Best Lawyers in America for Entertainment and Sports Law
David N. Pessin is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Sports Law and Trusts and Estates. David N. practices law in Towson, Maryland Best Lawyers has recognized David N. Pessin since 2006. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which David N. Pessin is held by other lawyers.
Hayden Goldblatt is a partner and Co-Chair of the firm's Entertainment Group, where he focuses on motion picture, television, and digital media work. Mr. Goldblatt has wide-ranging experience in all areas of entertainment and media, representing producers, writers, directors, documentary filmmakers, actors, comedians, financiers, and independent distributors. He has negotiated complex single picture and slate multi-party financings both on behalf of producers and financiers, as well as struct...
Paul Kelly is a principal in the Boston office of Jackson Lewis P.C. He has extensive experience in white collar criminal defense, internal investigations, NCAA enforcement investigations and infractions cases, and complex civil litigation. Paul chairs both the Collegiate and Professional Sports industry group and the White Collar and Government Enforcement resource group at the firm White Collar and Investigative Experience Paul is a trial attorney with substantial experience in both state a...
Jeffrey L. Kessler is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Antitrust Law, Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Antitrust and Sports Law. Jeffrey L. practices law in New York, New York Best Lawyers has recognized Jeffrey L. Kessler since 2006. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Jeffrey L. Kessler is held by other lawyers.
Marcie Cleary is a partner in the Entertainment Group at Frankfurt Kurnit, representing clients in the film, television, digital, and book publishing industries. Ms. Cleary structures and negotiates entertainment transactions for individual and corporate clients in the film, television, digital, and book publishing industries. Her clients include actors, news correspondents, writers, directors, producers, authors, podcasters and influencers. Ms. Cleary has significant experience representing ...
William T. Ramsey is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Criminal Defense: White-Collar and Entertainment Law - Music. William T. practices law in Nashville, Tennessee Best Lawyers has recognized William T. Ramsey since 2021. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which William T. Ramsey is held by other lawyers.
Gregory Korn is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Entertainment Law - Motion Pictures and Television and Litigation - Intellectual Property. Gregory practices law in Los Angeles, California Best Lawyers has recognized Gregory Korn since 2019. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Gregory Korn is held by other lawyers.
Michael R. Williams is a partner and Chair of the firm’s Fashion Group and Co-Chair of the Celebrity Branding Group. Mr. Williams’ clients include major television and motion picture actors, leading fashion designers, top models, fashion show production companies, photographers and executives in the entertainment and fashion industries. Mr. Williams represents actors in the negotiation of deals to perform in film, television, theater and other media. He also works to assist client...
Jean Ward is counsel to our Entertainment Group. She is one of New York’s best-known theatre lawyers, with over 30 years’ experience representing producers, authors, film companies and other stage rights holders, not-for-profit theatre companies, theatre owners, creative personnel, and investors. She is recognized in the 2023-2025 editions of Best Lawyers in America for Entertainment Law – Theatre and is listed as a “Super Lawyer” by Super Lawyers magazine. She n...
Joseph M. Leccese is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area of Sports Law. Joseph M. practices law in New York, New York Best Lawyers has recognized Joseph M. Leccese since 2005. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Joseph M. Leccese is held by other lawyers.
Steven B. Smith is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area of Sports Law. Steven B. practices law in Colorado Springs, Colorado Best Lawyers has recognized Steven B. Smith since 2022. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Steven B. Smith is held by other lawyers.
Matthew D. McGill is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Appellate Practice, Gaming Law and Sports Law. Matthew D. practices law in Washington, District of Columbia Best Lawyers has recognized Matthew D. McGill since 2024. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Matthew D. McGill is held by other lawyers.
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.
