Anne MannionAssociate

I advise on all aspects of data protection and privacy law, with a particular focus on the legal and regulatory considerations for businesses protecting their brands.

My approach to my work is informed and supplemented by a long history of commercial experience. Before becoming a lawyer, I was a professional actress and then a producer, launching companies in the UK and US to shoot television commercials around the world. I have also served as in-house counsel at a leading global corporate and financial services provider.

After qualifying as a lawyer, I worked at a media law firm advising on cases involving copyright, trade mark and advertising law. I brought and defended claims for clients in the High Court and IPEC, as well as negotiating numerous settlement agreements at the pre-action stage of disputes. I have higher rights of audience (civil) and have represented clients at small claims hearings in IPEC and the county court and brought private prosecutions in the magistrate’s court.

My practice now focuses on data protection rights. I hold the BCS’s Data Protection Practitioner Certificate and sit on the Lexis PSL’s Expert Panel for Information Law.

Data, Privacy & Cyber

I provide advice on a broad range of legal and regulatory issues arising out of data protection legislation including assisting clients with data breach claims, cyber incidents, and data subject access requests (DSARs). I also advise on defamation, misuse of private information and breach of confidence claims.

Examples of recent work includes advising:

• a high street brand on an alleged data breach claim.

• a US based financial services and blockchain leader on GDPR compliance.

• a well-known male model on privacy matters and securing the deletion of thousands of images from the internet under the so-called right to be forgotten.

• a high-net worth family on the defence of 4 defamation claims in the UK, 2 in the US, numerous Court of Appeal applications, obtaining 2 Extended Civil Restraint Orders and issuing proceedings related to a harassment claim.

Brands & Intellectual Property

Much of my work in this area involves issuing or defending claims relating to client’s intellectual property or advising clients on how to avoid such claims. I have acted for global brands, internet media companies, advertising agencies, production companies, actors, models, and photographers.

Examples of recent work includes:

• Advising a national newspaper on their defence in respect of a copyright infringement claim issued by a rival national newspaper.

• Advising a leading European brand on product claims, including negotiating with Trading Standards and Rapex authorities and advising on press releases to manage the brand’s reputation.

• Advising an Indian satellite broadcaster in relation to regulatory complaints relating to medical claims and compliance generally.

• Providing a monthly legal advice clinic to a UK branch of a global advertising agency.

Photography Law

I am a recognised expert on photography law and am listed as one of LexisPSL’s contributing authors having created the Practice Note on Commercial use of photographs – data protection and privacy issues. I was also Chair of the Board of the Association of Photographers, the UK’s leading trade association for professional photographers, and contributed to the legal sections of Beyond the Lens: Rights, Ethics and Business Practice in Professional Photography.

Notable highlights include acting for a historical photojournalism archive on a claim relating to ownership of copyright under the Copyright Act 1956 and advising on one of the largest photography copyright cases seen in the High Court, where a photographer issued claims against 162 defendants simultaneously in 3 jurisdictions: the UK, US, and Singapore.

I have spoken extensively at events and industry conferences, including the Edinburgh Festival and Digital Catapult, and have contributed on copyright matters to the BBC Radio 4 programme, You and Yours.

Published Works

I am a contributor to Beyond the Lens, the 'gold standard' guide to legal rights, ethics and business practice in professional photography, published by the Association of Photographers.

I am a LexisNexis expert in Information Law and am on its Contributing Author panel.

My LexisNexis Practice Note on Data Protection and Privacy issues in the Commercial Use of Photographs is here.