Entertainment – Film Television

 

We have always been a pioneer in providing legal services to the entertainment community. Today the entertainment practice spans a broad range of client interests drawing on the firm's extensive experience in entertainment and intellectual property law as well as litigation, tax and corporate matters.

One of the entertainment law group's strongest areas of experience is in the film and television industry. We represent motion picture and television production companies and distributors as well as actors, screenwriters, directors, producers, talent agents and managers. We provide these clients with legal counsel, commercial and litigation services and handle a variety of general business matters on their behalf. For individual actors and writers, we also serve as personal counselors.

RANGE OF SERVICES

We represent clients in structuring, negotiating and implementing such transactions as:

• Motion picture and television program financing, production and distribution;
   

• Overseas co-productions and joint ventures;
   

• Rights acquisitions;
   

• Talent representation agreements;
   

• Licensing and merchandising;
   

• Purchase and sale of copyright libraries; and
   

• Mergers and acquisitions for motion picture, production and distribution companies.

We frequently counsel clients with regard to international and domestic copyright and trademark matters including registration, copyright duration, ownership and licensing.

Working with our litigation attorneys we also litigate licensing and contract disputes, trademark oppositions, guild arbitrations, infringement and unfair competition claims, and other matters.

INTERACTION WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS

Representing entertainment clients involves many disciplines. Consequently, our entertainment attorneys work closely with our other practice groups for an interdisciplinary approach in areas such as litigation, corporate and tax law.

Litigation

We provide the strategic framework for handling a successful litigation, while working with the firm's entertainment attorneys who provide the business background. As one of the country's premier litigation firms, we offer our clients a depth of experience and breadth of practice, which enables us to staff each case at an appropriate and cost-effective level with lawyers of suitable seniority.

Corporate

The firm's corporate and entertainment lawyers work together when structuring sophisticated business transactions and handling general corporate work. In addition, they concentrate on merger and acquisition work and negotiating international licensing agreements in the entertainment field.

Tax

We apply our skills to minimize the tax consequences of every business transaction, drawing on their knowledge of and experience with U.S. and international tax laws. The practice also strives to create tax planning strategies that respond directly to specific client needs and problems.