Best Lawyers in America for Entertainment Law - Motion Pictures and Television

Jay S. Bowen is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Entertainment Law - Music. Jay S., who practices law in Nashville, Tennessee, has been recognized since 2005. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jay S. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Scott D. Harrington is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Entertainment Law - Music. Scott D., who practices law in Santa Monica, California, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Scott D. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Mr. Braun is a partner in Hall Booth Smith's Nashville office, where he specializes in various areas of litigation and transactional work. Beginning in early 1995, Mr. Braun’s litigation practice with HBS has continued to grow in both Georgia and Tennessee. Early on in his career with HBS, Mr. Braun practiced extensively in the areas of general liability and medical malpractice litigation, areas in which he continues to practice today. As his practice has grown, he has developed experti...

Schuyler Moore practices entertainment, corporate and tax law. He has been practicing in the entertainment industry since 1981, represents producers, sales agents, foreign distributors and financiers, and has handled some of the largest financing transactions in Hollywood. He is Chair of Stroock’s Entertainment Practice Group.

Monika Tashman is a Manatt Entertainment partner in the firm’s New York City office. With a broad-based practice spanning over 25 years in the music and entertainment industries, she advises and provides creative, pragmatic solutions for clients at the intersection of entertainment and innovation—from independent artists and record labels to new media entrepreneurs and emerging technology companies—aiming to strategically expand and transform their organizations, business mo...

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 ...

William Jones is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Entertainment Law - Music. William, who practices law in Nashville, Tennessee, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which William is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Gregory L. Curtner is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Antitrust Law, Commercial Litigation, Litigation - Antitrust, Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants and Sports Law. Gregory L., who practices law in Ann Arbor, Michigan, has been recognized since 1995. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Gregory L. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Amelia K. Brankov advises companies and individuals on litigation and transactional matters, with a particular focus on arts and culture. In her art law practice, Ms. Brankov advises galleries, collectors, artist studios, artist estates and foundations, curators, art advisors, appraisers, conservators, publishers, and startups. She assists clients in all legal aspects of transactions involving artwork including purchase agreements, consignment agreements, commission agreements, and loan agree...

Representing clients in a variety of commercial sectors, Sophia Yen counsels both lenders and borrowers in debt financing transactions. She also advises entertainment industry clients on debt and equity finance deals, as well as other transactional matters. As lender’s counsel, Sophia advises financial institutions in transactions that include single-lender and syndicated senior-secured, second-lien, mezzanine and unsecured acquisition and working capital loans; cross-border lending tra...

Michael is a precedent‑setting trial and appellate lawyer who defends technology and media companies in industry‑defining copyright and digital media disputes, helping clients manage existential risk, reshape liability standards, and protect innovative distribution models. Michael Elkin, three-time Am Law Litigation Daily “Litigator of the Week” winner, represents technology, media, publishers, and entertainment companies in complex intellectual property disputes arising from the ...

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...

Steven B. Smith is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Sports Law. Steven B., who practices law in Colorado Springs, Colorado, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Steven B. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Michael Hobel is recognized as a leading authority in the legal profession on entertainment transactions across digital, television and film. Described by clients as "a tremendous thought partner who provides practical, sophisticated advice," Michael is trusted by entertainment and media companies to represent them on deals involving some of the entertainment industry’s most successful properties for more than 25 years. As the head of Katten's Entertainment and Media Practice, Michael h...

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...

Greg Akselrud is a founder and Partner of the firm and a member of the firm’s executive committee. He Chairs the firm’s Internet, Digital Media and Entertainment Practice group. Greg advises clients across a wide range of industries, including companies in the entertainment, digital media, Internet, technology, software, mobile, venture capital and consumer electronics industries. Greg Akselrud has been an Adjunct Professor of Law at Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, teaching Busine...