Jessica is an intellectual property and technology specialist. She deals with the full spectrum of non-contentious and contentious IP, technology and IT law.
Jessica’s experience includes advising businesses on all types of IT contracts such as outsourcing, licensing, development, interface agreements, app terms, ecommerce agreements as well as data protection issues such as policies, data processing agreements, GDPR compliance and dealing with ICO requests.
Her practice on intellectual property matters covers the full suite of IP rights and in particular: brand management; trade mark searches and domestic/international applications; trade mark infringement, opposition and passing-off proceedings; copyright matters such as licensing, publishing, author agreements, rights acquisitions, TV and audio production agreements, clearance and infringement; design right protection and enforcement; patent and know-how licensing arrangements, R&D agreements, collaboration and PhD agreements.
Jessica regularly writes for specialist and industry publications as well as delivering to business and universities on intellectual property and technology matters.
She is an Associate Member of the Institute of Trade Mark Agents.
Considered, thoughtful, superb attention to the minutest detail whilst continually focused on the end game – just the person to guide you through a tricky IP dispute. Jessica was excellent in her briefings, leaving me with a clear view of the risks whilst maintaining a clear sense of direction to the conclusion. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend.
DS, inventor
As Finance Director working for a couple of different charities over the last 13 years, I have worked with Jessica Bent on a number of intellectual property issues including the licensing and registration of trademarks. Always extremely pleasant to work with, Jessica is quick to respond, very professional, pragmatic in her advice and has a keen understanding of the pressures faced by charities, including limited budgets
Nicola Spencer, Director of Finance and Resources
Marine Conservation SocietyIt is essential that our undergraduate Publishing students have a broad understanding of the legal requirements of our industry, including copyright and intellectual property. Jessica has been providing guest lectures on this for our students for a number of years and she always delivers just the right level of content in a way that is relevant, interesting and - dare I say it - even fun.
Jason Hewitt Bennett
Bath Spa University
Expertise
IT and Technology
- Software as a service (SaaS)
- Reseller and distribution
- Outsourcing, managed services
- Application programming interface agreements
- Licensing
- Development
- Maintenance and support
- SLAs, mobile app agreements
- App terms and related privacy contracts
- Procurement
Trade Marks and Branding
- Identification of rights
- Strategic brand advice
- Clearance searches both domestic and international
- Registration and portfolio management
- Sponsorship and licensing deals
- Image rights advice
- Domain name issues and cybersquatting proceedings
- Merchandising and brand licensing (including oppositions)
- Passing off and advice on infringement of domestic
- International trade marks
Copyright, Media and Creative
- Copyright infringement
- Clearance
- Publishing and licensing
- IP strategy
- Marketing and design contracts
- Author agreements
- Contributor agreements
- Rights acquisition
- TV and audio agreements
- Design right protection and infringement
- Music production
- Recording and management agreements
- Database agreements
Patents, Life Sciences and Engineering
- Patent technology and know-how licensing and infringement
- Collaboration and PhD agreements
- Royalty and spin-out agreements
- R&D agreements and funding
Digital and Data Protection
- Website contracts
- E-commerce
- GDPR compliance
- Data processing contracts and related commercial contracts
- Privacy and other GDPR-compliant policies
- Subject access requests
- Responding to ICO requests
Experience
Intellectual Property
- Drafted and negotiated an upstream rights acquisition agreement in relation to copyright and related rights in animated natural history sequences for an award-winning production company
- Assisted a multinational consumer brand company on passing off and copyright infringement pre-action proceedings in relation to online content which was detrimental to its brand
- Advised an architecture practice on copyright infringement and related licensing issues
- Advised a national rugby team on protection of its trade marks, including filing the same and negotiating threatened oppositions
- Advised a national wealth management company on trade mark protection including related trade mark oppositions
- Assisted a Southwest-based conservation charity with its advertising contract with a media agency and related IP issues
- Portfolio management of a national furniture company’s trade marks, including filing new applications, strategic advice, and dealing with trade mark infringement of its key trade marks
- Advised an educational publisher on copyright licensing agreements with national and international archive organisations, including assessment of subsistence of copyright
- Dealt with a specialist jewellery design company on its contributor and manufacturing agreements, including all necessary IP transfers and moral rights waivers
Technology
- Drafted and negotiated a SaaS platform agreement for an online educational publisher to host the content of educational institution customers
- Advised an online games company on ecommerce terms, acceptable use policy and privacy policy
- Advised a cash-flow modelling company on an API (application programming interface) agreement with a platform provider as well as customer SaaS agreements
- Dealt with a start-up medical diagnosis company on a software development agreement to provide a SaaS platform for medical diagnosis
- Negotiated an ERP software licensing and services agreement for a national agricultural machinery company
- Advised and negotiated a managed IT services rolling framework agreement for a specialist IT managed services company, with a multinational IT equipment and services provider
Life Sciences
- Advised an award-winning life sciences client on the subsistence of copyright and related rights in software, software licensing, collaboration agreements and enforcement of its rights
- Negotiated a prototype development agreement, including all related patent and copyright issues, for a specialist petrochemical component company with a multinational petrochemical producer
- Advised a life sciences genome company on patent and know-how licensing agreements, including licences out and collaboration agreements
Digital and Data Protection
- Advised an actuarial company on GDPR compliance including all necessary customer contract amendments, policies and data processing agreements
- Dealt with a national property search company on GDPR compliance including intra group contracts, data processing agreements, customer contracts and requisite policies
- Advised an eCommerce platform provider on drafting modifications to a website development agreement and IT services contract with a focus on GDPR compliance
Other
- Advised a new independent indie label on its recording contracts with artists
- Acted for a charity on a filming and access agreement with a production company
Please note: The experience list above may include examples of work completed prior to joining Keystone Law.
