Edward H. Rosenthal

Edward H. Rosenthal

New York, NY recognized lawyers icon Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2006
Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz PC

39 Best Lawyers awards

Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz PC logo

Awarded Practice Areas

Copyright Law Entertainment Law - Motion Pictures and Television Litigation - Intellectual Property Trademark Law

Biography

Edward H. Rosenthal is Chair of the firm’s Intellectual Property Group. He focuses on intellectual property litigation, emphasizing trademark, copyright, right of publicity, entertainment, advertising, and commercial disputes. Mr. Rosenthal counsels clients on the thorny issues concerning termination of grants of copyrights, and conducts prepublication review of books, articles, television programs, motion pictures, and other materials. His clients include businesses and individuals in the media, advertising, sports, and entertainment fields.

Mr. Rosenthal also has substantial involvement in issues relating to trademark prosecution and enforcement, representing numerous businesses and individuals in protecting and enforcing their intellectual property.

Mr. Rosenthal represented The Authors Guild and a number of other authors' rights associations and individuals in suits against Google and the HathiTrust arising out of Google's mass book digitization and orphan works programs. He defended Fredrik Colting, author of 60 Years Later: Coming Through the Rye, and his U.S. distributor, in a lawsuit brought by J.D. Salinger alleging copyright infringement. Mr. Rosenthal also successfully defended J.K. Rowling and Scholastic Inc., the author and publisher of the Harry Potter books, against claims of copyright and trademark infringement.

Mr. Rosenthal has written and lectured extensively on a wide variety of intellectual property topics. He is a regular presenter to the Practicing Law Institute on Right of Publicity and copyright issues, and has participated in numerous panels on copyright and trademark and law. He is co-editor of the firm’s intellectual property/media law blog, which focuses on litigations and other developments in the media and entertainment industries. Mr. Rosenthal has also been active in the Copyright Society of the U.S.A. and the International Trademark Association. He serves as co-chair of the Committee on Publicity, Privacy and Media of the New York State Bar Association’s Entertainment and Sports Law Committee.

Prior to joining Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz, Mr. Rosenthal served as a law clerk to Hon. Abraham D. Sofaer in the Southern District of New York and was associated with the New York law firm of Kramer Levin Naftalis & Frankel. He was Adjunct Professor at Fordham Law School (Legal Writing, 1985-1986; Intellectual Property Drafting, 1996).

He is admitted to practice in New York.

Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz PC

39 Best Lawyers awards

Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz PC logo

Overview

  • Columbia University, J.D., graduated 1981
  • University of Pennsylvania, B.A., graduated 1976

  • New York, New York State Bar Association

  • New York State Bar Association - Entertainment and Sports Law Committee - Co-Chair of the Committee on Publicity, Privacy and Media

  • United States District Court
  • New York, New York State Bar Association
  • New York State Bar Association - Entertainment and Sports Law Committee - Co-Chair of the Committee on Publicity, Privacy and Media
  • Columbia University, J.D., graduated 1981
  • University of Pennsylvania, B.A., graduated 1976
  • United States District Court

Client Testimonials

Awards & Focus

Lawyer of the Year Badge - 2025 - Entertainment Law - Motion Pictures and Television
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
  • Entertainment Law - Motion Pictures and Television, New York City (2025)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
  • Copyright Law
  • Entertainment Law - Motion Pictures and Television
  • Litigation - Intellectual Property
  • Trademark Law
Additional Areas of Practice:
  • Commercial Litigation
  • Entertainment Law - Theater
  • Litigation - First Amendment
Special Focus:
  • Advertising
  • Copyright
  • Defamation
  • Film
  • Intellectual Property
  • Literary
  • Litigation
  • Media
  • Sports
  • Television
  • Trademark
Awards:
  • BTI Consulting Group

  • Chambers USA

  • New York-area "Super Lawyer"

  • The Legal 500

  • World Trademark Review 1000

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