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Nick Allan

Nick AllanLegal Director and Head of Interactive Entertainment

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I lead the Interactive Entertainment practice at Lewis Silkin. I represent businesses of all sizes in the games business, from multinational publishers to indie developers, as well as acting for other service providers to the games industry.

Much of my day-to-day work is advising on commercial transactions in the games industry, including developing, publishing and licensing deals, but I also have a background in intellectual property and advise on issues specific to the industry, such as in relation to the use of real-world assets in games.  I also advise games companies on the various regulatory issues that affect the games sector, such as those relating to the Online Safety Bill, the Children’s Code, consumer standards and EULAs, PEGI age ratings, advertising guidance on virtual currencies and items, gambling regulations on loot boxes and e commerce.  

I am a member of the Video Game Bar Association and have been recognized by the Legal 500 for my work in the games sector as a “lawyer to watch”.  Outside of my work at Lewis Silkin, I am also a trustee and director of GamesAid, a games industry charity. 
 

Commercial

I advise on commercial transactions across the games sector.  Contract drafting, negotiation and review are at the core of my practice and include:

  • Games publishing contracts, acting for both publishers and developers, in all key games markets worldwide.

  • Games development agreements, relating to games and related technology on all platforms.

  • Games outsourcing arrangements, acting for businesses on both sides of outsourcing.

  • Games licensing deals, from TV, book and film cross-overs to merchandising deals.

  • Games documentation, including EULAs, privacy policies and other consumer terms.
In addition, I regularly advise games companies on compliance with relevant legislation, regulations and codes of practice in the sector.
 

Intellectual property & brands

In addition to transactional IP work involving games and other technology companies, I also advise on the crossover between games and intellectual property, such as on avoiding IP infringements when using real-world buildings, people and objects. I also work with closely with the intellectual property team on managing trade mark and patent portfolios for games companies, as well as carrying out IP audits and offering strategic advice on brands and intellectual property positions. I hold the Postgraduate Diploma in Intellectual Property Law and Practice from the University of Oxford (Distinction) and have given numerous talks on IP in games.
 
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