Federico Ferrara has over 25 years’ experience in intellectual property law, acquired working alongside leading companies in a wide number of sectors and with a particular focus on media and entertainment.

Federico is the Head of the Italian Intellectual Property team. His practice covers IP rights, strategies, policies, and disputes. 

He assists key operators in the Tech, Media and Comms, Tourism, Life Sciences and Retail sectors. Federico has accrued niche expertise in the areas of audio-visual works, publishing and music law. Breaches of third-party Intellectual Property are also frequently connected with issues of unfair competition, an area in which Federico has built up significant experience.

In matters of industrial property, he has acted on cases involving counterfeiting, exhaustion of rights (parallel imports), licensing and passing off. His practice involves both contentious and non-contentious matters and he has accrued an in-depth knowledge of time-sensitive procedures such as interim injunctions, search orders, and seizures.

Federico also has considerable experience as a corporate and commercial lawyer, advising on JVs and M&A transactions, in which Intellectual Property constituted a key element of the corporate assets. He advises on compliance issues relating to advertising, consumer and e-commerce law, as well as in the relevant proceedings before the Italian Advertising Standards Authority and the Italian Competition Authority.

He has sat on the Board of Directors of Sony Music Entertainment Italy S.p.A since 1994 and has been consistently ranked by both Chambers and Partners and Legal 500. In 2023 Chambers & Partner Global reconfirmed his ranking for Intellectual Property: Copyrights.

Federico is admitted to appear before the Supreme Court of Cassation.

Federico Ferrara has a solid track record representing clients from the media and entertainment industry in copyright litigation. Clients highlight his collaborative attitude and describe him as 'very constructive and very correct'. 

Helping you succeed in tomorrow's world

Intellectual Property rights are increasingly strategic in the most innovative business models that derive from the digitalisation of the economy. For example, the market value of audio-visuals continues to grow, and it is has become fundamental to correctly regulate their use. We understand the dynamics, anticipate the needs, and support our clients in their more visionary projects.

Sony Music Entertainment Italy

Advising Sony Music in a copyright law suit against Edizioni Musicali Acqua Azzurra and three other defendants, connected with alleged unlawful actions relating to the valuable catalogue of leading Italian singer-songwriter and composer, Lucio Battisti.

APA - Associazione Produttori Audiovisivi

Advising APA, an Italian association that brings together 47 of the country’s leading independent television production companies, on a range of matters, including discussions with the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage Activities and Tourism (MiBACT) over updating private copying levies.

Opera Co-Pro Ltd.

Advising the client, a company that commissions new operas and manages coproduction projects, on a range of new initiatives that have arisen through its online platform, including cross-border IP advice on its relations with performing arts companies, artists, composers and publishers.

PDU Music & Productions S.A

Advised on the assignment of IP rights deriving from a new song by Mina and mastered by PDU, to be used by TIM in its marketing campaigns including TIM’s advertising campaign during the 2021 edition of the most famous Italian music event, the “Festival della canzone Italiana di Sanremo”.

Cinica S.r.l

Advised on a marketing consultancy agreement and a licensing contract for the well-known ‘L’Estetista Cinica’ trademark.

PDU Music & Productions S.p.A

Advised the client, an Italian music label on the negotiation of the recording and publishing agreements for the album “Mina Fossati”, and the licence agreement with R&C Produzioni for the use of a song from the new album in the film “La dea fortuna”.

Engie EPS Italia S.r.l

Advised in negotiating and drafting licence agreements relating to patents and trade secrets as part of the establishment of a new company in the e-mobility sector.

Stefano Fontana

Assisting Stefano Fontana, a famous Italian DJ - composer and performer of his own songs and creator of tailored sounds for the development of the brand identity of worldwide retail chains - on establishing a music publishing and recording company in the USA.

Re-Forme S.r.l.

Advised this well known cosmetics company in preparing a defence strategy in the context of an EU-wide trademark opposition procedure brought by a Spanish cosmetics producer against the client’s ‘Veralab’ trademark.

Sony Music Entertainment Italy

Osborne Clarke successful in supreme court litigation: “Prendi questa mano zingara” by Francesco De Gregori held not to constitute plagiarism of the song “Zingara”.

Mina

Assistance in proceedings brought against a film studio that had synchronised a track performed by the artist with images from a film without the necessary authorisation.

Grifols Italia

Advised on the acquisition of the diagnostics division of Novartis Vaccine Diagnostics.

Sony Music Entertainment Italy

Successful court litigation: Universal Music found to have engaged in unfair competition concerning its publication of an  album containing the same songs as that published by the client.

Food company

Advised on rules for packaging for foodstuffs and advertising with particular focus on consumer protection.

Sony Entertainment

Advised on casting contract with participants on TV "X factor" programme broadcast on SKY, including advice on involvement of minors.

Media Projects S.r.l

Successfully advised on appeal claiming that the term ‘Oscar’ had become a generic term and therefore without industrial protection.

Avanzi Holding S.r.l

Advised on the training of its employees in matters of antitrust law and insider trading rules.

Grifols

Advised on the acquisition of Talecris for US$4 bn, creating one of the world's largest Life Science groups.

Grifols Italia

Advised in the merger by incorporation of Alpha Therapeutic Italia S.p.A. The deal was the fruit of a complete review of the holding company's strategy in Italy.

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