have been involved includes defending a libel claim brought over defamatory words published online, acting for an indie being sued for copyright infringement and acting for a national broadcaster in respect of a
claim for judicial review of an Ofcom decision in respect of
one of the broadcaster’s most popular series.
The Team
Nigel Abbas Founder
Nigel is a barrister with over
20 years’ experience advising
the media and entertainment
industries. He specialises
in content advice, business
affairs, complaints handling and
litigation. As well as Founder
of Abbas Media Law he is a
member of leading media
barristers’ chambers, 5RB.
14 | zoom-in Winter 2016
Clare Hoban Senior Lawyer
Jenny Spearing Consultant
Felicity McMahon Consultant
A highly experienced media
lawyer, Clare began her legal
career advising magazine
publishers, followed by 11 years
as an in-house programme
lawyer at the BBC. She joined
Abbas Media Law in January
2016.
Jenny is a business affairs
consultant with nearly 20
years’ experience in television
production. She has worked
with and advises many leading
UK indies and has experience
of negotiating with US
broadcasters.
A highly versatile media law
barrister, Felicity’s expertise
includes defamation,
privacy and confidence,
data protection, copyright,
access to journalistic material,
contempt, harassment and
injunctions.