Hamlins LLP

Hamlins LLP has boosted the strength of its music practice through its acquisition of boutique music firm Swan Turton LLP, adding Catherine Fehler, Julian Bentley, and Stuart Barry to its team. Fehler is a disputes expert focused on IP, defamation, and privacy, Bentley represents independent record companies, music publishers, and artists, and Barry centres his practice on commercial music law. The firm is well-known for its specialism in advising UK music collecting societies with contentious music requirements. It also stands out for its work on music merchandising and counterfeiting, where it assists clients with carrying out raids across the UK and Europe of manufacturers of infringing band and artist merchandise. IP advice is also a key area of the practice, and spearheading the group is Martin Ochs, who is trusted by music societies as outside counsel and acts for music publishing and merchandising clients in counterfeiting issues.