Entertainment, Media and Technology

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The Entertainment, Media and Technology Industry Team at Sheppard Mullin is a full-service multi-disciplinary group representing the major motion picture studios, television networks and other domestic and international entertainment, media and communications companies in all areas, including:

• motion picture and television development
• finance, production and distribution
• advertising/sweepstakes
• branded entertainment
• games
• intellectual property
• licensing and merchandising
• mergers, corporate finance, acquisitions and other strategic corporate transactions
• music
• First Amendment
• convergence, online/technology
• publishing
• sports

Our transactional attorneys have represented clients in some of the industry's largest and most complex distribution, licensing and financing transactions, as well as mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures and other strategic corporate activities.

Our litigators have extensive trial and appellate experience, and have litigated a wide variety of issues, including those involving distribution rights, profit or revenue participations, audit claims, talent disputes, copyright, idea submission and trademark claims, First Amendment, defamation and right of publicity claims, labor and employment claims, insurance disputes and antitrust, unfair competition and vertical integration claims.

We also have an FCC team to serve our entertainment clients' regulatory needs.

Recognition

• Sheppard Mullin Ranked Among "Best Law Firms" By U.S. News & World Report/Best Lawyers
• Sheppard Mullin Ranked by PLC's "Which Lawyer?" In 2011
• Chambers & Partners Ranks Sheppard Mullin In 2011
• Forty-Four Sheppard Mullin Attorneys Recognized as 'Southern California Super Lawyers 2011'
• Chambers & Partners Ranks Sheppard Mullin In 2010
• Benchmark Litigation 2011 Recognizes Sheppard Mullin's Litigation Practice
• Sheppard Mullin Ranked Among "Best Law Firms" By U.S. News & World Report
• Sheppard Mullin Ranked by PLC's "Which Lawyer?" In 2010
• Fifty-seven Sheppard Mullin Attorneys Named 2011 "Best Lawyers in America"
• Katz and Darwell Recognized as Power Lawyers by The Hollywood Reporter
• Legal 500 US 2010 Recognizes Sheppard Mullin Partners and Practice Groups Among The Best in the Country
• Sheppard Mullin's Entertainment, Media and Technology Practice Nominated for Chambers' Award for Excellence
• Sheppard Mullin Partners Named "New York Super Lawyers 2009"
• Sheppard Mullin Ranked Among the Best Litigation Firms in California by Benchmark Litigation 2010
• Partner Brian Pass Named "Dealmaker of the Week" by American Lawyer Magazine
• Bob Darwell, Marty Katz and James Curry Named "Power Lawyers" by The Hollywood Reporter
• Legal 500 US 2009 Recognizes Sheppard Mullin Partners and Practice Groups Among The Best in the Country, 2009
• Twenty-One Sheppard Mullin Attorneys Named "San Diego Super Lawyers 2009"
• Forty-Seven Sheppard Mullin Attorneys Recognized as 'Southern California Super Lawyers 2009'
• Forty-six Sheppard Mullin Attorneys Named 2009 "Best Lawyers in America," 2008
• David Sands Named In Variety's "Dealmakers Impact Report '08"
• Sheppard Mullin's Government Contracts and Entertainment, Media and Technology Practices Received Top Rankings From Chambers USA, 2008
• Legal 500 US Lauds Sheppard Mullin's Media Practice, 2008
• Sheppard Mullin's Government Contracts and Entertainment, Media and Technology Practices Received Top Rankings From Chambers USA, 2007
• Legal 500 US Names Sheppard Mullin Top Entertainment Firm, 2007

Press Releases

• Film Finance Partner Rose Shiner Joins Sheppard Mullin
• Two New Sheppard Mullin Partners Expand Firm's Entertainment Practice Capabilities In Los Angeles
• Sheppard Mullin Nabs Music Industry Veteran Ken Anderson For New York Office
• Music Industry And New Media Expert Philip Daniels Joins Sheppard Mullin's Expanding Entertainment Practice
• UK Entertainment Attorney Robb Klein Joins Sheppard Mullin Century City
• Entertainment Litigation Partner James E. Curry Joins Sheppard Mullin Century City
• Sheppard Mullin Prevails on Virtually All Claims in Wolf v. Disney

