On 13th March 2021, in celebration of International Women's Day 2021, we hosted our first event of the year ‘The Fashion Law Edit Presents: Women In Fashion Law’.

We heard first-hand from some of the finest UK and US lawyers on their experiences within fashion law and the future of fashion from a legal perspective. In this webinar, TFLE’s founder, Bunmi Jenfa and five lawyers (Gina Bibby - Withersworldwide, Sophia Daw - Harbottle & Lewis, Alice Pang - McCarter & English, Priya Mattu - Fox Williams and Lucy Coffey - Fox Williams) covered the following topics:

1. Defining Fashion Law

2. How to become a lawyer with a practice centred around the fashion industry

3. The future of fashion from a legal perspective (including the impact of Coronavirus and Brexit)

4. Being a woman in the legal profession and how to persevere despite the barriers

Whilst we were unable to cover all of the questions during the Q&A segment, Lucy and Priya have given their take on the remaining questions below the webinar recording.

Q&A with Lucy Coffey and Priya Mattu

What do you believe the biggest change in law in the fashion industry will be within the next several years or decade and how will the legal industry shape fashion’s future in that time?

Lucy: I believe that there will be a drive for accountability. There is already such a push for brands to be transparent in respect of supply chains and sourcing and this is only set to continue - which can only be a good thing. I think that there will be significant regulation as to what brands can and cannot claim on labels, their environmental impact generally, and, what information must be explained to end consumers. What commercial lawyers might see as a result of this greater scrutiny is an increase in mis-selling claims.  I think that data will play a significant role in this drive for accountability - reliable and accurate data will remain highly valuable to all those involved.

Where can we find the best job opportunities to apply as a legal counsel in the fashion industry?

Lucy & Priya: In respect of private practice, look closely at firms’ websites – look for a fashion and retail sector focus – when you identify firms that are attractive, keep an eye on recruitment pages on websites or if you are looking to start your career, check out vacation schemes and other types of entry level recruitment events. LinkedIn and LexStep often advertise in-house roles – often paralegal roles are advertised directly by fashion brands.

Please can you share your thoughts on the working culture of fashion law and what the culture is like at your organisation

Lucy: I work for various different businesses within the fashion industry – I find it an innovative, diverse industry, adapting quickly to market trends. It attracts people from all backgrounds, which provides for a great collaborative environment.

In terms of Fox Williams, you are able to access great quality work and have exposure to clients from day one – you are almost always working direct with the partner that is the specialist in the area of law, so there are always opportunities to develop both technical and commercial skills and knowledge. I really like how friendly the firm is and how everyone is approachable and has time for you.

Priya: Fashion businesses are so diverse and the culture will vary greatly depending on the type and size of the business you are advising. It is generally quite a fast paced industry so as well as getting to know your clients’ businesses, you also need to keep on top of industry updates to be able to add value when advising your clients.

In terms of the culture at Fox Williams, it is a very collaborative place to work. Our fashion sector group is made up of commercial and IP lawyers, real estate lawyers, employment lawyers and corporate lawyers and there is a lot of knowledge sharing both at our sector meetings and outside of those meetings. It is the collaboration between our teams that enables us to provide a holistic service to our fashion clients.

For junior lawyers who have already qualified, what three pieces of advice would you give for pivoting into a career in fashion law?

Lucy:

• There is no need to rush – opportunities will arise throughout your career. Very few lawyers that I know currently do what they did when they first started out.

• If you know you have an interest in the area, be able to demonstrate that interest - whether that be, for example, by your commercial awareness or your experience in the industry outside of law.

• If an intermediary step is available to you, take it - if the position of “fashion lawyer” is not available to you, perhaps there is an area that you could pivot into or focus on in the work that you are currently doing. This links back to my first piece of advice - there is not a time limit in which to make career pivots - sometimes making small pivots over time can be just as effective in getting you to where you want to be as landing your dream role early on in your career.

Priya:

• As a junior lawyer, focus on developing your technical legal knowledge as well as your sector knowledge. No matter which industry your clients are operating in, they will be relying on your legal expertise and this is transferable across different sectors. It will be your sector knowledge and your legal skills together that will ultimately add value for clients. Fashion businesses also have the same challenges as many other businesses so at a junior level developing a range of experience across different sectors is generally beneficial.

• Demonstrate your interest in the area by getting to know the industry better, for example via attending fashion sector events or signing up to fashion news sites for updates. Fox Williams regularly hosts webinars which are a useful way to gain an insight into changes and developments in the industry and the legal implications of such changes.

• As with any area of law, networking is really important. Try to attend fashion events to start building your own network and use social media to raise your personal profile within the industry.