Nick Swimer - Partner, Commercial

Nick is a partner working across the firm’s Commercial and Film & TV Groups. Nick works with all parties in the content value chain including broadcasters, publishers, producers, distributors, operational and tech intermediaries and brands. He has acted as counsel to various industry bodies, helped draft the US advertising trade body’s media sales template agreement and has contributed to various industry advertising reports.

Nick trained at Nabarro (now CMS) and after 5 years joined Channel 4 as Head of Legal for Advertising and Board Counsel, and was the principal adviser, sitting with the executive board, on all regulatory and governance matters.

In 2011, Nick joined Reed Smith as a partner in the Entertainment & Media practice, where he headed up the TV & Film group supporting broadcasters and producers in relation to content production, distribution and M&A and advised media owners, ad-tech intermediaries and brands on advertising sales and marketing issues. On behalf of some of the world’s leading brands, Nick has negotiated their worldwide media sales agreements ensuring that brands have full transparency in respect of spend, benefits and campaign placement. He also advises media owners in relation to commercial, content distribution, operational and regulatory matters.

In 2015, Nick brokered the deal between Channel 4 and Sacha Baron Cohen to set up Sacha’s UK production vehicle, Spelthorne Community Television (named after Ali G’s hometown). He subsequently joined Spelthorne as its commercial director whilst maintaining his legal practice. Nick managed Spelthorne’s legal and business affairs scripted and non-scripted slate, oversaw finance and distribution and associate produced several programmes. Nick rejoined the Reed Smith partnership full time in 2021.

Nick joined Lee & Thompson in 2024 and is praised in the legal directories as providing invaluable client support, understanding the media industry intimately and providing client-focused, pragmatic advice. Legal 500 recommends Nick as a lawyer who “really gets the world of media sales and ad tech.  He is hugely respected and recognised as a thought leader and industry expert in the advertising sector by brands, media agencies and ad tech vendors and having him on side has meant that the bar is immediately raised in any negotiation or industry initiative.”

Email Nick
+44 (0) 20 3073 7592