Nicola Solomon
Consultant: IP & Media
Nicola specialises in publishing, design, cultural heritage, and all aspects of intellectual property including:
- agency and publishing agreements
- brand and rights protection
- copyright infringement
- design rights
- drafting contracts and terms of business
- electronic rights
- freedom of expression/obscenity
- intellectual property rights
- libel reading/defamation
- literary estates
- negotiations
- publishing and royalty disputes
Her clients include agents, authors, fashion designers and retailers, higher education providers, illustrators, journalists, newspapers, picture libraries, photographers, publishers, screenwriters and trade organisations.
Nicola is a member of the Museum Development Association’s IP Advisory Committee advising a large number of museums on specialist questions in relation to intellectual property.
Recent Work
- On behalf of Monsoon Accessorize Limited, Nicola has taken many claims in copyright, design right and criminal enforcement against other high street stores including Primark, Matalan, New Look, Peacocks and ASDA in relation to copying of clothes, homewares and jewellery. Succeeded in having items removed from the shelves and large amounts of damages paid to Monsoon as well as delivery up of offending items
- For CEPIC (Co-ordination of European Picture Agencies and Press Stock Heritage), Nicola drafted ISALA; the industry standard terms of agreement between Picture Libraries and sub-agents which will provide a model for the entire picture library industry in licensing of rights
- Acting for the Britten Pears Foundation against claims in respect of loss of photographs of the composer. Taking the matter to mediation and arranging for settlement favourable to the foundation
- Claims for infringement of copyright on behalf of well known photographer, Solve Sundsbo, including claims against Coca-Cola for use of client’s lips image in an advertising campaign
- Advising the Society of Authors and Association of Authors’ Agents on their negotiations with the Publishers’ Association to try to agree new industry standard contracts relating to e-books and electronic rights. Other advice to the Society of Authors and Association of Authors’ Agents included advice on the Google Books and Amazon Search Inside the Book initiatives
- Advising Henry Lincoln on the high profile litigation against Dan Brown on the basis that “The Da Vinci Code” is an infringement of copyright in Mr Lincoln’s similar work “The Holy Blood and The Holy Grail”. Mr Lincoln was the third author and initiator of the book “The Holy Blood and The Holy Grail” but chose not to take proceedings
- Advising author, Duncan Fallowell, and negotiating settlement, including an apology, damages and costs in view of the blatant plagiarism of his biography of April Ashley by Douglas Thompson, the Author of The First Lady
- Providing National Union of Journalists with prepublication advice on History of the NUJ
Recent Articles/Speaking Engagements
Nicola regularly speaks on her areas of speciality. Recent and forthcoming lectures include:
- February 2007 - Monsoon - Design Rights
- March 2007 - Own it - Photographing People
- March 2007 - Society of Authors Broadcasting group - Use of Factual Material in Documentaries
- April 2007 - Society of Authors - Defamation and Privacy
- June 2007 - Society of Authors - Holy Blood and Holy Grail and other copyright points
- June 2007 - CEPIC - Protecting Copyright
- June 2007 - Own It - Photographing Buildings
- September 2007 - Copyright Law Update 2007
- May 2008 - Privacy laws are snapping at photographers' heels
Random Fact
Nicola’s children run a pet hotel.