Social Media Lawyers UK | Influencer & Brand Legal Advice

Brand deals, sponsored posts and creator content all run on contracts, and most problems start when those contracts are missing or vague. Our social media lawyers advise creators, brands and agencies across the UK on the agreements, rules and rights behind their content, as part of our wider media and entertainment legal advice.

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asset purchase agreeement drafted by solicitors at MAR Legal in Manchester

What Goes into a Brand Deal

A brand deal is more than a fee and a posting date. The influencer agreement needs to cover what content is delivered and when, who approves it, how long the brand can keep using it, whether the creator can work with competitors, and who is responsible for labelling it as advertising. It also needs a clear answer on what happens if the brief changes, the KPIs are missed, or payment is late. Our solicitors work with creators, brands and agencies in Manchester and across the UK, drafting and reviewing these terms before anything goes live. As social media lawyers, we also advise when a deal has already gone wrong.

How Our Social Media Solicitors Help Creators, Brands and Agencies

From the first brand deal to a dispute over unpaid fees, our solicitors advise both sides of the influencer relationship.

Influencer and Brand Agreements

Drafting and reviewing influencer, ambassador, affiliate and sponsored post agreements for brands and agencies, covering deliverables, approvals, exclusivity, usage periods and payment terms, so every campaign runs on terms that match how it will work.

Creator and Agency Contracts

We advise on whether an exclusive, sole or non-exclusive arrangement suits your business, and the competition law considerations that come with exclusivity.

Advertising Compliance

Advice on labelling sponsored content under the CAP Code and consumer protection law, including when #ad is needed, how gifted products are treated and who carries responsibility when a post falls short of ASA or CMA expectations.

Content Ownership and Image Rights

Clarifying who owns photos, videos and other content created for a campaign, licensing content for reuse in websites and paid ads, and protecting a creator’s name, image rights and personal brand through contracts and trademarks.

Unpaid Fees and Contract Disputes

Pre-litigation support when a brand has not paid, a brief changed after work was delivered or a KPI disagreement has stalled payment, setting out your position in writing and negotiating a resolution before court becomes necessary.

Defamation and Harassment Letters

Pre-action support for creators and businesses targeted by false or abusive posts, including letters of claim and takedown requests to platforms. Where court proceedings are needed, we work alongside appropriately regulated litigation professionals.

Contact Us for Social Media Legal Support

A defamatory post, a fake account or a wave of online abuse can damage a reputation within hours, and the longer it stays up, the further it spreads. We work directly with you to deal with the legal side quickly, so you can stay focused on running your business.

Get in touch today for a consultation and let us help you protect your reputation.

What This Means for You

Contracts that reflect how your campaigns run
Clear ownership of the content you create or pay for
Sponsored posts that meet ASA and CMA expectations
Faster, cheaper resolution when a deal goes wrong
Straight answers before you sign, not after

When to Seek Advice on a Large Unpaid Debt

Before signing a brand deal, agency contract or management agreement
When a brand wants to reuse your content in paid ads
If a campaign fee is overdue or the brief has changed
When false or abusive posts are affecting you or your business
Before introducing a social media policy for your employees

Meet the Founder

Marium brings 22 years of experience advising businesses and individuals on commercial contracts, disputes and regulatory matters across the UK and internationally. A Solicitor regulated by the SRA (SRA ID: 277854) and MCiarb,she founded MAR Legal to give creators and businesses direct access to senior legal advice without the overhead of a traditional firm. You can find her active professional credentials on the official Law Society Find a Solicitor Index.

Marium Razzaq
Solicitor & Director Mar Legal
MCIArb

Why Creators and Brands Choose MAR Legal for Social Media Legal Advice

Solicitor Led

Your matter is handled by our solicitors from first message to final document.

Fast Turnaround

Speak to our solicitors with no obligation to proceed. We respond within one business day.

Transparent Pricing

Clear, agreed fees for contract reviews, drafting and pre-action letters, set out upfront.

Manchester Based, UK-Wide

Based in Manchester, advising creators, brands and agencies across the UK.

Trusted by businesses and individuals across the UK for clear advice on contracts, content and online disputes.

Book a consultation

How Our Social Media Legal Process Works

Tell Us What Happened

Share the deal, contract or posts, and we confirm whether we can help.

Review

We review the documents and content and set out your position clearly.

Draft or Respond

We draft the agreement, amend the terms or send a letter on your behalf.

Resolve

We finalise the terms or negotiate a resolution, keeping you updated throughout.

