A brand is built on trust, and today it is built online as much as in store. We equip consumer, fashion and luxury brands to protect their identity, sell on terms that safeguard their reputation and build businesses that last.

Maybrook Law advises on the legal issues that consumer and luxury brands face, from launching a first collection or product line to international distribution, DTC sales and investment. We act for UK and international clients, including brands establishing or expanding in the UK.

Who we advise

• Fashion, beauty and luxury brands, from emerging labels to established houses
• Direct-to-consumer and digital businesses selling online and through marketplaces
• Food, drink and lifestyle brands expanding into retail, wholesale and international markets
• Investors and acquirers backing or buying consumer brands

How we help

Brand protection, intellectual property and design

For consumer and luxury businesses, the brand is often the most valuable asset. We advise on trade mark registration and portfolio strategy, design protection, brand licensing and collaborations, and action against counterfeits, copycats and infringing use online and offline.

Distribution, retail and supply chain

How and where a brand is sold shapes how it is perceived. We advise on distribution, agency, franchise and selective distribution arrangements, wholesale and retail agreements, concessions, and manufacturing and supply contracts. We also advise on the competition law rules that apply to pricing and online sales restrictions.

Marketing and consumer compliance

Selling direct to consumers brings its own legal requirements. We draft website and app terms, consumer terms and returns policies, subscription and loyalty terms, and privacy and cookies policies. We also advise on influencer and social media marketing, pricing transparency, online reviews and promotions, including under the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024.

Sustainability and green claims

Consumers increasingly choose brands based on their environmental and ethical credentials, and regulators are scrutinising the claims made. We advise on sustainability and green claims in marketing and on packaging, on supply chain transparency, and on building ethical sourcing commitments into supplier contracts.

Commercial disputes

Disputes in this sector usually arise when a distributor, licensee or supplier does not deliver what was agreed, or when a brand is copied. We act in distribution and licensing disputes, supply and quality claims, brand misuse and termination. We look first for a commercial solution that protects the brand and its relationships.

Brands in a digital world

From online marketplaces and social commerce to AI-generated content and virtual products, technology is changing how brands reach customers and how they are protected. Our work with software and AI businesses helps us advise on marketplace and platform terms, data-driven marketing and the ownership of AI-generated content used in campaigns.

Why Maybrook Law

We are a boutique London firm that combines the standards of international practice with the continuity of a specialist firm. From the first call to completion, clients work directly with experienced lawyers who understand both the creative and the commercial sides of building a fashion or luxury brand. Consumer and luxury matters often cut across our Intellectual Property, Commercial & Technology, Corporate & Finance, Employment & Incentives and Dispute Resolution teams, and we bring them together in one team.