Best Lawyers in New York, United States for Entertainment and Sports Law
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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...
David Greenspan is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Sports Law. David, who practices law in New York, New York, has been recognized since 2019. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which David is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Lisa E. Davis is a partner and Co-Chair of the firm's Entertainment Group . She serves on the firm's Policy Committee and is Co-Chair of the firm's Diversity Committee. She represents businesses and celebrities in the film, television, publishing, music, theatre, and sports industries. Ms. Davis has been ranked as a New York-area “Super Lawyer” since 2007 and was featured on the cover of Super Lawyers magazine in a piece on her career and advocacy for racial justice. She is recogn...
Brian G. Murphy counsels advertising agencies, advertisers, and entertainment companies as they develop and produce advertising and entertainment properties across all media. Mr. Murphy has been named the 2018 and 2025 "Lawyer of the Year" for Advertising Law by Best Lawyers in America. His practice focuses on copyright, trademark , right of publicity/right of privacy, false advertising, unfair competition, and defamation. Mr. Murphy negotiates and structures celebrity talent agreements, agen...
Mark A. Merriman is counsel to the Entertainment Group where he practices in all aspects of entertainment law - with an emphasis on theatre and book publishing. He is recognized in the 2023-2025 editions of Best Lawyers in America for Entertainment Law – Theatre. Mr. Merriman is listed as a “Super Lawyer” by Super Lawyers magazine, and has received praise in Chambers USA for his work in media and entertainment. Additionally, The Legal 500 list him as a “Key Lawyer&rdqu...
Jake Levy is the founder of Levy Law. Jake’s practice encompasses a broad range of transactions in the entertainment and media industries, with an emphasis on television, motion picture, podcast, book publishing, celebrity branding/endorsement and music matters. He represents both individuals and companies, including award-winning documentary and narrative filmmakers, directors, series creators, producers, literary authors, talent and broadcast journalists, as well as leading production...
Stefan Schick has been practicing entertainment law for more than 16 years, with a specialty in live theater. Stefan advises clients on all aspects of creating, developing, financing, producing, co-producing and licensing Broadway, off-Broadway, touring, regional, West End and other overseas live stage productions, from the initial rights deal to opening night and beyond. His clients include film studios, producers, investors, playwrights, bookwriters, composers, lyricists, directors, designe...
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 ...
Irwin A. Kishner is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Sports Law. Irwin A., who practices law in New York, New York, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Irwin A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
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.