BUSINESS AND REAL ESTATE | Entertainment and Media

With the emergence of electronic media, protection of an artist’s assets has become increasingly important.  While intellectual property rights are still a primary focus of Entertainment Law, artists and companies in the entertainment industry also require help with:

Transactions & Litigation Involving Art, Entertainment, Media, & Intellectual Property

Music

• Domestic and International Record Distribution Agreements
• Recording Agreements
• Songwriting and Publishing Agreements
• Merchandising and Touring Agreements
• Commercial Appearances, Endorsements, and Sponsorships
• Intra-group agreements for recording artists and business structures
• Music supervision, music composer and soundtrack albums
• Music licensing agreements
• Agency and Management representation agreements
• Record Producer agreements
• Music and sampling clearances
• Composers and Music Library Acquisitions
• Publishing and foreign sub-publishing Administration
  • Synchronization Rights
  • Terrestrial and internet radio station ownership and management
  • LLC formations/operating Agreements

Film/TV/Reality & Non-Scripted Television

• Video & Film production, marketing and distribution
• Option Agreements
• Television Motion Pictures & Miniseries
• Writers agreements
• Scripted Programming
• Documentaries
• Event Programming & Specials
• Infomercials & Shopping Network Programming
• Talk & Magazine Shows
• Syndicated Television
• Public Television Funding, Distribution and Sponsorships
• DVD distribution directly to chains.
• Complex multi-distributor “split-rights” and “gap” financing
• Negative pick-up transactions
• Receivables-based and asset-based lines of credit and term-credit facilities
• Equity investments, foreign co-financing

New Media/Intellectual Property

• Copyright Registration, Protection, Licensing, and Exploitation
• Trademark Infringement/Lanham Act
• Fair use
• Mobile Phone Applications
• Video game developers.
• Celebrity television network deals, and multi-platform network deals.
• Production/exhibition agreements.
• Broadband and mobile technology deals
• Adoption, use, and protection of trademarks, service marks, trade names, Internet domain names, and trade dress  
• Internet, Wireless, Emerging Media, Including Social Networks and Blogs
• Online Publishing
• Avatars
• Ringtones, Ring-backs
• ISP’s, Safe Harbor Exceptions to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act
• Original Content for the Internet and Mobile Devices (Webisodes, Films, Games)
• Software Protection

Advertising, Promotion & Branded Entertainment

• Product Integration & Branding Companies
• Clearance of Advertising, Promotional Materials, Market Campaigns
• Sweepstakes, Contests, Games and Other Promotions
• Data Privacy
• Direct Mail, Telemarketing and Email Marketing
• Marketing and Sales Practices
• Deceptive & Unfair trade practice

Talent

• Evaluating, negotiating and drafting engagement agreements
• Protecting clients' privacy and intellectual property rights
• Contract disputes, and defamation
• Defamation, Libel, Slander
• Fine Arts Agreements

Theatre

• Live stage rights agreements on behalf of producers, playwrights, bookwriters, composers, lyricists and other rights holders, including studios and licensing organizations, and copyright and privacy and publicity rights issues.
• Service agreements for individuals, including directors, designers, and performers.

Sports

• Employment agreements
• Sponsorship opportunities
• Television rights, production, and distribution
• Event operations and risk management
• Stadium & Arena Matters

Entertainment Finance

• Contract disputes
• Investment Documents
• Private Placement Memorandums
• Digital distribution of music and film through Universal and Sony
• Negotiating & structuring independent, joint venture & distributor-financed record labels
• Merchandising, Product Placement and Promotional Agreements

Literary Publishing

• Representation of Authors
• Graphic Novels
• Novelization agreements based on motion pictures, television and other media properties.
• Acquire rights for the development, creation and marketing of photo books.
• Negotiate agreements for ghostwriting literary works on behalf of celebrities and others.
• Develop, secure and negotiate agreements in connection with book publishing.