Recognition
Recognised in Chambers UK (2021-2024) for Intellectual Property
“Jessica has a very thoughtful approach to contracts. She is very good at explaining concepts, contextualised in a more commercial manner. She is very pragmatic and understands what matters.” Chambers UK 2024
“Jessica is very good, fast in responses and has a pragmatic approach to matters.” Chambers UK 2024
“She is a great sounding board and really understands the sector.” Chambers UK 2024
Recognised by The Legal 500 for South West, TMT: IT and Telecoms as a Leading Individual (2020-2024)
Recognised by The Legal 500 for Technology, Media and Telecoms: Intellectual Property (2020-2024)
“Jessica Bent is an excellent partner with lots of experience. She offers pragmatic advice to her clients and is commercially savvy.” The Legal 500 2024
“Jessica Bent is excellent. She has decades of experience in the sector and remains at the cutting edge. She is down to earth and approachable but has great heft as an adviser, instilling confidence in clients.” The Legal 500 2024
“Jessica Bent is very experienced in her field and offers a fantastic service to clients. She is pragmatic and commercial in her advice.” The Legal 500 2024
“Jessica Bent has been outstanding in all relevant and necessary areas.” The Legal 500 2024
“Jessica Bent is extremely knowledgeable, has many years of experience in the sector and is very reliable.” The Legal 500 2024
Recognised in Best Lawyers (UK) for Intellectual Property (2022-2024)
Recognised by WTR1000 2023 – Bronze – Individuals: prosecution and strategy
“Jessica Bent, a direct, practical and client-oriented lawyer with a focus on the technology sector and the creative industries.” WTR1000 2023
“Jessica Bent is pragmatic, commercial and had the law at her fingertips when we needed it.” Chambers UK 2023
“Jessica Bent is excellent. She is incredibly knowledgeable about trade mark matters.” The Legal 500 2023
“Jessica’s focus on legal advice around copyright and intellectual property within the publishing industry has been invaluable.” The Legal 500 2023
“Jessica has a high level of expertise in the area of know-how licensing which proved to be very protective of my rights in the licensing process.” The Legal 500 2023
“Jessica Bent provides a proactive approach, ensuring that timescales are met by driving meetings and calls.” The Legal 500 2023
“Jessica is very pragmatic, has good insights and exceptional focus on client’s business priorities.” The Legal 500 2023
“Jessica was reliable and efficient. Following an initial brief on what we wanted to achieve, she set out clearly what we needed to collate and gather to feed the insight and supporting documentation. Conversations were always honest but professional.” The Legal 500 2023
“Jessica Bent was our lead. Jessica steered & navigated us expertly through the process of gathering the right type of information needed which assisted us significantly. The finished submission was well crafted and depicted the journey of our brand story perfectly.” The Legal 500 2023
“She is very experienced in the sector, agile and responsive to client priorities.” The Legal 500 2023
“Jessica Bent is very knowledgeable about the sector, down-to-earth and pragmatic. Very focused on getting a good outcome for clients.” The Legal 500 2023
“Jessica Bent is a very good IP lawyer and very pragmatic with it.” Chambers UK 2022
“She brings a proactive approach to projects.” Chambers UK 2022
“Jessica Bent is thorough, pragmatic and innovative in her approach.” The Legal 500 2022
“The standout individual is Jessica Bent. Jessica is very diligent and has an in-depth knowledge of the field. She is very approachable. We have direct access to her with phone and email.” The Legal 500 2022
“Jessica Bent is very responsive and knows her subject inside out.” The Legal 500 2022
“Jessica is extremely professional, knowledgeable and pragmatic.” Chambers UK 2021
Jessica Bent advises well-known brands and emerging innovators on contentious and commercial IP matters. A source says: “I’ve found her very approachable and easy to talk to, and she gives practical advice.” Chambers UK 2020
Jessica Bent of Keystone Law advises well-known brands and emerging innovators on contentious and commercial IP matters. A client says: “Her advice is nuanced, practical and very much accessible to lay clients. The service that we receive from her is outstanding.” Chambers UK 2019
Leader in her Field – Band 2 for commercial and contentious IP matters. Chambers UK 2018
“I’m impressed with the time she has taken to understand our portfolio. She has a good understanding of the relative importance of each asset and advises a proportionate response.” Chambers UK 2018
“A very safe pair of hands.” Legal 500 2017
“highly recommended for her breadth of knowledge and experience” for Technology, Media and Telecoms Legal 500 2016
Career
Jessica qualified as a solicitor in 1998. Prior to joining Keystone Law in 2018, she worked at the following firms:
- Royds Withy King
- TLT
- Hammonds Suddards