Tom is a dual-qualified (UK and New York) media and entertainment lawyer and producer with over 25 years’ experience representing media, entertainment and sports clients throughout the world.
He advises on commercial, financing, production and corporate transactions to develop and exploit entertainment content primarily in television, film and digital media as well as sports, music publishing/distribution, podcasts, advertising, publishing and videogames.
Tom is also a producer and has worked in scripted and non-scripted television, digital media, sport, publishing, and film, producing independent films in 2016 (Manhattan Night) and 2021 (Trust).
Expertise
- Film and television business and legal affairs
- Content and concept acquisition and development
- Project production, finance and distribution
- Talent engagement and representation
- US and UK guild matters
- UK and international treaty and non-treaty co-productions
- Ancillary rights exploitation
- Character, brand and NIL licensing
- Sponsorship and endorsements
- Publishing
- M&A
- Sports media rights
Experience
Film & Television/Media
- Former General Counsel and EVP Business and Legal Affairs for Marv Studios Limited.
- Oversaw all legal matters for one of the UK’s most successful independent film studios.
- Advised Marv Studios on all complex negotiations for development projects, productions and co-productions, including multi-tier, cross-territory secured financings and multi-platform distribution agreements and output deals including work on television series in development.
- Structured and negotiated all business and legal affairs agreements related to the development, production and distribution of Argylle (Apple TV+ and Universal) and Tetris (Apple TV+), including all A-list talent agreements, UK and US guild contracts and compliance, chain of title, bank finance and tax credit issues, distribution and delivery and the like.
- Represented True Brit in its co-finance and distribution of ten feature films in 2023-2024.
- Represented Anton Capital in the finance and distribution of its film Greenland by STX.
- Advised the producers of Borg v. McEnroe on US guild issues.
- Represented Lewis Capaldi in the production of “Lewis Capaldi: How I’m Feeling Now”.
- Advised Baby Cow Productions on US guild issues.
- Represented Something Else in the co-production of two podcasts based on film properties.
- Negotiated master and publishing sync licences for numerous feature films and television projects.
Commercial Contracts
- Represented Navigator Games in the licensing in of the Hellboy franchise and publishing agreement with Square Enix.
- Represented the Della Vite company in the corporate and commercial agreements related to its launch of a new prosecco brand, including its agreements with the Delavigne sisters.
- Represented a UK public relations firm in its engagement of co-branding and co-promotional partners.
- Represented a UK film production company in an equity-for-promotion agreement.
- Represented a Canadian author in a three-book deal with Penguin Random House.
Music
- Negotiated master and publishing sync licences for numerous feature films and television projects.
- Represented the estates of several classical music composers in their film and television licences.
- Drafted composer agreements for feature films, including several musicals.
- Negotiated agreements to engage popular musicians to provide lead and featured artist services on original film music.
- Routinely negotiate agreements with music supervisors, producers and mixers.
Sport
- Represented the International Association of Athletics Federations (now World Athletics) in the negotiation of its: Worldwide sponsorship agreements; World Outdoor and Indoor Championship media rights agreements with ESPN; Diamond League host and host media agreements; and Joint Venture with ITN.
- Represented Comcast in the negotiation of a joint venture with the US Olympic Committee.
- Advised NBC Universal on its IOC media rights and commercial agreements.
- Advised Liverpool FC on its creation of a country-specific ad-supported online video service.
Recognition
Member of BAFTA and the Royal Television Society
Named a New York “Super Lawyer” by Thomson Reuters
Career
Tom qualified as New York attorney-at-law in 1998 and as solicitor of England & Wales in 2017. Prior to joining Keystone Law in 2024, he worked at:
- Marv Studios
- Clintons
- Fieldfisher