Fieldfisher

We are delighted that Robert Shooter has been re-elected as Fieldfisher's Managing Partner, commencing his second term on 1 April 2025. As the firm's MP, in the last three years, Robert has successfully kick-started Fieldfisher's new strategy focused on European expansion, ESG and industry sector growth. Under his leadership, the firm has continued to achieve year-on-year growth, strengthen its specialist areas with a string of new lateral hires and expand its European footprint with new offices in Austria and Italy. The firm's industry sector programme focused on energy and natural resources, financial services, life sciences and technology has been particularly successful at embedding client relationships across jurisdictions and multiple service lines. Senior Partner David Wilkinson commented: "Rob has done a fantastic job as Managing Partner and I am delighted he has been re-appointed for a second term. His re-election signals the stability and continuity of the firm's leadership and the confidence of the partnership in the firm's direction. I am excited to continue working closely with Rob on realising our firm's ambitious agenda for the future, while maintaining our all important supportive and entrepreneurial culture." Read more here: https://ow.ly/TTjF50TZaNJ

🚀 Fieldfisher tops the AIM Legal Adviser Rankings for Q4! We’re proud to retain our position as the leading legal adviser to AIM-quoted companies, with 45 clients – 8 more than our closest competitor – and joint leadership in the Technology and Energy sectors. So far in 2024 Fieldfisher's London and Manchester-based Equity Capital Markets team has advised and supported on two listings and reverse takeovers on AIM and over 20 following fundraisings, with a number of other transactions slated to complete before the year-end. Brad Isaac, Head of Equity Capital Markets, shared: "We are delighted to retain our position as the leading AIM legal adviser, and we thank our clients for their ongoing confidence in our services." Read more about our team’s achievement here: https://ow.ly/cW6150U2n4P #AIM #IPO #EquityCapitalMarkets #Tech #Energy #LegalExcellence

📅 🤖 The robots are coming... Join our Commercial Crime Team at Fieldfisher HQ for its next event 'How machine learning and generative AI are rapidly changing the process, timelines and outcomes of investigations'. This dynamic panel discussion will focus on the evolving technologies in the investigations space, with real life examples of how the latest advances are being deployed today. Our panel of experts drawn from lawyers, barristers, technologists and investigators will also look at the ways this will change their roles, and the way in which they interact. After the discussion, join us for networking on our terrace with a view of the Thames. Your speakers for this session are Polly Dyer (QEB Hollis Whiteman), Inneli Udurawana (TransPerfect Legal) and Alexandra Hulme (Fieldfisher). To secure your spot, please click 'View event' below and then register using the 'Event link'. We're looking forward to seeing you there! #CommercialCrime #Investigations #AI #GenAI #MachineLearning #LegalEvents #LondonEvents

🌍 Transparency Pays: Exploring the global impact of the EU Pay Transparency Directive. The new EU Pay Transparency Directive has the potential to reshape how businesses approach compensation and recruitment, especially in competitive markets. This directive could impact practices across both the UK and US – with important implications for fairness, equity, and transparency. 📄 Our latest article dives into what these changes mean and how they could affect businesses worldwide: https://ow.ly/35iI50U1bb1 For support on pay transparency, gender pay reporting, or other aspects of the Directive please contact a member of the Fieldfisher European Employment team. #TransparencyPays #EmploymentLaw #PayTransparency #EqualPay #FairPay #GenderPayReporting

🌍 Transparency Pays The EU Pay Transparency Directive has potential global impact as it seeks to change the way that businesses pay and recruit in competitive markets. Keep your eyes peeled for more insights from our team of experts who'll look at the potential impact of the Directive on UK and US businesses. #TransparencyPays #PayTransparency #FairPay #EmploymentLaw

