Paddy is head of the firm's Dispute Resolution Group, having joined in 2011 from Eversheds LLP where he was Head of the Media Team.   He specialises in disputes in the media and entertainment industries and is rated by Chambers & Partners as a leading individual for contentious work in the music industry.

He has broad experience of commercial disputes including:

• professional negligence claims;
• claims for infringement of copyright, trade marks, and other IP rights; 
• contractual and shareholder disputes; and
• defending competition (cartel) investigations (OFT and Commission).

Paddy has extensive experience of taking complex cases to trial, as well as settling them through ADR.   He has handled disputes across a broad range of sectors including professional services, HNW individuals and the media and entertainment industry (music, film, TV, publishing, computer games and digital exploitation). He has represented many high profile individuals and businesses including Sir Elton John, PRS for Music, Universal, PPL, Charles Saatchi, LiveNation, U2 and Paramount Pictures, as well as large multi-nationals subject to cartel investigations.

Representative cases include:

• "Hollywood 4/5/6" film finance litigation (film gap financing insurance claims).
• Shareholder dispute concerning a Russian telecoms company.
• Sir Elton John v. Price Waterhouse (prof. negligence dispute concerning management agreement and touring monies).
• PRS/MCPS v ITV (Copyright Tribunal proceedings)
• Barrett v. Bob Marley Estate and Universal-Island Records (royalty and copyright dispute).
• AEG v. Concert Productions International (concert ticketing dispute).
• Sawyer v. Atari (computer games royalty audit claim).
• Experience Hendrix v. Times Newspapers (copyright infringement claim) 

Career history:

Partner, Michael Simkins LLP
Associate & Partner, Eversheds LLP
Associate, Frere Cholmeley Bischoff