We believe the days of formal, elitist and dusty law firms are over.
Deviant Legal is the premier law firm for the video games industry. We make quality legal accessible to anyone, whether you are a beginning developer, an established studio, esports team or content creator.
The name of our firm is no coincidence, because we purposefully deviate from the outdated formal standards set by the legal profession. Not only because we want to be different, but because we want to provide true value while we connect with and participate in the games industry.
Deviant Legal is ranked in the LEGAL 500 as a firm to watch: “Deviant Legal is a key port of call for clients across the video game, e-sports, and content creation sectors.”
Otto the Otter isn’t just our mascot because we like to be different: he represents the story, purpose, and values behind Deviant Legal.
René Otto supported indie studio HomeBearStudio through a sensitive legal matter, which was resolved swiftly and effectively. As a result, HomeBearStudio decided to show their appreciation in a creative way: by including a non-playable character (NPC) inspired by René in their game NAIRI: Rising Tide. That character is Otto: an otterly adorable tribute to trustworthy, pragmatic and friendly legal support in the games industry.
When Deviant Legal was founded, Otto naturally became our firm’s mascot. Not as a symbol of René himself, but of what we stand for as a boutique law firm specializing in games. Otters are intelligent, approachable, and resourceful. Just like the legal service we strive to provide.
What we offer
We aim for nothing less than a high-score in quality. To achieve this, we have to be bold. We dare to take the unbeaten path and explore creative strategies that others might overlook. With this combination, we deliver practical and impactful solutions that help our clients overcome their toughest challenges.
We are our unapologetic and authentic selves, while remaining down-to-earth. We deviate from outdated legal traditions, because the days of the formal and elitist lawyers are over. Not only because we work best that way, but also because this allows us to forge true connections and be a reliable and personable partner.
We are an industry ally who democratizes access to legal services for the games industry. Legal services should be obtainable and understandable, regardless of your size, budget or background. We believe when we help the games community grow, everyone wins.
Law is our craft. People are our strength.
Award-winning game lawyer. Gamer at heart who swapped WoW raids for single-player adventures. Known among peers as a “Pokémon Master,” he’s an advocate for inclusivity in games and the legal profession.
Legal counsel at Deviant Legal by day; AD carry in League of Legends, Palalock in D&D, anime enthusiast and cosplayer by night. Friendly, open, and approachable, but also fiercely determined, which you can see in her will to push her achievements up.
Full-time business & relations manager, part-time professional cosplayer, but above all, a full-time geek. Her passions and hyper fixations have given her a wide-ranging skill set and deep knowledge of the games industry, both commercially and personally.
Deviant Legal has established an advisory board of leading experts from various areas of the games industry, including development, publishing and content creation. Their insights ensure that our legal services stay aligned with the real-world needs of a rapidly evolving sector. This gives our firm an unique strategic advantage over traditional law firms, because we understand the challenges of the games industry like no other.
We believe in the right to play and to be unapologetically yourself. For some children living with serious illnesses or disabilities, that freedom to play and be themselves is not always possible. That’s why we proudly support Make-A-Wish, helping to create moments of wonder and possibility through video games.
Our founder René Otto is also closely involved as a member of the video games advisory committee of Make-A-Wish International.
We believe that you should be able to discuss your matter before starting a collaboration. This also allows us to tell you what we can do for you and what the associated costs are.