Articles

• Losing Games: Player Strikes Adversely Affect Sponsorship Agreements
  October 31, 2011, New York Law Journal
• Congress Has Designs For Piracy Prevention Legislation
  August 9, 2011, Daily Journal
• Horse Racing Industry Faces Unique Challenges In Regulating Use of Drugs
  November 8, 2010, Street & Smith Sports Business Journal
• Stealing the Show?
  October 22, 2010, Sports Litigation Alert
• Top 100
  California's Leading Attorneys of 2010
  September 22, 2010, Daily Journal
• Top Attorneys 2010
  July 21, 2010, San Diego Daily Transcript
• Green Sports Facilities Are Becoming the Gold Standard
  July 2, 2010, Sports Litigation Alert
• Enjoining the World: Does the Internet Make Prior Restraints Impossible, Or Are They Easier Than Ever?
  June 2010, Media Law Resource Center Bulletin
• In re NCAA Student-Athlete Name and Likeness Licensing Litigation
  Former Athletes Seek A Share of NCAA Licensing Profit
  March 12, 2010, Sports Litigation Alert
• On Your Marks, Get Set.... Ambush!
  February 26, 2010, Sports Litigation Alert
• "Limitations On Copyright Protection For Format Ideas In Reality Television Programming"
  December 2009, 2009 MEDIA LAW RESOURCE CENTER BULLETIN, Issue No. 4, at 97-121
• Donating An Art Collection Can Be A Challenge
  November 1, 2009, On Wall Street
• Russian Cinema
  An Economic Overview
  November 1, 2009, JUST
• The Dirty Dozen - Part 2
  Chain-of-title issues that may arise in the acquisition of rights for the production or development of a motion picture, video game or work dependent upon rights in copyright.
  September 29, 2009, Daily Journal
• Bienvenue Sur eBay - Online Auctions for Counterfeit Luxury Goods Carry Different Risks In Different Jurisdictions
  September 24, 2009, TerraLex
• The Dirty Dozen - Part 1
  Chain-of-title issues that may arise in the acquisition of rights for the production or development of a motion picture, video game or work dependent upon rights in copyright.
  September 22, 2009, Daily Journal
• Savvy Use of Social Networking Sites
  Understanding the potential uses of social networking sites should be considered when preparing for litigation
  September 8, 2009, New York Law Journal
• Dealmaker of the Week: Brian Pass of Sheppard Mullin
  Pass helped negotiate the ten-year Internet search and advertising deal Yahoo! struck with Microsoft
  July 31, 2009, The AmLaw Daily
• The Risks Of Online Auctions, Counterfeit Goods
  July 16, 2009, IP Law360
• Can Intentional or Knowingly Reckless Misuse of Copyrighted Material Be Considered “Fair Use?”
  July 2009, Communications Lawyer, Volume 26, Number 3
• An Advertising Face-Off
  Images and the Right of Publicity
  April 28, 2009, Los Angeles Daily Journal
• The Athlete Endorsement Game
  Securing a high-profile endorsement often requires lengthy negotiation and comes at a high cost of entry.
  April 24, 2009, Sports Litigation Alert
• Many Hope to Bring the Fairness Doctrine Back From the Dead
  March 11, 2009, Los Angeles Daily Journal
• A New Game Plan
  9th Circuit Court of Appeals struck down a California law banning the sale or rental of “violent video games” to minors and requiring such games to be labeled “18”
  March 3, 2009, Los Angeles Daily Journal
• For Artists With Original Works, It's Buy Now or Pay Later
  Registering a copyright in the work soon after it is created.
  March 3, 2009, Los Angeles Daily Journal
• Project Runway: The Am Law Daily Edition
  IP issues most at play in fashion, and how the Internet and economy affect the market.
  February 19, 2009, The AmLaw Daily
• Citi Field: What's In A Name?
  February 13, 2009, Sports Litigation Alert
• Troubled Asset Relief Program – Update
  February 12, 2009
• The War of Art
  Due Diligence is needed prior to Sale of Artwork.
  February 5, 2009, Daily Journal
• The Digital Countdown
  February 2009, Copyright World
• Fair Use And The Right Of Publicity: A Search For A More Balanced Approach
  December 2008, Media Law Resource Center
• It's Not Just Make-Believe Anymore
  Fall 2008, Media, Privacy and Defamation Law Committee Newsletter
• Recapturing Ownership Through Copyright Terminations
  October 14, 2008, New York Law Journal
• Dealing With 'Rogue Reality'
  Unwanted Side Effects in Video Game Design
  September 30, 2008, Game Daily
• Player One
  2nd-year associate creates firm's video game practice
  August 25, 2008, The Recorder
• Great Success! 'Borat's' Release Agreement Averts Liability
  July 16, 2008, New York Law Journal
• Guylyn Cummins Fights to Protect Journalists and the Public
  June 1, 2008, San Diego Metropolitan
• House Okays Watered Down PRO IP Act
  June 1, 2008, World Law Media
• Top 75 Women Litigators
  May 14, 2008, Daily Journal
• Sheppard Mullin Gains Two Veteran Entertainment Lawyers
  April 7, 2008, Los Angeles Daily Journal
• First in Line, Registration before Litigation
  February 2008, Copyright World Issue
• Second Life Raises Novel IP Issues
  December 3, 2007, The National Law Journal
• Guarding the Fourth Estate
  June 1, 2007, Southern California Super Lawyer
• 20 To Watch Under 40 - Craig Cardon
  January 31, 2007
• Shaun Clark Enjoys the Variety and Challenge of Being a Top Entertainment Attorney
  January 10, 2007
• Images of Fair Use: A Fair Use Jury Trial
  January 3, 2007
• Indecency Regulation: Is Internet Video Next?
  September 26, 2006
• A New Roll of the Dice
  September 25, 2006, New York Law Journal
• Into the Honey Trap?
  August 31, 2006
• Chain of Title Review Is a Major Hurdle for Film Investors
  July 20, 2006
• That's Advertainment!
  May 18, 2006, Los Angeles Lawyer
• Courts Need to Constrain Fiduciary Duty to Narrow Class of Relationships
  April 6, 2006
• adbriefs
  Fall 2005
• Make Sure Contractual Limits On Liability Are Enforceable
  August 25, 2005
• Young Guns
  March 21, 2005
• New Tax Benefits Available for Film and Television Producers in the United States
  October 29, 2004
• Payroll Services Company Was Not Employer For Employment Tax Purposes
  October 20, 2004
• Sheppard Mullin eVelopments August 2004
  August 25, 2004
• adbriefs
  Spring 2004
• adbriefs
  Winter 2004
• adbriefs
  Fall 2003
• Sheppard Mullin Lands Entertainment Group
  January 27, 2003