Best Lawyers in California, United States for Entertainment and Sports Law
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Julia R. Haye’s entertainment practice includes successful resolution, at trial and in arbitration, of complex business disputes involving profit participation, motion picture production and distribution, rights ownership, copyright and trademark infringement, idea submission, and other entertainment-related conflicts and contractual disputes. Her counsel and interests encompass every genre of entertainment and media, including studio and independent motion pictures, television, music, ...
Kathy A. Jorrie is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Entertainment Law - Music. Kathy A., who practices law in Los Angeles, California, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kathy A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
For more than two decades, Robert J. Labate has maintained an active litigation practice in corporate restructuring and transactional media and entertainment law. Mr. Labate has been an adjunct faculty member at DePaul University School of Law for many years, where he teaches two courses reflecting his practices: "Corporate Workouts and Restructuring" and "The Law of Film and Television Production." For the past five years, Mr. Labate has served as chair of the Public and Charitable Service C...
Michael Kump is a problem solver who fights tenaciously to protect his clients’ valuable intellectual property and contractual rights. Representing plaintiffs and defendants in a broad and sophisticated litigation practice for over thirty-five years, Mr. Kump has extensive experience and success inside and outside the courtroom in all aspects of intellectual property, entertainment, contract, trade secrets, and antitrust litigation. He represents a wide array of corporate and individual...
John V. Berlinski is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Entertainment Law - Motion Pictures and Television and Litigation - Intellectual Property. John V., who practices law in Los Angeles, California, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which John V. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Jordan Bromley is the leader of Manatt’s entertainment transactions and finance practice. His experience lies in recognizing talented artists, individuals and companies; developing strategy to achieve their long-term success; and protecting their interests by rigorously negotiating and drafting the agreements that form the basis of their business relationships. Jordan’s client base includes iconic, established, legacy and developing artists, songwriters, producers, record labels, ...
Ivy Kagan Bierman’s practice includes the representation of entertainment and related companies in labor, production, distribution, technology and other business matters. She handles both transactional and litigation matters for clients. Ivy is one of a select few entertainment industry labor lawyers looked to for representation in guild and union matters by film and television production companies, digital companies and networks, cable networks, public broadcasting companies, distribut...
Some of the most prominent companies in the entertainment business turn to Joel Weiner to handle disputes across a broad range of subject matter. With nearly 30 years of litigation experience and vast industry knowledge, he has been trusted by companies like NBCUniversal, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Endemol Shine Group, Telemundo and Excel Sports Management with high-profile lawsuits involving series, films and other valuable entertainment properties. The entertainment industry is a magnet f...
Chad Fitzgerald is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation, Entertainment Law - Motion Pictures and Television and Litigation - Intellectual Property. Chad, who practices law in Los Angeles, California, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Chad is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Amy Nickin is partner to our Entertainment Group, representing actors, writers, directors, comics, on-air personalities and television production companies in all business and legal aspects of their film, television and theatrical careers and businesses. A leading advisor to high-profile talent, The Hollywood Reporter has included Ms. Nickin in their "Power Lawyers" list consecutively for the past several years. Variety included her in their 2024, 2018 and 2014 "Legal Impact Report" and their...
Susan Williams is a partner in the Entertainment and Media practice of Paul Hastings and is based in the firm’s Century City office. She is chair of the firm’s Entertainment and Media Finance group. Highly regarded as one of the entertainment industry’s top dealmakers, Ms. Williams is frequently sought to represent clients on some of their most significant finance and restructuring transactions. Ms. Williams represents financial institutions, senior, mezzanine, and equity fu...
Bart H. Williams is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Criminal Defense: White-Collar and Sports Law. Bart H., who practices law in Los Angeles, California, has been recognized since 2013. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Bart H. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Vincent H. Chieffo is an entertainment and media litigator with significant trial and appellate experience. His practice also includes entertainment transactional work. His litigation experience encompasses disputes throughout the entertainment business, including those involving copyright and trademark infringement, right of publicity, defamation, the rights of estates and heirs in copyrights and other entertainment assets, idea submission, royalties and participations, and distribution and ...
Jeremy S. Goldman is a partner in the Litigation Group and Co-Chair of the Emerging Technology Group, focusing on intellectual property, entertainment, media, privacy, technology, and commercial law. Jeremy is an accomplished media and entertainment litigator, focusing on copyright, trademark, privacy, intermediary liability, right of publicity, First Amendment, and business disputes. Jeremy draws on his sophisticated understanding of law, technology and industry, along with creative problem-...
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.