K&L Gates' Marketing and Advertising Practice provides a comprehensive legal service to all those concerned with this industry sector, including marketing and advertising agencies, brand owners, production companies, industry associations and media owners.  Our knowledge of the market enables us to provide practical commercial advice across the full range of legal disciplines, including intellectual property, mergers and acquisitions, employment and labor law, commercial contracts, confidentiality, regulatory, litigation and alternative dispute resolution. 

Our lawyers regularly advise on the full range of issues that arise in this sector, including comparative advertising, copy clearance, regulatory compliance, agency contracts, talent and production contracts, brand creation and protection, direct marketing, insurance coverage, and employee issues.

Many of our lawyers are also involved in other specialist practice areas, including:

• Entertainment;
• Sport; 
• Communications; 
• Betting and Gaming;
• Food, Drug, Medical Device and Cosmetic Practice;
• Travel and Leisure; and
• Financial Services;

Through working in these industry sectors our lawyers bring with them valuable practical experience and unrivalled expertise across the board.
 
We also work closely with industry bodies (such as the ASA and MCCA) to keep abreast of the latest developments in the industry.

Our experience includes:

• Acting for the MCCA, a leading U.K. industry body representing over 60 of the leading marketing agencies, which includes the provision of an innovative “Pitch Protection” service, and, in conjunction with the U.K. Advertising Standards Authority, providing a legal and copy advice line for member agencies;
  
  
• Advising on advertising aspects of U.S. federal, state, and international regulation of FDA-regulated products and activities, including interaction with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Federal Trade Commission, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and the U.S. industry advertising watchdog, the National Advertising Division;
  
  
• Acting for an advertising agency in a dispute with The Football Association (the U.K.'s governing body for football) in High Court proceedings for breach of confidence arising out of the misuse of a marketing and promotional campaign for the animation of the 'Three Lions' crest;
  
  
• Acting in a comparative advertising and defamation dispute between two of the leading internet service providers in the U.K.;
  
  
• Advising advertising agencies on the acquisition of teams from rival agencies, including extensive advice on labor and employment law, restrictive covenants and related legislation;
  
  
• Advising on compliance with regulations relating to the advertising of financial services including SEC Company Advertising Regulations in the U.S. and Financial Services legislation in the U.K.;
  
  
• Advising media owners regarding liability for carrying advertising for betting and gaming services in the U.K.; and
  
  
• Acting for production companies in recovering monies due under insurance policies