Best Lawyers in New York, United States for Entertainment Law - Music
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Joyce Dollinger is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Copyright Law and Entertainment Law - Music. Joyce, who practices law in New York, New York, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Joyce is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Jim Johnston helps sports, entertainment and media clients venture outside their comfort zone and into uncharted territory. By understanding their business goals and managing their risk, he’s cleared paths for clients to invest in film and television programs, launch streaming services, and sponsor sports arenas with worldwide audiences. Fledgling sports leagues turn to him for airtight media, sponsorship and facility partner agreements to get their brands off the ground. Jim’s cl...
M. Graham Coleman is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Entertainment Law - Motion Pictures and Television, Entertainment Law - Theater and Media Law. M. Graham, who practices law in New York, New York, has been recognized since 2016. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which M. Graham is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Julie M. Murray is a partner in the Entertainment Group at Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz, who specializes in representing clients in the television, documentary, digital, comedy, and branded content industries. She offers clients full service legal representation, handling all transactions from the development of a concept through delivery of the final cut, including the negotiation of network and financing agreements, distribution agreements, content licensing deals (domestic and interna...
Alan D. Sacks is a partner in the Entertainment, IP Finance and Sports Groups. He is recognized in the 2023-2025 editions of Best Lawyers in America for Entertainment - Motion Pictures and Television and The Legal 500 for his expertise in media & entertainment law. He is also recognized by Variety in its 2021 Legal Impact Report. His blend of entertainment law and hands-on entertainment industry, transactional and advisory experience - combined with a substantial corporate finance and pri...
Stuart R. Goldfarb is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Sports Law. Stuart R., who practices law in New York, New York, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Stuart R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
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...
Elizabeth A. McNamara is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Copyright Law, Entertainment Law - Motion Pictures and Television, First Amendment Law, Litigation - Intellectual Property and Media Law. Elizabeth A., who practices law in New York, New York, has been recognized since 2007. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Elizabeth A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal prac...
Bradley I. Ruskin is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Sports Law. Bradley I., who practices law in New York, New York, has been recognized since 2007. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Bradley I. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
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 top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Sports Law. Joseph M., who practices law in New York, New York, has been recognized since 2005. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Joseph M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
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 ...
Carolyn J. Casselman is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Entertainment Law - Theater. Carolyn J., who practices law in New York, New York, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Carolyn J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Daniel E. Lust is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Sports Law. Daniel E., who practices law in New York, New York, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Daniel E. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
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...
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.
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.