As luxury lawyers prepare to meet in London, they will be watching the travails of the two British firms, with the Duchess of Cambridge among their customers, vey closely. LK Bennett has lined up EY as administrator for the business in hope of finding funding to stay afloat. Anya Hindmarch has been put up for sale by the Qatari royal family, which is cutting its losses after years of tough trading and is predicted to sell for a nominal sum.

Policies and influencers

Lawyers gathering next month at the 7th Luxury Law Summit in London will be exploring how leading luxury brands are redefining “luxury” to respond to, and even change, consumer attitudes, around sustainability and craftsmanship. The agenda will highlight current developments and disruption in international trade practice and policies, with a focus on global supply chains and businesses. A particular focus will be the changes in US trade policy and the latest Brexit developments. Alyssa Auberger, global chair of consumer goods & retail industry group at Baker, is joined by associate Jessica Mutton and partners Rod Hunter and Jon Cowley. The increasingly questionable role of influencers is tackled in a session hosted by Bryan Cave, while Nick Steward, founder at GALLIVANT and Melanie Nardo, general counsel at Coty Luxury Division, discuss the challenges created by new distribution channels, and the solutions that protect luxury brands.

The luxury experience

Ensuring the luxury experience and protecting brand equity is the topic for a workshop led by Clare Cornell, partner at Finnegan Europe, and Aaron Parker, partner at Finnegan. Meanwhile, the wonderful world of luxury travel gets a tour with Michael Ellis, group general counsel at Abercrombie & Kent and Abbi Hunt, vice president, legal at Belmond. Edzard Offers, Nike’s legal counsel emea and Asa Ericson Hedstrom, vice president legal at Fiskars Group will lead discussion on online sales, risk and competition enforcement in a fast-changing retail environment, and advise on how to protect your brand. For more information about attending the Luxury Law London Summit on 2nd April please contact [email protected]