Legal Lens: Before, During & After TV Production

Mike Brookes

Partner, Dispute Resolution, Lee & Thompson

Mike is a partner at Lee & Thompson and head of the firm’s Defamation & Privacy group. He is also a key member of the firm’s Dispute Resolution group.

Mike joined Lee & Thompson in 1998 and played a major role in establishing the firm’s reputation for quality dispute resolution, handling the full range of copyright and contractual disputes for clients within the creative industries of music, film, television and sport, and ranging from artists and actors to record labels and production companies. 

Building on his pre-publication content clearance work for the firm’s well-established film and television production client base, Mike has in recent years built up an enviable client roster of media defendants, such that his highly regarded practice is now genuinely a mixed one. He is regularly instructed to defend insured claims by all three of the main Errors and Omissions insurers, and represents two national broadcasters in this area, as well as a host of successful film and television production companies.

Also fully immersed in the film and television world, Mike has a significant copyright and defamation clearance practice acting for producer clients on major feature films and television productions, including the Oasis documentary ‘Supersonic’, ‘The Theory of Everything’ and ‘The Darkest Hour’ for Working Title; and ‘Broadchurch’ for Kudos.
 

Vicky Gaisford

Senior Associate, Film & TV, Lee & Thompson

Vicky is a Senior Associate in the firm’s Film & TV Group, advising leading independent television producers on the development, financing and production of their projects.

Prior to joining Lee & Thompson, Vicky worked in scripted television across three production sub-companies within the All3Media umbrella (Studio Lambert, Unstoppable Film & TV and Seven Stories). Vicky completed her training as a solicitor whilst working at media talent management company YMU Group (formerly James Grant Group) which included a six-month secondment at Lewis Silkin LLP.

Vicky achieved the Art & Design Foundation Diploma at the world-renowned Central Saint Martins before studying History at Durham University. She completed a Masters in Conflict, Security & Development at King’s College London prior to undertaking the GDL and LPC at the University of Law in London.

Damian McParland

Legal Director, Film & TV, Lee & Thompson

Damian is a Legal Director in Lee & Thompson's Film & TV Group and advises on matters related to the development, production, financing and distribution of film and television projects.

Before joining Lee & Thompson in 2019, Damian built experience in the film, television and gaming space during his time as legal counsel at Wellcome Trust.  Damian led on Wellcome’s entertainment and media projects, including Carol Morley’s Out of Blue, Sarah Gavron’s upcoming Girls Untitled project, Craig Roberts’s Eternal Beauty, Cathy Brady’s Wildfire and Ninja Theory’s Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice.  In addition to this work, Damian also advised on Wellcome’s IP, transactional and commercial matters.

Damian trained and qualified at a City firm following the completion of his LLB at the University of Oxford and LPC at The University of Law.
 

Andy Moseby

Partner, Head of Digital & Tech, Lee & Thompson

A senior corporate lawyer, Andy specialises in advising technology and digital media companies on their domestic and cross-border M&A strategies. He also works with both capital providers in respect to their investment portfolios and with entrepreneurial companies on all stages of the funding cycle (including Series A capital and beyond, development funding and exits).

In addition, Andy has experience in assisting clients on general corporate matters including shareholders’ arrangements, constitutional documents and Companies Act compliance.

Previously at Kemp Little, a technology-focussed law firm, for nearly 20 years, Andy was part of the equity partnership team which sold the firm to Deloitte Legal in a landmark transaction in 2021.

Andy holds an IBM professional certificate in Applied AI, is a member of the Governance Council of the British Interactive Media Association and is a registered Mental Health First-Aider.

Andy has been recognised by independent legal directory Legal 500 for his specialist expertise in the TMT sectors.

Anushka Sinha

Legal Director, Lee & Thompson LLP

Anushka is Legal Director at Media & Entertainment law firm, Lee & Thompson LLP. She has over 20 years of immigration legal experience across the entertainment and digitech sectors.

Anushka is actively involved in challenging Home Office policies through work with the Immigration Law Practitioners Association (ILPA). She is recognised in independent legal directories Chambers, Legal 500 and Who’s Who Legal, and is described as “an excellent immigration lawyer who really knows her stuff and is very helpful” as well as someone who “goes the extra mile for her clients. She cares about the outcome of her client cases. It’s not just a number to her.”

Martin Tynan

Senior Associate, Employment, Lee & Thompson

Martin is a Senior Associate and advises across the creative sectors on a broad range of employment law matters. Martin offers general HR support to companies and advises individuals on the negotiation of settlement agreements.

Martin joined Lee & Thompson in 2020 from Penningtons Manches Cooper where he gained significant experience working on employment tribunal litigation involving issues of discrimination, whistle-blowing, unfair dismissal and employment status.

Before qualifying as a solicitor in 2017, Martin worked as a paralegal at a leading UK film production and distribution company.