2020 Winners
Congratulations to all of the Winners:
Best New Luxury Law Firm Practice
McCarthy Tétrault
McCarthy Tétrault have had a fantastic year and this award is another accolade to add to a rapidly growing collection. Already a leading Canadian firm, the development of a cross-practice and industry-focused, national Retail and Consumer Markets (RCM) Group, and a specialised luxury practice therein, has propelled it’s reputation to one of international recognition. McCarthy Tétrault have successfully made a name for themselves in luxury through sheer hard work – something that comes across immediately during any interaction with their talented team. Well done!
Lifetime Achievement in Luxury Law
Pamela Bradford, Calvin Klein
Pamela is an all-round superstar in the luxury sector. The General Counsel at Calvin Klein for over 20 years, Pamela has been recognised as a strong leader who oversees best-in-class brand strategy, transactions, licensing, marketing and enforcement. She is adept at navigating the challenges wrought by balancing business success with creative personalities, proprietary rights, a provocative brand DNA and advertising in a borderless digital world while conducting business in countries that legally limit and prohibit the same.
Sponsored by
The Marella Naj-Oleari Luxury Business In-House General Counsel of the Year
Ashleigh Hegarty, General Counsel, Charlotte Tilbury
This award is dedicated to the General Counsel who stands out from the crowd, and our winner certainly fits this description. From being part of the Puig transaction to taking on Aldi in the High Court for copyright infringement in the run-up to Christmas, our winner certainly made her mark in the luxury legal space and has been commended for her ability to reach solutions that no one thought was possible.
Sponsored by
Luxury Business Leader
Paula Levitan, General Counsel, Manzanita Capital
A consummate General Counsel, Paula oversees 6 well known luxury brands, bringing a true commercial vision to everything she does. In the last year she has led on the design and implementation of equity incentive programmes within the portfolio companies, ran the acquisition of Austrian-based Susanne Kaufmann Kosmetics and has had to deal with the inevitable fallout from bankruptcies of retailers in the UK and the US whilst managing commercial operations across the portfolio companies in Europe, the US and Asia.
Luxury Business In-House Legal team
Manolo Blahnik
Here, we were seeking an in-house legal team which has proved its value to the business in a demonstrable way – and our winner has certainly achieved that! Highly efficient, this team has not only restructured the entire North American business in the past year and handled the acquisition of a factory in Italy, but, in dealing with the challenges raised by the pandemic, has worked closely with the leadership of the business and delivered on all fronts – making them a worthy recipient of this year’s award.
Sponsored by
Luxury Business Rising Star
Winner: Rita Alves Coelho, Legal Counsel at Farfetch
Rita won accolades from her organisation for her ability to advise the entire organisation and for looking after agency models’ agreements and the guidelines for models to comply. Those who have worked with her say they have fun and learn at the same time – and that this makes her a worthy recipient of this award.
Sponsored by
Best New Luxury Law Firm Practice
McCarthy Tetrault
With a rapidly growing luxury clientele built out of its retail and consumer group expertise, our winning law firm services some of the biggest name in the luxury sector and have sealed their reputation with accolades for their service in this area. Recently, McCarthy Tetrault have been actively supporting luxury clients in navigating the complex issues facing the industry, from the rise of re-sale, to customisation and conscientious consumption, to instability in the global markets.
Innovator in IP rights and technology
Scott Gelin, Director, IP Enforcement (Global), Apple
Scott has demonstrated leadership and innovation on the global war against counterfeiting, anti-counterfeiting, anti-piracy and IP enforcement. Managing a global team of lawyers, investigators and analysts in the worldwide enforcement of intellectual property rights against counterfeiters, pirates and infringers for its company, he had been a leading light in his company’s efforts to innovate and take action in this area.
Sponsored by
Luxury IP In-house Counsel
Amanda Beaton, Global IP Counsel, Jaguar Land Rover
Amanda has been commended for playing a key role in directing the future trajectory of the brand. Under her leadership and direction, the trademark team have expanded their trademark portfolio, while actively pursuing potential infringers and executing all-round savvy business strategies to elevate the brand. Through her tireless work she has provided innovative, pragmatic, and cost-effective ways to protect the interest of the company.
Sponsored by
Luxury Sustainability 2020
Carry Somers and Orsola de Castro of Fashion Revolution
Carry and Orsola have demonstrated tenacity, ingenuity and great organisational capacity in their efforts for change.
The initiative was in response to the Rana Plaza disaster in Bangladesh with a platform created to encourage people to take action in the fashion industry. Launching a range of hashtags such as #WhoMadeMyClothes to #InsideOut and #Hauternative as well as the Fashion Transparency Index and a range of educational events and literature promoting sustainability in fashion, Carry and Orsola have demonstrated leadership in this area and are worth winners of the Luxury Sustainability award.
Sponsored by
Luxury Technology leader
Rachael Barber, Partner at Kemp Little, and Dupe Killer
Rachael takes the award for the creation of legal tech which allows designers to use AI to find and stop their designs from being copied. Described by one general counsel as ‘a very effective way to discover hundreds of design infringements every month’, it allows them to send a clear signal that they will not tolerate design infringements.
Luxury Deal of the Year
RPC
Stella McCartney’s buyout of her existing joint venture arrangements with Kering and the subsequent entry into a new partnership with LVMH Moët Hennessy was a complex deal and one of the most high-profile deals last year. There were many complex aspects to the deal which took place on a very accelerated timetable including an interim financing structure. Given the rarity of an established and successful fashion label moving between two leading fashion houses and the accelerated timetable this complex deal necessitated, we are pleased to say that legal advisor RPC are this year’s winners of Deal of the Year.
Independent Luxury Law Firm of the Year
Anand & Anand
Anand & Anand represents some of the world’s leading fashion designers and luxury brands in India – from Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Christian Louboutin to celebrated American golfer Tiger Woods. Not only has it had success in defending brands for key luxury clients, it has also taken steps to support the industry through its campaign to educate designers on legal routes open to them to protect their designs. Until 2018, designers were not filing applications. With the help of their initiatives to educate the industry, over 350 applications were filed within 2 years. The firm also played a role in creating mass awareness of IP among students, designers, media and financial bodies.
Luxury Law Firm of the Year
K&L Gates
K&L Gates has clocked up a number of successes in the past year in the luxury arena, having built up its luxury practice in a relatively short period of time and representing some of the top names in the sector. It advises companies of all sizes, ranging from start-ups and upcoming designers to premium brands and iconic houses and has built relationships with leading industry bodies and decision-makers globally. Covering the luxury industry as a whole – from fashion, design, beauty, accessories, architecture to travel, home and leisure, it is firmly positioned as a ‘go to’ law.