Chambers Review
Provided by Chambers
TMT: Media, Entertainment & Sport - United Arab Emirates
What the Team is Known For
The Bench is a uniquely structured virtual law firm with a physical presence in Fujairah. It handles a range of notable matters in the media space, including with regard to music licensing and sponsorship agreements, as well as advising various studios on matters underpinning the development of feature films.
Strengths
The team at The Bench is amazing at turning things around quickly and giving us a clear explanation of implications, risks and the right advice.
Work Highlights
The Bench advised Dhana Al Ali, the first Emirati to climb Everest and Lhotse in 24 hours, in relation to various sponsorship agreements.
Notable practitioners
Mark Hill is noted for his three decades of experience in the media, entertainment and technology spheres. He is frequently retained by clients in these sectors to advise on a broad range of commercial and regulatory issues. He recently joined The Bench after leaving Charles Russell Speechlys.
Firm founder Joby Beretta has a wealth of experience handling media and entertainment mandates. He advises major players in the film and music industries on relevant commercial mandates such as sponsorship and event agreements, with further strengths in rights acquisition and production. He is additionally able to leverage his expertise in IP to assist with licensing matters.
Joby Beretta is a great person to work with.
Lara Haidar is regularly active on sports, media and entertainment matters. Her work in these fields often has an IP dimension, with experience in the development of NFT platforms. She recently joined The Bench after leaving Charles Russell Speechlys.