| Richard
qualified as a solicitor in 1975, joining Denton Hall
in 1979 (and becoming a partner in 1982). In 1984
he joined US producers Lorimar before becoming a founding
partner in Marriott Harrison in 1986, where he remained
until moving to Davenport Lyons as a partner in 1999.
Richard’s extensive media and entertainment experience includes:
- Providing film and television business affairs
and legal advice to a wide range of media and
entertainment clients, including a number of
major independent producers and an American “mini” studio.
- Structuring all types of production arrangements,
including European co-productions. He has been
particularly active in the area of tax-based
financing, film library acquisitions and “sale and leaseback” transactions.
- Advising on the production and financing of a
number of films, most recently including “Clive
Barker’s Blood of Blood” staring
Sophie Wardand “Young Victoria” starring
Emily Blunt and Paul Bettany.
- Specialist expertise in animation and children’s
programming and ancillary applications.
- Advising on the format agreements for various
TV programmes and commercials including “Test
the Nation”.
- Substantial experience in dealing with the
acquisition of rights. He was the leader of the team
that dealt with all production and acquisition
work relating to British Satellite Broadcasting
(“BSB”) from its incorporation to the
date of its merger with BSkyB. As part of
this brief, Richard was intimately involved in
negotiations with Columbia and MGM in respect of
output deals with those studios, and the acquisition
of other television programming and film libraries. He
also completed the negotiation of licences with
the Performing Right Society and Phonographic
Performance Limited.
- Advising on the purchase/sale of the Handmade,
Weintraub, Sullivan Bluth, J & M and Medusa
libraries.
- Advising satellite channels on transponder leasing
and major programme supply agreements for such
channels.
- Advising the Take 2 – 7 Partnerships (sponsored
by Teather & Greenwood) in their film and
television investments.
- Advising Matrix Film Finance in their film activities.
- Advising on a number of Anglo-Indian productions.
- Advising Zeus Capital in their film activities.
Richard is a former member of the PACT Council and
a member of BAFTA. He is a director of the
Independent Production Training Fund and one of the
founder members of Media Dispute Resolution, a dispute
resolution forum for the media industry.
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