Entertainment & Digital Media

Entertainment and Media Transactions

We negotiate and prepare a wide variety of agreements related to tv, music, film, or copyrighted works, such as development, production, distribution, joint venture, or license agreements, and we represent clients in transactions involving the grant of security interests in, licenses, leases, or the assignment, purchase or sale of intellectual property assets. Clients call on us for representation in brand-related transactions, including license, marketing, distribution, franchise, or co-branding agreements. We have represented businesses around the world in connection with royalty agreements, content licenses, development and transfer agreements, software licensing and distribution agreements, outsourcing agreements, and e-commerce transactions.

• MWM represented Resi Media LLC, an industry-leading video streaming platform, in a $150M acquisition by Pushpay
• In 2010, MWM represented Newtoy, Inc., creators of Words With Friends, in a $180M cash and stock merger with Zynga, Inc.
• Representation of a privately-held game developer in its sale of assets to another private company for cash and stock

Entertainment and Media Disputes

• Two songwriters of the 2001 hit song “Playas Gon’ Play,” which Billboard named among its 100 Greatest Girl Group Songs of All Time, against Ms. Taylor Swift and Co. in a copyright infringement action resulting in a major appellate victory that COSMOPOLITAN termed “a seriously unexpected move” in Hall v. Swift, 782 F. App’x 639 (9th Cir. Oct. 28, 2019), wherein the Ninth Circuit reversed a dismissal on the pleadings, as well as defeating summary judgment on remand in Hall v. Swift, 2021 WL 6104160 (C.D. Cal. Dec. 9, 2021)
• MGA Entertainment, Inc., as a member of the briefing team, in the highly publicized multibillion-dollar “battle of the dolls” trial against the Barbie-doll manufacturer, Mattel, Inc., over the rights to the “Bratz” doll franchise, including summary judgment briefing and various trial briefing throughout the 13-week trial
• Drafted motions resulting in the successful removal of conservator and termination of conservatorship for a high profile music-industry conservatee
• Obtained six figure settlement on behalf of model from corporate entity that continued to use her image in advertising after the company’s license for use of her image had expired
• Defended record label against allegations of breach of contract, breach of fiduciary, and fraud by former artist, resulting in summary judgement on behalf of record label
• Represented class of business owners against NBCUniversal alleging they were fraudulently induced to participate on a reality television show resulting in millions of dollars of corporate waste and fraud
• Represented group of producers in copyright infringement case against major record labels and Taylor Swift
• Obtained seven figure settlement on behalf of television producer regarding unpaid contingent compensation from major media company
• Obtained six figure settlement for former Victoria’s Secret model against business that illegally used her image in advertisements