Biography
Kristy is a Legal Director in the IP & Commercial team, specialising in IP and commercial contracts with a particular focus on food and regulatory law.
Kristy brings a wealth of experience within the following sectors:
- Food and drink
- Creative (advertising, PR and design)
- Retail
- Publishing
Kristy advises on a range of general commercial matters, from contracts through to regulatory advice. She has a keen focus on supporting businesses navigate the issues faced with changing regulation. Kristy has worked with an array of different businesses across various sectors from startups to international brands.
Prior to joining Ashfords, Kristy co-founded a boutique law firm, and spent several years as in-house counsel to a large luxury retailer, an international advertising agency and at two well-known publishers. Kristy trained at a leading international law firm, qualifying into Intellectual Property and has since gone on to specialise in food and regulatory law.
Relevant experience
- Commercial agreements: drafting, negotiating and advising on a wide range of commercial agreements, including MSAs, manufacturing, marketing agency, digital licencing, distribution and supplier agreements.
- Intellectual property: Drafting, negotiating and advising on a variety of intellectual property agreements and matters, including trade mark, copyright and design licences, assignments.
- Food regulation: advising on all aspects of product labelling, including complex health and nutrition claims; advising on marketing and advertising campaigns of HFSS products; advising on and managing product withdrawals/recalls; advising on Trading Standards enforcement and supporting client compliance.
- Consumer regulation: Advising on all aspects of consumer regulation, both online and in-store, in particular in relation to the changes to UK consumer protection regulation; advising on consumer complaints.
- Medical devices and borderline products: advising on how to ensure a mobile application did not fall within the Medical Device Regulations; advising and managing an MHRA investigation.
- Advertising and social media: Reviewing and advising on a variety of advertising and PR campaigns regarding compliance with the CAP and BCAP Codes and private law rights, across several sectors, including for legal software, charities and FMCG; advising generally on ASA complaints (making and receiving complaints), in particular those relating to competitors and social media; advising on consumer competitions and promotions; creation and negotiation of ambassador/talent agreements
- Training: provision of training for clients on a variety of topics, including intellectual property, navigating and negotiating commercial contracts, consumer law and advertising regulation.
