The legal perils of training generative AI
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Overview
The publishing industry has gone through a period of radical evolution over the last two decades.
The traditional publishing business has faced, and continues to face, significant challenges, alongside which the exponential growth of digital publishing has provided many new opportunities.
Our publishing lawyers have a successful track record in helping our clients explore the challenges and opportunities within the industry. We are able to advise on traditional publishing contracts, put together robust commercial deals for the digital environment and we also advise and represent clients in a wide range of publishing-related disputes. The firm’s media expertise as a whole also means that we are particularly well-placed to advise on book-to-screen deals.
Our client list is an eclectic mix of authors, photographers, libraries, magazine groups, literary agencies, book publishers and trade organisations.
Expertise
Our areas of expertise include the following:
- Publishing contracts (including author, illustrator and ghost-writer commissions)
- Literary agents' agreements
- Advising on commercial deal terms, including royalty rates
- E-books, audio-books and podcasts
- Literary estates
- Clearances (including libel, privacy, data protection and copyright)
- Supplier contracts
- Merchandising agreements
- Licensing arrangements (including book-to-screen deals)
- Option agreements for film or TV adaptations of books
- Digital distribution agreements
- Publishing disputes (including breach of contract and royalty disputes)
- Copyright, defamation, data protection and privacy disputes
KEY CONTACT
KEY CONTACTS
Our lawyers have in-depth publishing expertise and deliver high-quality, pragmatic and commercial advice.
James Harman
Partner
Ed Weidman
Partner
James Harman
Partner
High standards, good, transparent communication between team members, excellent understanding of the issues, plus a can-do attitude. Part of the firm’s culture is an awareness of cost, and the farming out of work to the most reasonably-priced resource.
They were incredibly understanding of our unique needs and collaborated in a very flexible way. I would describe the team as very approachable and capable – they took time to listen to our requirements and made recommendations accordingly.
Simkins are knowledgeable, commercial, always responsive and willing to go above and beyond to help.
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