Intellectual Property and Commercial law boutique supporting clients in innovation and creativity.
We are delighted to announce that from 1 October 2022, we have grown our practice by teaming up with SH&A and its leading IP litigator and trade mark Attorney, Sarah Hadland. More about our joint plans here.
Our sole focus is to support innovation and creativity by cutting through the legal noise.
With expertise in intellectual property, data, trade secrets and commercial law, we work with individuals and businesses forging new ground in content creation, design, branding and technology. We invest time to understand our clients’ needs, internal structures and decision making. Collaborating with the client, we are able to deliver incisive and practical advice.
Clients often rely on us to find legal frameworks where law lags behind business models. In addition to advising on existing laws, we help shape it by being involved in legislative consultations and working with national and international decision-makers on legal reform. You can read more about this in the Intelligence tab.
New clients are offered a free initial consultation to get to know us before deciding to retain us.
We advise on laws relating to protection and exploitation of copyright, trade marks, databases, trade secrets and other intellectual property rights (IP). We assist with IP registration (where available) and draft and advise on enforcement of agreements with an IP element, such as licences, assignments, franchise agreements, and non-disclosure agreements.
Our IP work extends to matters involving the interaction between IP and human rights, and specific issues relating to IP rights in the digital environment.
Our clients are professionals and businesses in the arts, media, adverting, fashion and retail sectors.
Matters on which we recently advised include:
Anna has a broad practice across all areas of intellectual property (IP) and commercial law, with the focus on digital copyright, branding, database rights, privacy, data protection, and media law. She works closely with all clients of the company either as the main advisor or the liaison with other experts working with the firm, guiding matters to completion. She has gained formidable reputation in the photography and creative industries, leading to her being shortlisted by the Law Society as the Solicitor of the Year (Private Practice) shortly after funding Open Plan Law.
Sarah has specialized in intellectual property law for over 20 years. She advises clients from multi-nationals such as Next Retail, Gü Puds, Urban Outfitters, Fugro Geos, and Ty Inc. (Beanie Babies) to small fabric designers, food manufacturers, authors and franking machine installers. She manages all aspects of intellectual property from negotiation of licences to litigation, dealing with civil infringements and criminal matters such as counterfeiting.
Naazneen Schmittzehe is an IP specialist lawyer with 20 years of experience in non-contentious and contentious Intellectual Property work. Qualified as a solicitor in both the UK and Hong Kong, she has worked for leading international city law firms, west end and niche practices. With experience in a wide number of sectors including fashion, music, publishing, luxury, retail, food and technology, Naazneen manages trade mark portfolios with a particular emphasis on the retail sector. Naazneen is experienced in the planning and execution of anti-counterfeiting operations both in the UK and abroad and has been involved in numerous successful operations. She advises upon exploitation as well as protection of intellectual property rights. Rated as ‘excellent‘ in the Legal 500.
Richard has an illustrious career spanning 38 years. He specialises in cross-border mergers and acquisitions, in which his experience spans many sectors, from chemicals to engineering, financial services, transportation, oil & gas and high-tech, within the United Kingdom, the United States, Western, Central and Eastern Europe.
Beth works with solicitors and consultants on matters taken on by the firm, and makes sure that we are excellently organised and administered as our clients would expect us to be. She has a Masters degree in Law from Bournemouth University and before joining Open Plan Law acquired a broad legal experience as paralegal in private practice and in-house at Porsche. She enjoys problem-solving and combines legal astuteness with good understanding of clients’ businesses. She is often the first port of call and offers indispensable assistance to attorneys and the clients of the firm alike.
As of 1 October 2022, we have joined forces with SH&A – an IP boutique founded and led by Sarah Hadland. While days may be getting colder and more autumnal, our new broader Open Plan Law team is fired up about this change. Small but perfectly formed, we punch above our weight in IP litigation and advisory work. Sarah’s reputation as a litigator will be a great asset for Open Plan Law’s creative clients, and Anna’s commercial, advertising and data protection practice may be of use to SH&A’s clients. Both firms’ ethos has always been to exceed client’s expectations – we look forward to doing it together.
