Entertainment and Media
With a strong track record serving film, television and music industry clients in California and New York, and around the world, our Entertainment and Media lawyers have extensive experience litigating matters in Federal and State courts and arbitrations and proceedings before the entertainment guilds, the California Labor Commissioner, and the American Film Marketing Association.
Our Clients
Our clients include:
Actors
Directors
Producers
Writers
Musicians
Entertainment Executives
Independent motion picture and television production and distribution companies
Talent agencies
Personal managers
Commercial and music video production companies
Post production and special effects companies
Advertising agencies and marketing companies
Other owners of copyrights, trademarks, publicity rights and other intellectual property
Types Of Services
Actors, Writers, Directors, Producers, Musicians
Our attorneys have an extensive background representing many high-profile actors, writers, directors, producers and musicians in claims regarding breach of contract, profit participation claims, violation of the rights of privacy and publicity defamation, breach of implied contracts, copyright and trademark infringement, disputes with entertainment guilds, including the Screen Actors Guild, the Directors Guild, and the Writers Guild West. In addition, we have provided representation in disputes regarding talent agencies and personal managers.
Talent Agents, Personal Managers and Individual Managers
We have represented talent agencies in disputes with members of the Screen Actors Guild, AFTRA, the Directors Guild, the Writers Guild West, and Actor's Equity. In representing personal managers in commission disputes, we have been involved in proceedings before the American Arbitration Association and before the California Labor Commissioner.
Motion Picture and Television Production
We have represented independent motion picture and television production and distribution company clients involved in disputes including employment disputes, contract disputes regarding producing, licensing, and distributing motion pictures and television programming, and profit participations and other accounting disputes. We also have provided representation in the area of intellectual property of which our firm has extensive experience including trademark, copyright, idea submission, Lanham Act, and credit claims.
We have also represented producers and independent film distributors in arbitrations before the Independent Film & Television Alliance, including arbitrations relating to film delivery issues.
Music Video Production
Our attorneys provide representation to commercial and music video production companies and individual commercial and music video directors and producers in matters including unfair competition claims, solicitation of directors and producers by competing companies, and disputes with major record labels regarding payment. We have represented several post-production and special effects companies in employment disputes, solicitation of key personnel by competing companies, contractual disputes, and unfair competition and intellectual property claims.
Advertising Agencies
We represent advertising agencies and marketing companies in matters involving rights of publicity, trademark, trade dress and copyright infringement, advertising compliance, unfair competition and licensing disputes for the products marketed by these companies and in the infomercials they produce.
Selected Experience*
Estate of John Ritter v. St. Joseph's Medical Center: Represented John Ritter's family in wrongful death trial (2008). (Prior to joining Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.)
Marathon Entertainment v. Rosa Blasi on behalf of Blasi, in Talent Agency Act dispute argued before the California Supreme Court (2007). (Prior to joining Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.)
Wood Newton v. Harry Thomason, 22 F.3d 1455 (9th Cir. 1994). Obtained summary judgment on behalf of Thomason in right of publicity claim regarding television series "Evening Shade." (Prior to joining Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.)
Playboy Enterprises, Inc v. Terry Welles, 7F.Supp2d 1098 (S.D. Cal 1998). Represented Welles in defeating a preliminary injunction application in one of the first trademark infringement actions relating to the internet. (Prior to joining Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.)
CBS, Inc. v. Donald Thomas Scholz et. al: Obtained judgment on behalf of Donald Thomas Scholz of the group "Boston" following a six week trial in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. (Prior to joining Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.)
Charles P. Caudle v. Harry Thomason, 992 F.Supp.11 (D.D.C. 1997). Obtained summary judgment on behalf of Thomason in a case arising from the White House Travel Office matter. (Prior to joining Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.)
Sean Hayes v. Vanguard Management. Labor Commission proceeding; on behalf of Hayes prevailed in a talent agency dispute, later obtaining summary judgment. (Prior to joining Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.)
Sugar Ray Leonard. Represented Mr. Leonard in Labor Commission proceeding; prevailed in talent agency dispute. (Prior to joining Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.)
Kevin Sorbo. Represented Mr. Sorbo in profit participation lawsuit regarding "Hercules." (Prior to joining Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.)
Lucy Lawless. Represented Ms. Lawless in profit participation lawsuit regarding "Xena." (Prior to joining Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.)
Aisha Tyler. Represented Ms. Tyler in Labor Commission proceeding; prevailed in talent agency dispute. (Prior to joining Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.)
Meg Ryan. Represented Ms. Ryan in obtaining restraining order prohibiting harassment. (Prior to joining Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.)
Clint Eastwood. Represented Mr. Eastwood in defamation action regarding unauthorized biography. (Prior to joining Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.)
Peter Brennan. Represented Mr. Brennan, the executive producer of "The Judge Judy Show," in profit participation lawsuit. (Prior to joining Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.)
Trista Rehn. Labor Commission proceedings; prevailed in talent agency dispute. (Prior to joining Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.)
Earl S. Burroughs aka Jack Hammer v. Pepsico, Inc., BBDO Worldwide, Omnicom Group, Inc. Obtained summary judgment on behalf of Pepsico, Inc., BBDO Worldwide, Inc. and Omnicom Group, Inc. in copyright infringement action. (Prior to joining Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.)
Brett R. Spackman v. Agency.com Ltd., Miller Brewing Company, Skyworks Technologies, Inc., Starcom Media Vest Group and Young and Rubicam, Inc. Obtained summary judgment on behalf of Agency.com Ltd. in copyright infringement action. (Prior to joining Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.)
Trial against the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences involving the sale of Oscar statuettes. (Prior to joining Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.)
Trial for motocross athlete; defended against former manager's breach of contract claim. (Prior to joining Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.)
Federal copyright infringement action for the Santa Barbara New-Press against a Santa Barbara newspaper that published the News-Press' draft article without authorization; prevailed on summary judgment motion, defeating newspaper's First Amendment fair use defense. (Prior to joining Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.)
Ninth Circuit appeal for international spirits company concerning sale of majority shares in the company. (Prior to joining Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.)
Defamation action for pop icon against tabloid magazine; prevailed on motion to conduct discovery despite tabloid's anti-SLAPP motion. (Prior to joining Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.)
Confidential arbitration for sports legend regarding failed endorsement deal. (Prior to joining Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.)
Copyright infringement action for international celebrity to prevent exploitation of sex-tape. (Prior to joining Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.)
Vertical integration action for creator and producer of television game show against major studio. (Prior to joining Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.)
Copyright infringement action on behalf of independent record label against Universal Music Group. (Prior to joining Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.)
Personal injury action for runway model against advertising agency and commercial production company. (Prior to joining Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.)
Profit participation action for major simulator film creator against film production and distribution company. (Prior to joining Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.)
Declaratory relief action on behalf of screenwriter regarding an option agreement to purchase the rights to a motion picture screenplay. (Prior to joining Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.)
Confidential arbitration for television personality against a major talent agency over payment of commissions. (Prior to joining Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.)
Represented production company in a dispute with former employee over credit on a major motion picture. (Prior to joining Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.)
Copyright infringement, trade secret, misappropriation, and unfair competition action against a major bank on behalf of developer of software IP. (Prior to joining Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.)
Represented transactional entertainment attorneys in malpractice action brought by former client. (Prior to joining Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.)
Idea submission actions for television show creators against major networks. (Prior to joining Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.)
Represented actors and actresses in Talent Agency Act disputes with former managers. (Prior to joining Robins, Kaplan, Miller & Ciresi L.L.P.)
Litigation Practices > Entertainment and Media