Although I specialise in particular in dealing with publishing, I have also had considerable experience in dealing with other related areas of Entertainment Law, such as:  

  • film/TV/video - particularly acting for authors whose works are to be exploited in these media and for persons contracting with media organisations (eg as presenters);
  • music - having acted for recording artists, independent record companies and opera and ballet companies, including The Royal Opera and The Royal Ballet, particularly in relation to touring and the televising, recording and release of recordings of live performances; and
  • merchandising.

Charges for work are normally based simply on the amount of time spent in dealing with the matter. It can be difficult to give in advance an accurate estimate of fees because it is rarely possible to tell in advance how many hours will be needed to complete a matter. If, nevertheless, at any stage a client would like a view of the likely range of fees, then I do endeavour to give this. Any such estimate would be based on stated assumptions as to the likely time involved and the anticipated course of the matter.
 
For some types of work -- for example, drafting a standard contract -- it may be possible to quote a fixed fee where I have sufficiently clear instructions.

Bernie Nyman's CV at a glance:

  • Qualified March 1979.
  • Assistant Solicitor with Rubinstein Callingham 1979-83.
  • Partner in Rubinstein Callingham 1983-94.
  • Partner in Manches & Co October 1994 – December 1998.
  • Sole Principal of B M Nyman & Co January 1999 - date
  • Consultant to Manches January 1999 – December 2001
  • Author of the Copyright section of The Encyclopaedia of Forms and Precedents Volume 21 Fifth Edition (Butterworths, 1991).
  • Author of the (completely revised) Copyright section of The Encyclopaedia of Forms and Precedents Volume 21(2) Fifth Edition Re-issue (Butterworths, 1999).
  • Specialist Contributor of section on the Publishing industry in the leading practitioners' work on Copyright, Copinger and Skone James on Copyright 14th Edition (Sweet & Maxwell, 1999 and 1st Supplement January 2002) and 15th edition (Sweet & Maxwell, 2005).
  • Contributor to Character Merchandising by Prof. John Adams 2nd Edition (Butterworths, 1996).
  • Country correspondent for and regular contributor to Entertainment Law Review (Sweet & Maxwell).
  • Recommended as an expert on publishing law in The Legal 500 and in the Chambers Guide to the Legal Profession every single year since 1994 and 1995 respectively
  • I am a trustee of the charity The Enid Blyton Trust for Children (appointed 2000).
  • I am a trustee of the charity The Cleft Lip and Palate Association (appointed 2003).