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Siona Spillett

Sho-naLegal Director

I love to help clients find a way through any problems so that they are free to move forward and achieve their goals.

About

Siona Spillett is experienced in cross-border litigation, with a focus on the media, sports and entertainment sector and life sciences.

She works alongside clients to find commercial solutions to a broad range of disputes, including complex contractual arrangements and brand protection matters.

She has secured freezing injunctions (including worldwide) over assets across Europe and Asia, as well as representing international clients in the Commercial Court. She has also been instructed on both international and domestic arbitration under the UNCITRAL and LCIA rules.

She has acted on a range of media sports and entertainment disputes, including defamation claims and licensing disputes, as well as advising on channel clearance and regulatory issues with OFCOM. Her broader commercial practice encompasses complex breach of contract disputes, directors’ duties and misfeasance claims and liability under D&O insurance contracts.

Siona regularly speaks on conflict of law issues, and with an emphasis on the impact of Brexit. Siona spent two terms at the Court of Appeal as the Judicial Assistant to the Master of the Rolls and, whilst in practice, achieved a distinction in a Masters degree in commercial law.

Professional QualificationsSolicitor of the Senior Courts of England and Wales

EXPERIENCE

  • Securing a worldwide freezing injunction for a finance company over assets in England, France and Singapore and settled the underlying debt recovery claim.
  • Successfully defended a global manufacturer’s UK subsidiary in a breach of contract and D&O insurance dispute in the English Commercial Court.
  • Advised on sponsorship agreements, licenses, share purchase agreements, talent contracts and other contractual disputes in the sports and broadcasting industries (incl at High Court litigation and LCIA arbitration).
  • Managed a portfolio of disputes across Europe for a global manufacturer of medical devices after a change of Notified Body caused a delay in CE certification.
  • Defended defamation claims in the media and hospitality sector.
  • Advised on OFCOM and channel clearance matters, including contempt, privacy, reporting restrictions and production orders.
  • Acted for a major ISP on a blocking injunction under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 related to P2P file sharing sites.
  • Advised on a portfolio of brand protection matters for a major car manufacturer (including trademark infringement and NOMINET complaints).
  • Acted for liquidators, companies and insurers against former directors, including claims for misfeasance, professional negligence and breach of contract.
  • Advised companies (including AIM listed) and partnerships on Board and Shareholder disputes.
Education
  • University of Cambridge, MA (Girton) 1997
  • BPP, London, GDL and Accelerated LPC (Distinction) 2010
  • University of Birmingham, LLM, Commercial Law (Distinction) 2015

Prior Experience

  • 2021, Siona joined DLA Piper.
  • 2018-21, Global law firm.
  • 2013-18, Senior Associate/Associate, European law firm.
  • 2010-13, Associate/Trainee, London-based global law firm, incl client secondment with FTSE 100 client.

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