For clients in the media, entertainment and sports industries, an experienced attorney can handle a broad array of legal services covering entertainment law, new media and Internet law, technology law, sports law, intellectual property, corporate transactions, licensing, and litigation.
On behalf of both major corporations and high-profile individuals, the lawyers can be involved in a wide variety of sports, media and entertainment issues, including transactional matters in the entertainment industry – music publishing, recorded music, and licensing (master use, synchronization and performance); talent contracts (artists, producers and composers) and talent touring; merchandising; acquisitions (including due diligence reviews); and catalogue licensing (foreign and domestic). They can draft and negotiat sponsorship agreements, media agreements, television and film production agreements, ad agency agreements, consulting agreements and web development licensing agreements. Potential clients include major network companies, high-profile professional athletes, sports agents, sport agencies, talent management agencies, best-selling authors, media personalities, on-air television hosts, entertainers, recording artists, producers and directors. They can serve as counsel to various professional and collegiate sports associations and related players associations in a wide variety of matters involving breach of contract disputes, disciplinary or infraction issues, Title IX gender equity compliance, licensing and certification compliance, audits in sports franchise acquisitions, and the creation and protection of intellectual property.
Recognizing the critical component of intellectual property rights, the lawyers should a unique understanding of how to maximize, license and protect the brand value of players, artists, entities and other professionals in the sports, media and entertainment fields. Intellectual property lawyers provide a full range of patent, trademark, copyright and trade secrets services, including registration, licensing, litigation, and other protective actions. They can also aid in the protection of these assets through meticulous oversight and analysis of copyright “works for hire” provisions, name and likeness issues, rights of privacy and publicity, non-disclosure agreements, other confidentiality procedures, and if need be, litigation. An attorney can also negotiate and prepare licenses to and from third parties to help clients unlock the full value of these assets.
The attorney you choose should have experience, some examples of that would be in digital creation, use and exploitation of media, sports and entertainment content, including for mobile apps, interactive video games and streaming video, in sweepstakes and advertising, and through social media. The attorneys can deal with claims and lawsuits alleging defamation, copyright and privacy infringement for display of certain content on websites and other digital media as well as rights, immunities and defenses provided by various laws including the Communications Decency Act and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.