ADR in Film, Media and Entertainment

Moderator: Gill Mansfield FCIArb

Gill is a full time commercial mediator and neutral. She has a broad commercial mediation practice and mediates a wide range of complex civil, commercial and business disputes with particular expertise in disputes relating to intellectual property, IT and technology, telecoms, and media and entertainment. She is regularly instructed in international and cross-border matters.

During her legal career she held Head of Legal and General Counsel roles across publishing, film and TV production, music, IP licensing, technology, brands and retail. Working at Soundcloud, MTV / Viacom, Wall to Wall Media (part of Warner Bros.), Eagle Rock Films (now part of Universal Music Group as Mercury Studios), Penguin Random House, and Phaidon Press amongst others.

She is a Fellow of the Civil Mediation Council and of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, and a member of various UK and international mediation panels including the WIPO Panel of IP Neutrals and the WIPO Domain Name Disputes panel. She is recognised in both Chambers & Partners and Legal 500 as a leading mediator in the UK.

Tom Darvill, Partner, Bird & Bird

Tom is a partner in Bird & Bird's Intellectual Property group in London, specialising in complex, high-value commercial arbitration and litigation.

Since joining Bird & Bird in 2011, he has acted for clients in a number of international arbitrations, predominantly relating to high-stakes IP licensing disputes. These have been conducted under various arbitration rules (including ICC and WIPO), seated in multiple jurisdictions and have involved the application of a wide variety of national laws, including English, US, French, German and Finnish.

He also advises clients in relation to a broad range of contentious IP matters relating to patents, copyright, trademarks, passing off and breach of confidence, including actions in the UKIPO, Intellectual Property Enterprise Court, High Court and Court of Appeal. This includes a particular expertise advising clients in relation to disputes over the licensing of standards essential patents according to F/RAND principles and copyright (including references to the Copyright Tribunal).

Chiara Accornero, Legal Officer, IP Disputes Section, WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center

Chiara Accornero is a Legal Officer at the WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center in Geneva. Chiara was the Center's representative at Maxwell Chambers in Singapore from 2017 until mid-2021. In her role, Chiara is responsible for the management of cross-border intellectual property and technology related disputes and promotion of WIPO Alternative Dispute Resolution services globally.

Jane Player, Mediator, Independent Mediators

Jane is a full time civil and commercial mediator. She focuses on general corporate and contractual claims, fraud and project disputes to include pharma, energy, technology, IP claims and media disputes. Jane has particular experience of international dispute resolution and has a leading reputation for managing cross cultural aspects of joint venture and international shareholder disputes.

Jane joined King & Spalding in April 2012 where she was a partner in their London Disputes Group until 31 March 2017. Prior to that Jane was the co-head of the International Dispute Resolution Group at Bird & Bird and 10 years with DLA Piper as head of their London Disputes team. Jane was accredited by CEDR in 2001 but has been mediating as counsel since 1992. From 2001 Jane combined her busy mediation career whilst maintaining her demanding legal practices in International law firms. Jane became a full-time mediator in April 2017.

Richard Spearman KC, Barrister and Arbitrator, 39 Essex Chambers.

Richard has a wide-ranging practice which includes commercial fraud, tracing, media and entertainment, film and music industry law, sports law, insurance, and professional negligence.

He sits as a deputy High Court judge in both the Chancery Division and the Queen’s Bench Division (including Media and Communications (MAC) List). He accepts appointments as an arbitrator and has been nominated by a party or appointed by the arbitral body in a number of London Court of International Arbitration (LCIA) and World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) arbitrations.