Pictured above: Antenna Craig Chettle and Ed Wright
Antenna, the newly-opened Nottingham centre dedicated to
businesses in the creative industries sector, has appointed
Berryman as its partner law firm, as part of an exclusive agreement
to benefit the centre's members through the provision of specialist
legal and commercial advice.
Antenna, the latest addition to the Confetti Media Group, was
opened in November 2009 by Secretary of State for Business,
Innovation and Skills, Lord Mandelson. It represents a 'new
approach to creative working', and provides state of the art
members-only facilities and offices all designed to support and
inspire creativity.
Under the partnering arrangement, Berryman will provide Antenna
members with specialised legal support services, as the firm's John
Buckby, a solicitor in the Technology, Media and Telecoms Sector
(TMT) team, explains: "Berryman will offer Antenna members a range
of legal services which are especially relevant to creative
businesses. We will host regular free legal advice sessions,
presentations and workshops for members on intellectual property
and other key areas. Antenna members will also receive a 20 percent
discount on a host of specific legal services, including the
drafting of contracts and terms and conditions.
"Another part of the partnering arrangement will see the firm
offering free of charge health checks and advice on terms and
conditions of business, the licensing and assignment of
intellectual property, straightforward partnership and shareholders
agreements, employment contracts and audits, debt collection and
commencing or defending legal proceedings."
Steve Chapman, Development Director at Antenna, comments:
"Antenna is delighted to have established the partnership with
Berryman. The Confetti Media Group has had a long relationship with
the firm and Berryman has been involved with the development of
Antenna from the start.
"Antenna's role is to provide support to the creative industries
and become a driving force behind the continued development of UK
creative talent; we are industry supporting industry. We looked for
partners who not only understand the creative industries but also
see the exciting opportunities ahead. The criteria for our chosen
partner law firm required proof of a wealth of relevant experience,
but also the ability to talk the right language. For us, Berryman
is the ideal partner."
Berryman's John Buckby is a creative industries specialist -
with a background in the music industry - and has been involved in
many different creative industry businesses in the course of his
career. As a key member of the firm's Commercial Intellectual
Property (IP) and Technology, Media and Telecoms Sector (TMT)
teams, headed by partner Ed Wright, he now works closely with the
business teams and members at Antenna and Confetti, as well as UK
Trade & Investment and regional organisations that are
dedicated to the creative industries, including NCN (Nottingham
Creative Network) and CIN (Creative Industries Network) in
Derbyshire, of which he is an active Board member. John also runs
popular legal advice sessions aimed at creative industries
businesses at leading incubation spaces across the East Midlands,
including at LCB Depot in Leicester, Nottingham's Broadway Media
Centre, and Quad in Derby.
John adds: "The team is very pleased to have been appointed the
official legal partner at Antenna, which is an extremely exciting
venture. It looks set to become the place to be for the region's
creative industries and businesses. The partnership is further
confirmation of Berryman's growing reputation as the leading legal
team for the creative industries in the region."
Antenna has confirmed partnerships with three further service
providers - Cooper Parry, Yorkshire Bank and Russell Scanlan. "The
Centre is developing a programme of activity before our formal
launch in March," explains Steve Chapman.
Berryman is a Midlands' law firm based in Nottingham, which
provides an extensive portfolio of legal services within four key
areas: Business Services, Property & Construction, Insurance
Services and Private Client. It employs over 130 people and has 17
partners.