1 October 2022
Anna represented the Coordination of European Picture Agencies (CEPIC) in discussions with the EU cultural and heritage sector on the features of the register of out-of-commerce works introduced under the Directive on Copyright in the Digital Single Market. She focused on issues around works embedded in out of commerce works (e.g. photographs in books), which deserve a separate treatment.
10 December 2019
Focal International is an association of audio visual archives, including members such as British Pathé, Sky News, Freemantle, the British Library. Anna was invited to its recent members day to deliver a talk about terms and conditions of social media platform, and how those allow (or not) to monetise audio visual content.
28 November 2019
At Open Plan Law we enjoy any excuse for a party but International Women’s Day gives us a pause for thought. Do we need a designated day to celebrate women, or is the day an anachronism? And if we do celebrate women, what is it for?
15 November 2019
Our extended time at home (read: in lockdown) is a good opportunity to refresh the building blocks of copyright. In collaboration with BAPLA, Anna will be delivering six webinars on topics ranging from copyright history, and differences between fair use and fair dealing, to a spot of crystal ball gazing into the future of copyright. You can find more details, and book tickets at https://bapla.org.uk/copyright-webinars/
29 September 2019
If you require legal advice please use the form on this page to contact us.
We are always interested in hearing from all those interested in working with Open Plan Law and sharing our ethos.
Our address:
Open Plan Law Limited
Prama House
267 Banbury Road
Oxford OX2 7HT
Office tel. no.: 01865 339 337
Anna started her practice as a solicitor in the mergers & acquisitions at the international law firm of White & Case LLP. Over time she specialised in transactions involving IP assets leading her to focus on the protection of creativity. She continued to build and broaden her IP practice at Berwin Leighton Paisner (now Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner). Anna’s legal insight was further developed by an in-house role as the head of the EMEA legal team for Branded Entertainment Network (previously Corbis Images) in the years 2011 to 2016. She managed all UK and European litigation, advised on issues relating to digital image licensing, photojournalism, commercial rights clearances, product placement and social media influencer campaigns. She shared Board-level management and financial oversight of the group companies in the region.
In 2016, drawn back to private practice, Anna founded Open Plan Law with the ambition of offering innovative, engaged and collaborative legal services to creators of all kinds.
As legal relationships become increasingly complex in the globalised and tech-dominated economies, she firmly believes that those who treat legal advice as an indispensable element of their business will be at a competitive advantage. She is a firm believer that legal services should be accessible, affordable and practical while delivered to the highest standards.
In 2018, Anna was shortlisted for the Law Society’s Excellence Award (Private Practice) and singled out for her contribution to the photography industry.
Anna is a photographic copyright expert on the British Copyright Council, and is a member of the Copyright Editorial Board at Lexis. She is an Associate Lecturer in Media Law and Ethics at the University of the Arts (UAL) where, since the star of the Covid-19 pandemic, Anna has led a journalistic student project on the impact of the coronavirus on human rights.
Pressed for testimonials, Anna’s clients were kind enough to make the following comments about her:
“Anna is an extraordinary legal representative; she has the ability to analyse the position quickly and suggest the appropriate response. Her expertise in copyright & related rights, as well as the image industry, makes her uniquely positioned to represent those who need legal support in this field.”
British Association of Picture Libraries and Agencies
“We were delighted to work with Anna on a recent hearing. Her expert advice and knowledge was detailed, clear and most helpful. It was good to have her on our side and we achieved a successful outcome.” (Young Actors Theatre Islington)
She is an active public speaker. Links and information on some of her talks may be found in the Intelligence tab.
Sarah has specialized in intellectual property law for over 20 years. She advises clients from multi-nationals such as Next Retail, Gü Puds, Urban Outfitters, Fugro Geos, and Ty Inc. (Beanie Babies) to small fabric designers, food manufacturers, authors and franking machine installers. She manages all aspects of intellectual property from negotiation of licences to litigation, dealing with civil infringements and criminal matters such as counterfeiting.
