Autumn edition

Welcome to the autumn issue of Coordinated Insights.

We hope you managed to enjoy some time away over the summer, whether that was a holiday abroad, a staycation closer to home, or simply some extra time spent with family and friends. The summer months can be a welcome opportunity to recharge, although we know for many in-house teams the work never completely stops.

Since our spring conference, we've had the pleasure of speaking with many of you about everything from AI and contracting challenges to resourcing pressures and shifting business priorities. Those conversations continue to shape how we develop Coordinated Counsel and the support we offer throughout the year.

This edition brings together some recent highlights from across the firm, along with insights and updates we hope you'll find practical and thought-provoking. We also introduce SiteComply, our new lawyer-led website compliance review service, designed to give an independent, external view of an organisation's website.

In this edition’s collection of blogs, we look at how intellectual property has become central to corporate value and reflect on why in-house teams should be thinking about IP as a strategic asset, not just a legal one.

On the legislative front, we consider the expanded scope of corporate criminal liability under the Crime and Policing Act 2026. We also provide a practical update on the Employment Rights Act 2025, helping employers and their legal teams understand what to prepare for next.

Additionally, we address the growing use of AI in HR processes and the legal risks in-house lawyers should be flagging when employees adopt these tools. We examine how AI is being adopted by fashion brands, through tools like AI-generated model imagery and virtual try-on features, and the UK and EU legal risks that come with it. We discuss the Cork & Another v Smith [2026] EWHC 1199 (Ch) decision, in which the High Court criticised a law firm after a junior solicitor relied on an AI tool that fabricated a non-existent provision of the Insolvency Rules. The judge commented that the solicitor had ‘almost entirely outsourced the thinking process’ to the technology.

Separately, we cover accessibility requirements in advertising, an area in which in-house teams are increasingly called on to provide guidance. For in-house counsel overseeing immigration compliance, our upcoming webinar provides practical guidance on preparing for the right-to-work changes taking effect on 1 October 2026.

We hope this edition of Coordinated Counsel Insights helps you stay ahead of the issues shaping the in-house legal agenda this autumn. As always, please get in touch if you would like to discuss any topics relevant to your organisation.

Thank you, as always, for being part of the Coordinated Counsel community.

Selina Hinchliffe

Partner & Head of Commercial Services

Get in touch

Recognition for our IP team

We're delighted that four members of our intellectual property team, Selina Hinchliffe, Mauro Paiano, Nicholas Briggs and Daniel Kelly, have been individually recognised in the latest IP STARS from Managing IP.

While rankings are always nice to receive, what matters most is what they represent for the organisations we work with. The recognition reflects the breadth of support our team provides to in-house counsel, from handling complex disputes in the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, to advising on cross-border brand transactions and helping businesses maximise the value of their IP through collaborations, licensing arrangements and strategic commercial deals.

As innovation, brand protection and AI-driven developments continue to move up the corporate agenda, having access to experienced advisers who understand both the legal and commercial implications of IP has never been more important.

We're proud to see the team's work recognised and grateful to the clients who continue to trust us with some of their most important and business-critical matters.

Could your website withstand regulatory scrutiny?

As in-house counsel, you're often responsible for managing legal and regulatory risk across the organisation, but how confident are you that your website would stand up to scrutiny?

Websites are constantly evolving, and so are the legal and regulatory requirements that apply to them. From data protection and accessibility to consumer information and transparency obligations, even small compliance gaps can create unnecessary risk, lead to complaints or attract regulatory attention.

That's why we've launched SiteComply, our new lawyer-led website compliance review service. SiteComply provides an independent assessment of your website's legal and regulatory position, helping you identify potential risks, prioritise action and gain confidence that your online presence meets current expectations.

Whether you're carrying out a routine compliance review, supporting a website redesign or simply looking for independent reassurance, SiteComply can help.

To find out more or arrange a review, please get in touch with Selina Hinchliffe or Charlotte Cassells.

Find out more

Upcoming conferences

We're pleased to announce the dates for our two conferences this year. We hope you'll be able to join us for what promises to be an engaging and informative experience.

During these conferences we will be discussing the latest Contract Law updates, Data Privacy and Protection, Ethics and the SRA code, a Regulatory update and political scanning Employment and immigration law updates.

Coordinated Counsel Autumn Conference -

Birmingham

Coordinated Counsel Autumn Conference -

Sheffield

Our latest thoughts and insights

Why Intellectual Property Now Sits at the Heart of Corporate Value

Accessibility by Design: What the ASA’s Guidance Means for Your Business

AI in Fashion

AI May Be New (ish), But Accountability is Not

How The Crime and Policing Act 2026 Is Expanding Corporate Criminal Liability

Employment Rights Act 2025 – Where Are We Now and What Employers Should Expect Next

Employee Use of AI in HR Processes: Legal Risks for Employers and How to Respond

Upcoming webinars

Right to Work – Preparing for the 1 October 2026 changes

Join our Right to Work webinar designed specifically for HR professionals and business leaders seeking practical guidance on navigating this significant development with confidence.

The Employment Rights Act 2025: What’s changing on harassment?

This webinar will focus on the Act’s substantial updates to harassment law, including enhanced sexual harassment obligations and strengthened protections for workers.

Meet the people behind Coordinated Counsel

Behind Coordinated Counsel is a team of lawyers working closely with in-house teams every day, often across multiple disciplines, including many who have worked as lawyers in-house themselves. In this edition, we’re taking a closer look at one of the people helping to shape this programme and support the community.

Selina Hinchliffe

Selina is head of our commercial services team, bringing together specialists across IP, technology, data, commercial contracts and energy. An IP lawyer by trade, she's passionate about helping organisations turn innovation into commercial value, whether that's through strategic partnerships, technology projects, brand development or protecting key intellectual property assets.

What really sets Selina apart is her passion for innovation. A regular contributor to industry publications and discussions, she frequently shares her insights on topics such as AI, intellectual property, clean energy and technology - helping businesses understand not just the legal implications of change, but where it could take them next.

Having spent time in-house at Experian earlier in her career, Selina understands the need for advice that's practical, commercial and aligned to wider business objectives. It's an approach that has earned recognition in Chambers, Legal 500, WTR and IP STARS, but more importantly has helped her build lasting relationships with organisations shaping the future of their sectors.

If you’d like to connect with Selina or explore how Coordinated Counsel could support your team, please do get in touch.

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We are here to help, get in contact with us or you can call us on 0330 024 0333 - we'd love to understand how we can help you and your business.

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Updated: September 2025

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