Specialist video game lawyer joins law firm as partner

HCR Law has welcomed intellectual property and interactive entertainment lawyer Daniel Goodall to its Technology and Innovation team at its Leamington Spa office.

Daniel moved to HCR Law after working in-house as general counsel for a UK-based mobile, PC and console games publisher.

Before this, he spent more than 12 years at a national firm, advising on all areas of contentious and non-contentious intellectual property law.

Daniel’s appointment signals further growth for HCR Law’s Technology and Innovation team, led by Inger Anson, which brings together specialist lawyers advising on AI, cyber security and intellectual property protection.

His experience in the interactive entertainment sector bolsters the team’s expertise.

With a deep understanding of the pressures facing video games companies as the industry evolves, Daniel helps them navigate increasingly challenging commercial and regulatory environments.

Daniel said: “The games industry is a fast-moving area of the creative economy and I’m looking forward to helping clients achieve their business objectives and get great games into the hands of players.

“Whether navigating the legal complexities of development contracts, intellectual property or the steadily increasing amount of regulation in this area, my focus is on providing practical, commercially minded advice to studios, publishers and other industry stakeholders in a rapidly changing commercial and legal landscape.”

Inger Anson, head of technology and innovation, said: “Daniel’s experience in the gaming industry is a real asset to our team as we continue to support clients in the ever-changing technology space.

“As the pace of digital innovation accelerates and demand for legal guidance grows, we are building a team of specialists who can advise clients on new and emerging legal issues.”

Daniel is based at HCR’s Leamington Spa office, which is appropriate given the town’s strong reputation in the gaming industry.

Known as ‘Silicon Spa’, it’s home to one of the UK’s largest clusters of video game development studios.

He is the second partner to join the Leamington office since Wright Hassall joined HCR Law in November 2025, following the appointment of Corporate Partner Adam Percival in February 2026.

Joint head of the Leamington Spa office, Sam Payne, said: “Daniel’s arrival strengthens our growing Leamington team and the specialist support we offer clients in this sector.

“As our office continues to expand, his expertise will help us deliver greater value to the region’s thriving games industry.”

Pictured: Sam Payne with Dan Goodall