Mark Ashelford

Mark is a specialist digital and social media lawyer, with over 20 years' experience working with and advising clients in the digital, social media and creative industries including influencers, tech start-ups, music companies, celebrities, agencies, artists, authors, brands and content owners.

Mark’s work at the digital frontiers began nearly 20 years ago at the start of the music industry’s own journey from a physical product business to a fully-fledged digital industry, at a time when experience was in short supply and models had to be intuited rather than learned. His practice has similarly developed to encompass a broad spectrum of clients in the technology sectors: digital platforms, social media services, content creators, start-ups, data owners, developers, crypto startups and other tech entrepreneurs. Mark is well versed in the intricacies of content distribution through these platforms, including the complex music licensing landscape, the regulatory aspects of e-commerce and social media (including use of personal and commercial data) and the commercial realities that any start-up or entrepreneurs might encounter. As a lover of technology he is interested in his subject and believes that legal advice in this area should solve complexities, not add to them.

Mark also represents the talent in this space, the YouTubers and social media influencers, and the agencies and brands that work with them. As such his practice also has a particular specialism in the types of commercial agreements and legal issues encountered by influencers and their commercial partners, including brand endorsement deals, founder ambassador arrangements, agency and management deals, book deals, product lines, app deals, affiliate agreements and issues such as fair use, blacklisting and unlawful product mentions.