Welcome to the weekly Wrap from How-Do - media news for the North West.

The Wrap's guest editor this week is Henna Riaz.

What’s a solicitor doing writing about the media? Well it’s hard not to see a gradual convergence of the sectors as MediaCity looms large with the aim of making Salford (alright, Manchester) a worldwide hub for content production - and for doing deals.

Professional services firms have taken an interest in MediaCity from day one, and I’m sure a few would like some office space there – that’s up to Peel Holdings in the main, but if you want a full service environment, lawyers should be part of the picture, just like doctors, nurses and Booths convenience stores.

I supposed that’s why I’ve been squeezed onto the bill for How-Do’s first mobile marketing conference on 29 January and why Hill Dickinson also sponsored the recent Media Festival. It’s the next step forward for us, on the back of our involvement at the Cannes Film Festival and the Edinburgh Fringe.

Creatives can be wary of legal types I suppose – especially if you offer them stuff for free at first - but in an earlier life working at Universal Records in Los Angeles, I’ve learned that the full stops and the crosses can be pretty important. We take on pro-bono work for artists and musicians in the hope of making them aware what a lawyer can do for them and getting a return if and when they become high earners.  We’ve got some big companies in the region involved in ambitious projects – Ten Alps managed to ride out the last 12 months fairly well and Alex Connock is typically bullish about the firm’s future prospects.

And the Northwest Vision Regional Attraction Fund should help persuade some fledgling companies to take it to the next level, so it all looks like the next MediaCity is in the right place. Media City will be a huge opportunity for the region. Some media companies take legal work to London — we want to make sure it stays in Manchester.
 
Henna Riaz is a media lawyer at Hill Dickinson

Elsewhere on How-Do this week: 

• How-Dozen: Staniforth's Rob Brown chats to Tony Murray
• Mediavest reveals profit surge as management costs pared back
• Love and Chief Productions turn Santa green
• SiraCom appoints Context PR
• Greater Manchester Police calls 999 (Design)
• Latitude looks to have lost £4m Skype account
• BBC's digital head speaks at UCLan
• Motionlab wins CSL to add to GOLA new business
• National sales director Carter takes redundancy from GMG Radio
• The Street returns for series three with Bob Hoskins
• The Gate's Phil Dawkins scoops best director at New York film festival
• Ramblers' Association appoints Blueleaf for digital campaign
• Origin creates Northwest Vision's annual report
• Amaze officially comes into (single) being and retains Lexus Europe
• Woot! wins sales contract for Drum and Base website
• Bauer books in Oasis, Sugarbabes and Snow Patrol for Big City Xmas
• Daily Post and Community Foundation launch Merseyside questionnaire
• Made in Manchester recruits RogerDaltrey for Dennis Wilson tale on Radio 2
• Newsquest looks to close £17m print facility in Bolton
• Ten Alps announces results, new plans and Dunleavy to join board
• 'Business as usual' for agencies after Chicago Town pizza is sold
• True North's Gustav Klimt work wins a Benchmark
• Code appointed by Matalan after four way pitch
• 3T Productions brand to merge into parent RM
• Holdsworth confirmed as BBC's controller English regions
• Northwest Vision opens up Regional Attraction Fund
• Peter Salmon appointed Director BBC North
• Salford Star picks up Plain English Award
• 11 Newsquest titles face the axe
• EMS moves to new office in Ellesmere Port to house its 46 staff
• Reading Room wins projects from Nottingham Univ, KPMG and Mouchel
• Oldham's five year outdoor advertising business up for tender
• GMG sees off Chester's Glyndwr for last UK analogue FM licence
• City AM postpones its Manchester launch plans
• Property Week's 'man in the north' Robin Wiltshire departs
• Brazen PR relaunches and restructures for the New Year
• Fido unveils three year £4m Community Foundation campaign
• SLG wins gong at Construction Marketing awards
• PrintCo relaunches as Radius Design & Marketing
• Studio Tours to open - but at the BBC not Quay Street
• Sumi Connock leaves BBC for ITV
• Lembit Opik joins Daily Sport as political columnist
• Trinity Merseyside digital appointments
• Northcliffe considering outsourcing its regional ad sales
• Retailer Booths goes on TV for first time courtesy of Uber

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