Entertainment
"America is the first culture in jeopardy of amusing itself to death."
– John Piper
Our firm has an international, multidisciplinary entertainment practice. Our entertainment team focuses on the music, motion picture, television, Internet, digital media and publishing industries. We have access to key players in the entertainment industry and provide clients with business-oriented legal advice to thrive in today’s multi-disciplined, multimedia entertainment marketplace.
Areas of Concentration
Music
The firm helps to shape and maintain the careers of recording artists, producers, record and publishing companies and executives, managers, production companies, publishers and songwriters in the music sector. Our team drafts and negotiates record, publishing, producer, management, distribution, touring, merchandising, corporate sponsorship, licensing and Internet agreements. We consult with artists as well as record and publishing companies regarding their financing, entertainment and Internet strategies and the protection of their intellectual property rights. Our dedication to music is reflected by the fact that Rich Walton is a full voting member of the Recording Academy.
Motion Pictures and Television
We provide legal advice to actors, writers, directors, producers, managers, agents, production, financing and distribution companies, networks and studios in the film, television, cable and interactive media sectors. From drafting and negotiating performer, writer and producer agreements as well as television and film financing and distribution agreements to complex financing and revenue-sharing cross-discipline license agreements, our entertainment lawyers cover virtually every aspect of the business. We are especially proud of our commitment to the representation of many independent filmmakers, producers and directors — assisting these companies and individuals as they transition from smaller entities to major players.
Branded Entertainment
Our branded media practice focuses on the growing use of advertising and sponsor-funded productions to integrate brands into productions. This part of our practice brings together brand managers and marketing and promotions executives with talent and creative decision makers at the studio level to collaborate in creating television and film properties, as well as endorsement and sponsorship opportunities.
Publishing
Our lawyers have many years of experience representing clients in both traditional print and online/new media publishing. One of our attorneys is a best selling author and another was the CFO of a small publishing company prior to going to law school. Drawing on our firm’s wide-ranging capabilities and resources, we can put together the right team of lawyers to help our publishing clients with virtually any legal need that may arise, from corporate transactions and contractual matters to dispute resolution to ongoing advice on day-to-day operations.
