Entertainment & Media

Entertainment, Media & Sports – Industry Insiders

Our attorneys are pioneers and leaders in the field of entertainment, media, and sports law. Our clients benefit from their industry-specific expertise, as well as their significant collective experience in a plethora of entertainment, media, and sports matters.

Entertainment Law

Our entertainment attorneys have expertise in areas including literature, fine art,  music, television, motion picture, broadcast and cable television, radio, advertisement, and digital technologies. Our entertainment law services include drafting and negotiating agreements for the creation, development, production, distribution, licensing and dissemination of all manner of entertainment content, products and services, such as

• Music recording and publishing agreements
• Producer agreements 
• Music licenses for film and television
• Artist intra-band agreements
• Scripted and non-scripted television and film production agreements
• On-screen and crew talent agreements for a myriad of media
• Management agreements
• Work-for-hire agreements
• Personal appearance agreements
• Book publishing agreements
• Name and likeness & endorsement agreements
• Content option agreements

Media Law

Due to the development of new technologies, media companies face new legal challenges. Our media law services include:

• First Amendment and newsgathering advice and defense
• Negotiating media rights
• Unfair competition matters
• Antitrust issues
• Privacy issues, including misrepresentation of photographic images
• Cease and desist notices
• Regulatory compliance
• Mergers and acquisitions of media properties and businesses
• Trademark and copyright registration, licensing, and enforcement

Sports Law

The firm’s IP attorneys are well-versed in the unique issues and challenges of the sports industry. We serve athletes, coaches, sports agents, sports marketing companies, franchises, esports businesses, and other industry players. Our sports law services include:

• Contract drafting and negotiation, including licensing, sponsorship, and merchandising agreements
• Brand protection strategies for professional, amateur, and collegiate athletes 
• Corporate formation and business transaction guidance for various sports ventures
• Advising Esports companies and players

Our Entertainment, Media & Sports Attorneys in Action

Our clients are as diverse as our experience. We have represented artists, songwriters, composers, bands, producers, engineers, managers, on-screen talent, models, fiction and non-fiction writers, studios, media production companies, music, recording and publishing companies, television production companies, new media and internet companies in various emerging markets, and non-profit organizations, amongst others. Below is a list of representative clients:

Our attorneys are pioneers and leaders in the field of entertainment law, who have handled virtually every type of transaction that an entertainment or media business may require, including music recording and publishing agreements, producer agreements, music licenses for film and television, artist intra-band agreements, scripted and non-scripted television and film production agreements, on-screen and crew talent agreements for a myriad of media, management agreements, work-for-hire agreements, personal appearance agreements, book publishing agreements, name and likeness, and endorsement agreements.

Our firm understands that a career in the entertainment industry comes with peaks and valleys, and we are committed to counseling entertainment clients by fostering long-term goals. We also work to create enduring business relationships by and among the members of a group of creative individuals and entities.

Co-chair Ronald S. Bienstock has represented artists, songwriters, composers, bands, producers, engineers, managers, on-screen talent, models, fiction and non-fiction writers, studios, media production companies, music, recording and publishing companies, television production companies, new media and internet companies in various emerging markets, and non-profit organizations, amongst others, in all of their entertainment-related business matters. As part of our entertainment law and transactional practice, we obtain innovative and creative results for our clients.

Our team has provided legal counseling, negotiations, strategy, media supervision and crisis management on a variety of national and international matters. We have also negotiated and assisted in the production of various reality television and film projects. Our attorneys can navigate the multi-faceted nature of the entertainment industry in different circumstances and help clients in their endeavors.

Due to the development of new technologies, media and entertainment companies are up against new legal issues. The attorneys in our group have substantive experience in areas relating to Entertainment, Media, and Sports law, including First Amendment defense, all manners of communications, entertainment content issues, newsgathering concerns, licensing, intellectual property rights, antitrust, new and existing technologies, distribution, financing, acquisitions and divestitures of interests in sports and media properties and businesses, employment, bankruptcy, real estate and constitutional law.