Mishcon de Reya has launched a Designer Mentoring Programme with the British Fashion Council. Through the programme, the Firm will work with 10 carefully selected British fashion designers each year to assist in building their businesses.
Each designer will receive a number of hours of pro bono legal advice and will participate in a series of bespoke workshops focusing on key legal issues including brand protection, international expansion, raising finance and early stage investment, employment, reputation management and retail development.
The programme forms part of Mishcon's social impact strategy, with time spent with the designers contributing towards the pro bono targets that the Firm encourages every lawyer to deliver annually.
The 10 designers selected for the 2014 year include: Christopher Raeburn, Christopher Shannon, Eudon Choi, J. JS Lee, James Long, Lou Dalton, Nasir Mazhar and Sophia Webster.
Caroline Rush, CEO at the British Fashion Council, commented: Business support plays an increasingly important role, especially for emerging fashion designers, so we are delighted that Mischcon de Reya has created the Designer Mentoring Programme. It’s an incredible opportunity for the designers to access invaluable expertise. We’d like to thank both the Firm and its lawyers for their brilliant support.
Kevin Gold, Managing Partner at Mishcon de Reya, said: One of our core values at Mishcon de Reya is: 'respect for the individual and the expression of talent; one that inspires and empowers individuals to fulfil their potential'. In partnering with the British Fashion Council, we hope to extend this value beyond the Firm, supporting some of the UK's most promising fashion designers while giving our lawyers the rare opportunity to work with these talented individuals.
Sally Britton, a Partner in Mishcon's Intellectual Property Group, added: The quality of the designers participating in our first mentorship programme is incredibly high – a reflection of London's position as a leading fashion platform in terms of influence and creativity. We look forward to supporting these designers as they develop their businesses.