A new lifeline for creatives in need of legal and financial advice
The Hugh Devlin Foundation will continue the good work of its namesake lawyer, who passed away in 2023.
Back in 2016, for 1 Granary’s third issue, we published a guide to understanding the legal terminology and frameworks every designer should, but rarely do, understand. What is a patent vs. a trademark? Where should one register a company? We called it “fashion law 101” and all the advice came from lawyer Hugh Devlin. Straight off the bat, Devlin told us, “There is no such thing as fashion law.” Instead, “there are different elements of the law in any jurisdiction, which are then relevant to a fashion business.” It was this kind of straight-talking that emboldened so many designers, creatives, and platforms, including ours, to better handle and tackle the contracts, deals and negotiations involved in running a business. When he died, in 2023, Devlin left behind an incredible legacy, but also a vacancy for this kind of vital business support.
This week, the Hugh Devlin Foundation launches, an initiative to close that gap, from a group of leading figures across fashion, beauty, art and design who worked closely with him. These include Anya Hindmarch, Christopher and Tammy Kane, Charlotte Tilbury, Jake Chapman, Sarah Mower, Sam McKnight and 1 Granary’s founder and editor-in-chief Olya Kuryschuck. For 1 Granary, Devlin didn’t just appear in our magazine, he provided crucial support and advice for a growing independent start-up platform in an industry dominated by giants. We still evoke much of his best advice, both as a business and for our ongoing Substacks aimed at supporting emerging designers and freelance creatives.
“When I first met Hugh, I had just left university and was trying to build something that barely had a shape yet,” Kuryshchuk says. “I had no idea how to make money, very little experience, and more naivety than confidence. Over the years he helped me and the designers we worked with through countless complicated situations, often stepping in when things looked impossible.”
“That’s why, if you open any issue of 1 Granary – not just the one he was interviewed for – you will see his name appear on the opening pages. Quite simply, he made my work possible. And more than the work, he showed me how to think about myself – with confidence, without hesitation. That gift is harder to measure than any legal win, and it has mattered more.”
How does it work?
The foundation will match UK-based applicants with lawyers and accountants. Its professional network includes volunteers from firms (that you may not have heard of) including Withers, Mishcon de Reya, Sheridans, Wedlake Bell, WTBM and Hilton Consulting.
At a time when many independent designers and artists face mounting pressures and broken contracts with retailers, rampant plagiarism, AI-related job losses, and so on – particularly those at the beginning of their careers or running small creative businesses – this kind of professional expertise is in short supply. By providing access to specialist advice, the foundation hopes to help creatives make informed decisions before problems become existential, disrupting the status quo that’s existed in these industries for so long.
What support is available?
The kinds of legal advice the foundation is offering relates to things like company structuring, commercial contracts and negotiations (including collaboration agreements), intellectual property (including trademark protection and copyright), and employment and service agreements. For financial advice, experts can help with preparing financial statements, bookkeeping and compliance, cash flow analysis and assessing investment potential. Successful applicants will be paired with a legal or financial adviser for a defined period of pro bono assistance.
Who can apply?
Applications are open to UK-based individuals and businesses seeking support at critical moments. The aim of the foundation is to support those with limited resources “who would not otherwise be able to access professional help at the level which the foundation seeks to offer.” The foundation aims to support applicants with a specific problem or specific set of circumstances (rather than a broad sense of confusion with the entire system) which must be described in the online application.
Litigation work is generally not covered, although in specific circumstances individual professionals may be able to offer support. Advisers are offering pro bono advice, not representation, to help the applicant navigate a particular commercial/professional or contractual situation. Any further work is to be agreed.
“It’s difficult to get somebody who has any real idea of the business for less than £300 an hour,” Devlin told us in his 2016 interview when we asked how much it would cost to hire a good fashion lawyer. Taking inflation into account, that’s probably a fair bit more now. So apply here!