Chris RycroftManaging Practice Development Lawyer

I work as a managing practice development lawyer, helping to ensure that the lawyers keep right up to date with the latest legal and industry developments. Having qualified with a City law firm back in 1991, I then worked in the publishing sector for 16 years before returning to private practice with Lewis Silkin in 2008. I support our Intellectual Property and Media & Entertainment teams (and their clients) with research, know how and current awareness, and I have a particular interest in matters relating to copyright law.

Intellectual Property

Keeping on top of the latest developments in intellectual property law has been central to my working life ever since I qualified as a solicitor. I was in charge of IP and Media law publishing at Sweet & Maxwell and then at Oxford University Press for over 16 years, and now at Lewis Silkin my role as practice development lawyer also requires me to keep my colleagues up to date in those areas. I have a particular interest in and knowledge of copyright law, both because of my time in publishing and having completed a KCL post-graduate diploma in the subject in 2005.

Media & Entertainment

Before joining Lewis Silkin in January 2008 I worked in academic & professional publishing for 16 years, first for Sweet & Maxwell and then at Oxford University Press (ultimately as Editor-in-Chief, Commercial Law). Throughout that time I had particular responsibility for publishing in IP, IT, media and competition law, and was thus privileged to work closely with many of the leading experts in those fields. I was also involved in drafting our suite of standard publishing contracts, and negotiating deals with numerous authors. I now bring these skills to bear as practice development lawyer by helping the team keep up with the latest developments both in the law and the industry.