What Our Clients Say

    
 
 
         
   KOTA 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. They handled it wonderfully.
  
 
        
   George Alexopoulos 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Umar Razzaq at MAR Legal is sharp, honest and responsive, and excellent on the detail. Great outcome. Highly recommended.
  
 
        
   Olamide Aribigbela 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Really happy with the service from MAR Legal. They were very professional, helpful and efficient throughout the whole process. They handled all my documents quickly and carefully, and made everything simple and stress-free.

Would definitely recommend MAR Legal to anyone looking for a reliable and professional solicitor!
  
 
        
   Mrs Whitbread 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Great service. Very responsive and great at explaining everything I needed. Thanks
  
 
        
   Rachel Marsden 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Very professional and clear advice. Easy to understand and handled with appropriate sensitivity and confidentiality.
  
 
        
   Gillian Fletcher 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Excellent Service, quick and efficient and clear communications throughout. Thank you.
  
 
        
   Faye McCarthy 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. I used MAR Legal for a commercial lease on a property in Stockport. Had my initial consultation at their Spinningfields office, where I dealt directly with Marium, one of the directors. She walked me through the lease terms and the timeline upfront, so I knew what to expect at each stage. Would use them again for commercial property work in the Manchester area.
  
 
        
   Chris Johnson 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. MAR legal helped with ILA which my mortgage lender required. They acted very quickly and at a good price. Great service.
  
 
        
   Arsa Syed 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. Very professional and helpful. I would definitely recommend using them and will be back if I need any legal work done!!
  
 
        
   Amir Abbou 
 
 
 
 Trustindex verifies that the original source of the review is Google. They provided professional, sharp, and responsive counsel.  their contractual analysis was strong, and their advice was genuinely practical and commercially minded.
  
 
  
  
 
 
      Verified by Trustindex  Trustindex verified that these reviews were published on MAR Legal Limited's Google Business Profile. Learn more

Social Media FAQs

It can be. A contract does not need to be signed on paper: if there is a clear offer, acceptance, payment or some other benefit, and an intention to be legally bound, messages on Instagram, TikTok or email can create one. The difficulty is proving what was agreed. DMs rarely cover usage rights, exclusivity or what happens if a post underperforms, so disputes usually turn on the gaps. Save the whole thread and confirm the key terms in writing as soon as you can.

Usually the creator, unless the contract says otherwise. Under UK copyright law, the person who creates a photo or video is the first owner, and ownership only transfers through a written assignment signed by the creator. Most brand deals grant a licence instead, letting the brand use the content for a set period on set channels. If a brand wants to use your content in paid ads or beyond the agreed period, that is normally a separate negotiation and a separate fee.

Often both are. The ASA treats a post as an advert where the brand has paid for it and had some control over the content, and it can rule against the brand as well as the creator. Consumer protection law, enforced by the CMA, also requires paid or incentivised content to be disclosed. Brands should build disclosure requirements, approval steps and a right to request edits into their influencer agreements rather than relying on the creator to get it right.

Whenever you have been paid, gifted or otherwise rewarded to feature a product and the brand has influenced the content, label the post clearly and upfront. ASA guidance favours “Ad” or “#ad” over vaguer tags such as “sp” or “collab”. Gifted items where the brand had no say over the content still need to be disclosed as gifts. Affiliate links count too. The label should be visible without clicking “more” and should appear on every story frame.

It is one of the most common questions influencer lawyers are asked, and the answer depends on the wording. If KPIs such as views or engagement are targets, missing them usually affects future work rather than fees already earned. If payment is expressly conditional on hitting them, the brand may be entitled to withhold part of the fee. Many disputes arise because KPIs were never defined properly or depend on things outside the creator’s control, such as platform algorithm changes.

Start by saving evidence: screenshots, links, dates and account names. Many posts can be removed through the platform’s own reporting process, particularly where they break its rules on harassment or impersonation. Where a post is false and has caused, or is likely to cause, serious harm to your reputation, a letter of claim under the Pre-Action Protocol for Media and Communications Claims can often resolve matters without court. Defamation claims generally must be brought within one year of publication, so act promptly.

Social media lawyers can sometimes help, but the options are limited. Platforms control accounts under their own terms of service, and there is no general legal right to have an account restored. Where an account has been hacked or disabled in error, a formal complaint referring to the platform’s terms can help, and a subject access request under UK GDPR lets you obtain the personal data held about you. If the account is central to your business, check

Social Media Lawyers

What Goes into a Brand Deal