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Duncan Calow

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About

Duncan Calow is well known for his work in the convergent worlds of content, technology and e-commerce.

He is a commercial lawyer advising on all aspects of the digital media landscape from intellectual property rights, licensing and contracts, through platform regulation, content liability and advertising rules - including data protection, privacy and defamation, consumer law and online harms - to the development and operation of tech platforms for entertainment, commerce and communications including sports, games, gambling and music.

Duncan has 30 years' experience advising on a wide range of projects including digital sales and delivery; social media and e-business services; video games and meta worlds; book, magazine and news publishing; film and television; theme parks and location-based entertainment; sports data and technology; collecting societies and collective management of rights; plus artificial intelligence, VR, crypto and mobile apps and services.

Professional QualificationsSolicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales

EXPERIENCE

Clients Duncan has advised include: 

  • Global digital platforms on many aspects of their UK and EU business including video games, content streaming, affiliate networks, online ads, entertainment ticket sales, B2B, automotive, and other services; as well as other international intermediary, auction and business platforms including in relation to DSA, Online Safety Act and P2B Regulation;
  • Leading sports bodies and rights owners on player data use, research and exploitation and related privacy and regulatory issues as well as AI and sports technology, social media and fan data; and teams playing regular season games internationally; 
  • Video games and interactive entertainment businesses on a wide range of work including development, publishing and distribution agreements, the launch of online environments and MMOG, virtual currency, operating and promoting esports leagues and tournaments and M&A;
  • Book, news, journal and magazine publishers of all types from major international trade and STM houses to smaller independents; e-book, audio book and podcast specialists; as well as agents, authors and other publishing content creators;
  • Advertising and PR agencies on major client campaigns in the UK and internationally, in particular influencer and social media marketing; as well as other ad work for brand clients including ad tech, ad clearance and media buying;
  • Luxury fashion brands on many aspects of retail including both physical and online, digital advertising, sports and other sponsorships, charitable donations, arrangements with VIP/Royalty; and other ecommerce, advertising and consumer advice work; 
  • Major theme park operator on attraction licensing, IPR protection, television projects, music licensing and marketing of location-based entertainment in the UK, Europe, USA and Asia;   
  • Collective rights management organisations on licensing terms and CMO regulation including setting up spin-off businesses and advising on text and date mining and generative AI; 
  • Major education providers on training and education sector issues especially in relation to e-publishing and e-testing systems, use of AI, student agreements and educational platforms; 
  • Betting, gaming and lottery operators on contractual and regulatory matters; as well as many other clients on contests, sweepstakes and promotions outside of the regulated gambling sector;   
  • Hotel chains on consumer regulatory issues in the UK and EU including in-room entertainment systems, content licensing, online sales; DSA and consumer regulatory controls and advertising; 
  • International tech company on digital cinema roll-out in the UK and EU, 3D-television and digital sports technology; 
  • Government and regulatory and parliamentary bodies on e-commerce, online media and content regulation. 
 
Languages
  • Inglés
Education

    Prior Experience

    • DLA Piper, DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary from 2005 to present
    • International law firm from 1992 to 2005

    Additional Information

    Duncan has written and spoken widely on his specialist areas of law and industry sectors including for television and radio; newspapers and magazines, trade and academic articles including: BBC, Daily Mail, Economist, Entertainment Law Review, European Intellectual Property Review, Guardian, International Media Law, Internet Magazine, Lawyer, Legal Business, Observer, PC Advisor, PC Pro, PLC, Publishing Technology Review, Revolution, Screen, Sports Business, Talk Radio, Times, Times and Wall Street Journal.

    Duncan is author of the new media sections of Clark's Publishing Agreements (Bloomsbury), and with Alan Williams and Andrew Lee, of Digital Media Contracts (Oxford University Press) and, with Alan Williams, of the Publishing and Electronic Publishing Section of Halsbury's Laws of England.

    Memberships And Affiliations

    • General Secretary of the International Association of Entertainment Lawyers
    • Society for Computers & Law
    • Internet Service Providers Association Legal Forum
    • Law Society

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