⚖️ Reflecting on Fieldfisher’s Pro Bono practice in celebration of UK National Pro Bono Week 2024! Fieldfisher’s pro bono achievements highlight our firm’s commitment to driving meaningful change. As legal professionals, we are uniquely positioned to make a difference and leverage our privilege for the greater good. This year has been transformative for our Pro Bono practice, characterised by new partnerships, impactful projects, and a talented team of professionals dedicated to serving others in our communities. To mark #ProBonoWeek2024, we're showcasing the significant milestones and contributions that have made 2024 a year of impact. Here are some of our key milestones and long-term partnerships: • 18 years of partnership with Queen Mary University of London's Legal Advice Clinic, a longstanding collaboration providing legal guidance to underserved communities. • 10-year anniversary with the National Deaf Children's Society, continuing our commitment to advocate for and support the rights of children with hearing impairments. Pro Bono clients and projects: WWF Regulatory Directors Aonghus Heatley and Martin Sleight led our partnership with WWF, advising on public and procurement law. Schools Consent Project Launched in October with a training session at our Manchester office, this initiative educates children on the legal aspects of consent, empowering young people with knowledge on this critical subject. New projects and initiatives: • Manchester Innocence Project Working alongside local organisations, this project seeks to address wrongful convictions and advocate for justice reform. • City Community Legal Advice Centre (CityCLAC) PIP Clinic Our team supports CLAC in advising on Personal Independence Payment (PIP) applications, providing essential legal assistance to clients navigating the complexities of disability benefits. Research, reports, and roundtables: We've also led pro bono research initiatives, demonstrating our commitment to knowledge sharing and policy improvement. • The Newham Project Collaborating with the local MP, the Rt Hon Stephen Timms, and local advice agencies, Fieldfisher spent 6 months researching the local demands for access to Justice, culminating in our report 'From Disparity to Fairness: Enhancing Legal Access in Newham'. • JUSTICE Neurodiversity Research Literature review examining the experience of neurodiverse people in the criminal justice system. • NSPCC Gaming Roundtable Hosted a roundtable with NSPCC and a number of our clients, addressing children’s safety in online gaming environments. • AI Report with Public Law Project (PLP) Examined the ethical implications of AI in law and public services, contributing insights that guide responsible tech use in the public sector. Through the power of pro bono, we can drive positive social outcomes, uplift people and communities in need, and advocate for systemic improvements across sectors. #ProBono #ProBonoUK #AccessToJustice #JusticeForAll

💡📄 Key EU AI Act insights! In the Guidance Note below, Fieldfisher experts Thorsten Ihler and Johannes Baur provide key information on navigating the EU AI Act and adapting to evolving regulations. For a deeper understanding, click on the post below to explore the guidance. Fieldfisher Germany #AI #AIAct #EUAIAct #TechReg #Data #DataProtection

💪⭐ Proud to support initiatives that inspire confidence in our future female leaders! As a firm, we really do believe in making a difference in our communities. That’s why we’re proud to have members of our Fieldfisher Belfast Hub actively involved and volunteering with SistersIN, an organisation dedicated to empowering and uplifting sixth-form girls by building their confidence and expanding their perspectives. Our female mentors and colleagues, Ellie Williamson, Jilly Kerr and Lisa Algie play a crucial role in the SistersIN mission and are passionate about supporting girls and creating a more inclusive and diverse future for women in the professional world. Thank you to our SistersIN volunteers and to everyone at Fieldfisher who volunteers their time and skills for such important causes. To read more about the incredible work and impact of SistersIN, please visit: https://ow.ly/tSbM50TXXql #SistersIn #Inclusion #WomenInBusiness #Volunteering #DiversityAndInclusion #Equity #Leadership #WomenInLaw

📚🐛 We are delighted to announce our expanded partnership with Chapter One UK to strengthen our commitment to children’s literacy! This collaboration, which began in Manchester, is now growing in Birmingham. Our team will engage with 5- to 8-year-olds in Birmingham and Solihull, delivering weekly one-on-one online reading sessions to provide essential support to young learners. The need couldn't be clearer. With 48% of children in Birmingham facing poverty and high literacy needs across the city, programs like this one play a vital role in giving kids a strong start in education. Through Chapter One’s platform, Team Fieldfisher is helping to bridge this literacy gap, supporting children, inspiring curious young minds, and nurturing a love for reading and stories. In addition to our work with Chapter One, we are proud of our volunteering efforts through programs like Time to Read in Belfast, where our volunteers dedicated 112 hours of reading with pupils this past year, with plans to continue in 2024/25. These community programs align perfectly with Fieldfisher's commitment to promoting children's rights and educational equality. We look forward to seeing the positive impact of this work as we help kids thrive – in school and beyond. Read more about the Chapter One partnership, here: https://ow.ly/ahZO50TXUbB #JustPurpose #ChildrensRights #EducationEquality #LiteracyMatters #EducationForAll #Community #Literacy #Storytelling

⚖️ Google successfully defends trade mark infringement in relation to "YouTube Shorts" Today, the High Court of England and Wales delivered judgment in Shorts International Limited v Google LLC. Google successfully defended claims of trade mark infringement and passing off in relation to Google's use of the name "YouTube Shorts". In a 86-page judgment, Deputy Judge Michael Tappin KC ruled that Shorts International's trade mark for "SHORTSTV" is invalid for most goods and services because it is descriptive of both short films and short-form audiovisual content. Shorts International's remaining trade mark registrations were not infringed by Google because consumers are not likely to be confused. Claims for passing off also failed. Fieldfisher partner, Nick Rose who successfully acted for Google said: "This is a comprehensive victory and we are incredibly proud to have supported Google in defending the claims. This decision is one of the first UK cases to consider confusion in the context of online platforms, and is likely to be very influential in how the Court considers the descriptiveness of trade marks in the UK." Congratulations to our Intellectual Property team members who also represented Google: Verity Ellis, Katie Warner, Tash Brown, Fiona Sellers and Milly Bolton #intellectualproperty #ip #google