Last month we welcomed UK-based freelance creatives from under-represented backgrounds for a legal workshop which deep-dived into legal essentials around intellectual property (IP), AI, employment issues, contractual issues and remuneration advice.
We spoke to freelance producers, directors, designers, writers, performers, illustrators, editors, composers and marketers, some of whom sit on the 2025-26 Lee & Thompson x Creative Access freelancer career development programme ‘Thrive‘, as part of our three-year Creative Access partnership. The workshop, led by speakers from across Lee & Thompson, concentrated on legal rights that help to protect your work when supplying to the creative sectors.
Advice from commercial, corporate and finance experts
Music partner Will Everitt and Film & TV senior associate Fi Tudur talked about the importance of clarifying intellectual property (IP) when freelancing, specifically the ownership of copyright and how ownership is transferred, drawing on their own respective sector specialisms. Fi explained the rights granted by copyright and the key factors and examples which differentiate Classic (original works) and Entrepreneurial (creative expression) copyright in the creative economy.
Corporate and Digital & Tech partner Andy Moseby brought insights on on the Government’s report on the use of copyright works in the development of AI as well as how AI-generated content is used commercially and protected.
Employment Senior Associate Martin Tynan explained the importance of long-form agreements when freelancing and the associated nuances around employment rights/entitlement, including taxation issues and how IP is viewed in the course of providing services.
CFOO and partner Simon Boyden shared knowledge on creating payment terms which motivate timely payments from clients and how to approach organisations professionally for payment.
Will, ‘Link Partner’ for the Creative Access programme, said: “This was another really valuable event in the L&T/ Creative Access programme and it’s heartening to see these creatives commit and engage in such a meaningful way, and for us to contribute to their creative endeavours.”
Takeaways for freelancers
The partnership
The Creative Access ‘Thrive’ partnership, set up on Lee & Thompson’s 40th anniversary, focuses on addressing the barriers to progression often faced by many freelancers from under-represented groups within the creative sectors, through the funding of a wide-ranging training programme as well as in-house legal training and networking facilitation.
In our commitment to take a hands-on role in supporting Creative Access, in autumn we hosted current Year 2 Cohort’s Launch Touchpoint Brunch which was the earliest opportunity for the second cohort to meet in person for a morning of introductions and speed meetings alongside advice in response to the freelancers’ burning legal questions from Will and commercial associate Pia Hutchinson. In 2024 we held our Year 1 Cohort’s Launch Roundtable followed by a peer networking event that November for a wider group of Creative Access delegates and the Year 1 Cohort’s Wrap Q&A this time last year. As part of the Lee & Thompson x Creative Access freelancer career development programme ‘Thrive‘, we offer each cohort access to a free-of charge legal helpline with our partners.
We look forward to launching the programme’s third year later this year. Watch this space!
