We are delighted to be included in the prestigious Legal 500 list of leading law firms once again in both the IT and telecoms and intellectual property categories.
The Legal 500 – which sets the benchmark for excellence across the UK legal market – observed that Waterfront Solicitors has “a very genuine motivation to help clients succeed”. This year four Waterfront partners received positive and personal mentions in the guide.
On the IT side, we were pleased to see some of our clients, Capita, Aquila Group Holdings and E-Consultancy.com mentioned. The Legal 500 said that our team can “hold its own in negotiating with the largest financial services businesses and their in-house and external lawyers”. The write-up praised the commercial focus of Carole Hailey and Alison Berryman. They “always understand that clients are a business first and foremost, in order to give relevant weighting to the commercial needs versus the legal obligations”.
The comments about our intellectual property team were no less favourable. The Legal 500 commented that we punch above our weight in the IP area, citing our successful work for Kenwood and Shark as examples. Both the Waterfront IP partners were also praised. Matthew Harris was described as “very bright, and exhibits a strong sense of business knowledge” and Piers Strickland as “tenacious yet pragmatic”
Waterfront founding partner, Carole Hailey said, “We’re a little bit coy about legal industry recognition and rankings, as we prefer to judge our success by the satisfaction of our clients. But we can’t deny that it’s great to be recognised for the quality of our work, alongside much larger firms.”
In an increasingly competitive market where innovation, aesthetics, and brand identity are critical assets UK businesses must take a strategic approach to intellectual property (IP) protection. Whether you’re a fashion brand, tech firm, or start-up, building and maintaining a strong IP portfolio is essential for long-term value and commercial success.
Generative AI represents a new frontier in fashion innovation but it also challenges conventional notions of creativity, ownership, and protection. As the law catches up, designers, tech firms, and brands must proactively engage with and stay on top of the changes. Whether it’s securing copyright, registering designs, or navigating patents, a specialist AI London Solicitor or IP London Solicitor can help turn AI built fashion into a legally protected asset.
As the digital fashion industry booms alongside the rise of Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), questions around intellectual property (IP) ownership, licensing, and legal enforcement are more pressing than ever. Digital garments at first only used in the gaming sphere are now traded on blockchain platforms, worn in virtual environments, and even showcased on social media and virtual runways. With this evolution comes the need for legal clarity, especially for designers, platforms, and consumers based in the UK.
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