A dedicated intellectual property law practice, supporting innovation and creativity.





ALIGNED WITH YOUR GOALS
SERVICES

Cutting through the legal noise
Intellectual property law matters can involve a range of rights, different regimes and tribunals. We guide our clients through the legal noise and deliver incisive and practical advice.
We advise on established legal rights, and - where the law lags behind client needs - we offer advice on wider commercial law solutions adaptable to new business models. Where required, we also work with clients on policy and legal reform.
The
Open Plan Law
Team

Anna Skurczynska
Anna Skurczynska
Director
Anna’s legal insight was further developed by her in-house role as the head of the EMEA legal team for Branded Entertainment Network (previously Corbis Images) in the years 2011 to 2016. There, 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. Her role included Board-level management and financial oversight of the group companies in the region.
Anna’s practice includes advising on complex agreements relating to intellectual property rights, often including a combination of intellectual property and information rights. She advises on copyright disputes with particular expertise in the photographic and film industries, as well as brand protection, data protection law and confidentiality. Most recently, she has been involved in policy and legislative discussions around regulation of artificial intelligence. She combines a profound understanding of intellectual property law with sound contractual knowledge and a commercial approach.
Anna is an active public speaker. In 2018 she 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).


Sarah Hadland
Sarah Hadland
Director
Sarah advises on the protection of a wide range of IP rights through dispute resolution, civil litigation in the High Court and Intellectual Property Enterprise Court, criminal matters such as counterfeiting and Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs seizures, and trademark and design right portfolio management. She has designed enforcement processes and worked with companies managing enforcement for copyright in visual content. She also assists clients in the negotiation and drafting of agreements including development, maintenance and licensing of software, global licensing of IP rights and publishing and merchandising contracts. Her notable cases include Teleworks Limited v Telework Group, Gucci v Next Retail and Unilever Plc v General Housewares Corp, and clients have said that “she seems to know instinctively when to fight and when to settle” (ILO Client Choice Awards 2013).
Sarah has acquired a significant reputation in IP law focusing on design rights, trademarks, copyright and confidentiality. She is listed in both The Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners as a leading individual who “continues to command the respect of peers and clients”. She is known for determination in solving even the knottiest disputes and is praised for efficiency in driving to the positive result for the client. 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” (Chambers and Partners).
She has been awarded the 2021 Lawyer Monthly Women in Law Award for copyright, and she is a member of the Chartered Institute of Trademark Attorneys.


Bea Ildem
Bea Ildem
Solicitor
Bea trained at a full-service London firm, gaining hands-on experience in IP, brand management, and commercial disputes. Bea is a strong communicator with a sharp eye for detail and a passion for the creative industries. Prior to embarking on her legal career, she studied theatre production in Canada and went on to work in entertainment and live events across TV, film, and theatre production – experience that honed her project management skills and deepened her understanding of the commercial realities facing clients in the creative sector.
She has written a number of articles about IP law including, most recently, on the trade mark aspects of the UK’s first litigation involving the use of IP protected content for the training of an AI models.
She brings commercial nous, energy and enthusiasm to all the work that she does.


Bridget O’Donnell
Bridget O’Donnell
Paralegal
Bridget’s interest in law began with her participation int he Pathways to Law Programme at the University of Oxford, where she participated in mini-moot competitions, attended legal and commercial workshops and honed her skills in legal research and public speaking. She further explored this interest through internships with city law firms such as Clifford Chance and Weil, Gotshal and Manges. Her empathetic approach to clients developed through mini pupillages with Garden Court Chambers and Fourteen Chambers where she shadowed barristers dealing with complex family law matters where parental responsibility and child welfare were paramount concerns.
Having decided to specialise in intellectual property law, Bridget is particularly interested in the developing relationship between intellectual property and artificial intelligence and contributed to an article in the Reporter on the Getty Images v Stability AI case, focusing on the copyright issues relating to generative AI models.
Bridget aspires to become a solicitor and is studying for the SQE 1 at the College of Legal Practice.


Naazneen Schmittzehe
Naazneen Schmittzehe
Consultant


Lex Chan
Lex Chan
Consultant
Lex works with the OPL team advising clients on legal, strategic, and operational matters that support creative work in all its forms. She combines legal rigour with deep understanding of the ebbs and flows of creative endeavour. In her legal work, her aim is to offer structure that supports rather than stifles — so that clients can focus on what they do best: creating, innovating, and bringing ideas to life.
In her most recent role as General Counsel at The Business of Fashion, Lex built and led the legal function across the UK, US, and China, guiding the company through key moments of expansion and organisational change. She also co-founded Belong, the diversity, inclusion, community, and equity council within the business.
Lex’s legal expertise focuses on creativity in the fields of fashion, design and publishing.
She is a member of the Editorial Board of Acne Paper.

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Abigail Woodhead
Abigail Woodhead
Administrative Assistant

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