ENTERTAINMENT LAW

With over 20 years of major entertainment company legal experience, the firm represents a broad array of clients in diverse legal transactions for film, television, music (traditional, on-line, live), interactive, and on-line properties, in a variety of services, such as:

– Drafting and negotiating diverse rights acquisition deals (literary options, production services, location, minor talent, employment, and talent holding deals)
– Content analysis of projects for potential liability (publicity rights, fair use, public domain issues)
– Negotiating and drafting singer-songwriter, music and video producer, director, and major and independent record label and music publishing agreements
– Advising on tie-in, product placement, contests, and merchandise deals
– Negotiating personal and business manager, agent, and promoter agreements

Representative matters:

■  Production Counsel: Drafted talent crew, location, clearance, ancillary rights, international distribution and other deals for independent filmmaker’s biopic of major celebrity

■ Rights Acquisition:  Set strategy, led negotiations, cleared properties, and drafted deals for show producer to create live show and film shorts for major Las Vegas hotel, featuring images, trade dress and clips from over 50 movies and comic books

■ Satires & Parodies:  Prepared copyright “fair use” and trademark infringement analyses for major studio’s feature film and related advertising satirizing motion pictures and celebrities.

■ Content Acquisition & Risk Assessment:  Prepared licensing cost feasibility and risk  assessments for infringement liability; negotiated film licenses from 6 major studios for service providing films to children.