George N. Tobia

George Tobia focuses his practice entirely in Entertainment and Media law, representing clients in both the traditional and emerging media areas.

George handles contracts and other arrangements involving book publishing, motion picture, television, radio, podcasting, online/digital content, copyright and trademark licensing, commercial endorsements, speaker services, brand funded content, and marketing/advertising sponsorships and events.

George represents investors, producers, writers, publishers, and musical artists. He represents the estates and all literary properties of some of the world’s best-known authors, including Hunter S. Thompson and Jack Kerouac, as well as journalists, independent publishers, and best-selling authors, ranging from those with well-known national and international profiles to newer, up-and-coming artists and writers.

Given his background in tax law and finance, George is able to provide much-needed business advice in addition to contract work. As such, he represents both investors and producers in related financial matters, including producer fundraising, investor-side participation in media and entertainment projects, and tax credit monetization.

The following are some of the types of specific transactional projects George regularly handles:

• Music - Music publishing for artists and companies, including both buy- and sell-side transactions involving the sale of music publishing catalogs; record and publishing deals for artists with major labels; record and publishing deals for artists and independent record labels (both artist and label side).
• Motion Picture - Representation of writers with all major and mini-major studios and streamers, including Netflix, Paramount, Sony, Disney, Apple, and Prime. He handles producer and actor agreements in the independent film space, and investor and financier agreements in independent film, both producer side and investor side.
• Television - Representation of writers and talent in agreements with studios and production companies for both scripted and unscripted (“reality”) shows and documentaries.
• Literary - Author agreements with the “Big 5” publishers, and both author and publisher agreements with independent publishers.
• Podcast and Radio - Representation of on-air talent in both terrestrial and satellite radio, as well as podcasters in network and independent podcasting arrangements.
• Film Tax Credit - Both buy-side and sell-side transactions involving film tax credits in jurisdictions with transferable credits, including Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and Illinois.

• 2011–2024, Best Lawyer, Entertainment Law – Motion Pictures & Television, listed by The Best Lawyers in America© 
• 2004–2009, 2016-2017, listed in Massachusetts Super Lawyers
• 2003, Boston University Distinguished Alumnus
• AV® Preeminent Rating by Martindale-Hubbell