In addition to a broad practice including managing a software licensing dispute for a Geotech company, Sarah has established recognised expertise in the fashion industry, acting for clients such as Next and Urban Outfitters, and in particular for managing design right and copyright disputes, and in 2013 was awarded the ILO Client Choice Award for intellectual property (Designs/UK).
Her clients made the following comments to ILO during its research:
“I have found Sarah to be one of the most genuine, honest and trustworthy people that I have had the pleasure to work with”.
“Instinctively she seems to know when to fight and when to settle and I have the utmost confidence in her ability and judgement”.
Sarah also has a reputation for managing trade mark portfolio work and substantial trade mark and passing off disputes, (Teleworks Ltd –v- Telework Group; Gucci –v- Next). She was described in the 2015 edition of World Trademark Review as “a wonderful trademark practitioner, highly capable in prosecution and enforcement”. She is listed in both Legal 500 and Chambers as a leading individual who “continues to command the respect of peers and clients. One client enthused: "It's great to have someone like Sarah – you can have complete faith in everything you need to have faith in: her judgement, her acumen and her ability to get a good result."
Sarah is dedicated to understanding her client’s businesses in order to provide cradle to grave IP support, and to provide advice which is proportionate and relevant to the commercial imperatives of the business.
Beth works with solicitors and consultants on matters taken on by the firm, and makes sure that we are excellently organised and administered as our clients would expect us to be. She has a Masters degree in Law from Bournemouth University and before joining Open Plan Law acquired a broad legal experience as paralegal in private practice and in-house at Porsche. She enjoys problem-solving and combines legal astuteness with good understanding of clients’ businesses. She is often the first port of call and offers indispensable assistance to attorneys and the clients of the firm alike.
Since joining the firm, Beth has championed several pro bono initiatives at the firm, including making us walk 10 kilometres fundraising for Legal Aid.
Naazneen Schmittzehe is an IP specialist lawyer with 20 years of experience in non-contentious and contentious Intellectual Property work. Qualified as a solicitor in both the UK and Hong Kong, she has worked for leading international city law firms, west end and niche practices. With experience in a wide number of sectors including fashion, music, publishing, luxury, retail, food and technology, Naazneen manages trade mark portfolios with a particular emphasis on the retail sector. Naazneen is experienced in the planning and execution of anti-counterfeiting operations both in the UK and abroad and has been involved in numerous successful operations. She advises upon exploitation as well as protection of intellectual property rights. Rated as ‘excellent‘ in the Legal 500.
Richard has an illustrious career spanning 38 years. He specialises in cross-border mergers and acquisitions, in which his experience spans many sectors, from chemicals to engineering, financial services, transportation, oil & gas and high-tech, within the United Kingdom, the United States, Western, Central and Eastern Europe.
Richard also advises clients on a wide range of corporate and commercial transactions, including start-ups, reorganisations, joint ventures, management buy-outs, corporate finance, private equity and venture capital, distribution and agency contracts, the acquisition and licensing of intellectual property and he gives general advice on corporate governance.
Our team took part in the London Legal Walk 2019 this year, raising £500.00 for The London Legal Support Trust which helps to raise funds for charities that offer pro bono legal advice and representation to those in need.
Our team took part in the London Legal Walk 2019 this year, raising £500.00 for The London Legal Support Trust which helps to raise funds for charities that offer pro bono legal advice and representation to those in need.
Our team took part in the London Legal Walk 2019 this year, raising £500.00 for The London Legal Support Trust which helps to raise funds for charities that offer pro bono legal advice and representation to those in need.
Our team took part in the London Legal Walk 2019 this year, raising £500.00 for The London Legal Support Trust which helps to raise funds for charities that offer pro bono legal advice and representation to those in need.
Our team took part in the London Legal Walk 2019 this year, raising £500.00 for The London Legal Support Trust which helps to raise funds for charities that offer pro bono legal advice and representation to those in need.