Entertainment Law

Blank Rome empowers the creators, talent, and businesses transforming the entertainment landscape. We advise creators, talent, studios, producers, and forward‑thinking companies, partnering with global media powerhouses and ambitious start‑ups to unlock opportunity and drive growth across all platforms.

The entertainment industry is rapidly evolving as new creators and technologies reshape how content is produced, distributed, and monetized. Companies, artists, and investors must navigate shifting revenue models, emerging platforms, and complex regulations. In this environment, understanding the legal landscape and proactively protecting intellectual property are essential to reducing risk and securing long-term value. Our interdisciplinary team provides practical legal support across entertainment, corporate, music, and sports law. We help clients protect intellectual property, form businesses, and handle contracts, acquisitions, licensing, and distribution. We also advise on consumer agreements, data privacy, employment matters, and other legal issues related to creating and delivering content.

Our many entertainment clients include:

Film and television production companies
Film distributors
Streaming platforms
Book publishers
Interactive media companies
Actors
Writers

Directors and producers
Musicians and music publishers
Athletes
Theater and production companies
Podcasters and influencers
Agents

Our representation of clients in the entertainment industry includes:

Recording and music publishing agreements
Promotion and touring
Music catalog purchase and sale agreements
Screenwriter agreements
Sync licensing agreements for musicians and music publishers in film and television
Agency agreements for talent
Endorsement agreements for athletes and other celebrities

Influencer agreements for creators and celebrities with international brands
Podcast agreements
Traditional media agreements for radio hosts, journalists, and television personalities, including unscripted television
Option and purchase agreements for rights holders of all types (life rights, book rights, music rights)

Additionally, our firm represents related entertainment industry clients such as:

Investors in independent films and music
Franchisors and franchisees
Talent and casting agencies
Social media personalities and branding companies

Gaming companies
Licensing companies
Various other content creators

Our firm also provides personalized strategies for influencers and digital creators, including name, image, and likeness (“NIL”) agreements; compliance; and brand partnerships. We also advise on licensing and endorsement deals, sponsorships, and joint ventures. When litigation becomes necessary, our team works closely with clients to develop effective, cost-efficient resolution strategies.

We provide strategic advocacy, communications, and business guidance backed by deep experience with U.S. legislative and regulatory processes. With offices in Los Angeles, New York, and Florida, we serve clients across the entertainment industry. Our attorneys are widely recognized by Billboard, Variety, and Chambers USA for delivering high-quality, client-focused representation.

How We Can Help

Blank Rome’s team represents clients in matters spanning across all sectors of the entertainment industry, including:

Entertainment Litigation and Dispute Resolution

Our firm handles a broad spectrum of entertainment-related litigation matters, ranging from sophisticated commercial and business transactions to complex contract disputes. We have handled copyright and trademark infringement claims on behalf of leading media companies and high-profile entertainment figures worldwide. Additionally, we advise and represent clients on various First Amendment issues, including defamation, commercial disparagement, and trade libel matters. Our team has also assisted clients with all matters related to NIL use.

Sports Law

Blank Rome’s Sports Law industry group stands at the forefront of the business of sports, delivering strategic, results-driven counsel to a broad spectrum of clients, from professional athletes, influencers, gamers, and agents to collegiate stars, to retired players, coaches, leagues, teams, executives, owners, and vendors.

As the sports landscape continues to evolve, shaped by rapid change in media, technology, global markets, sports betting, and shifting social and political dynamics, our team remains agile, innovative, and forward looking. Blank Rome’s Sports Law industry group delivers cutting-edge guidance across the full spectrum of sports law, including endorsements, intellectual property, branding and reputation management, compliance and investigations, litigation, corporate transactions, labor and employment, tax, finance, and more. From emerging opportunities to complex challenges, we provide winning legal and business strategies at every stage of the game.

Intellectual Property (“IP”) Counseling, Prosecution, and Litigation

Blank Rome’s deep bench of practitioners combines strong technical insight with real-world in-house experience. Entertainment and media businesses turn to us for our strategic, responsive approach to aligning IP with business goals. We listen closely to their definition of success, cost concerns, and growth objectives, then deliver practical, value-driven solutions to meet real-world challenges.

Our team has represented industry clients across a wide range of intellectual property matters, including patent, trade dress, and advertising disputes. Our experience also extends to issues involving film and television distribution and licensing agreements, anti-piracy and copy-protection strategies, and rights of publicity as well as ownership rights.

Key Contacts

Craig Weiner

Related Services

Related Industries

Representation of numerous actors, writers, producers, and directors in disputes with major feature film or television studios, independent film or television distributors, and/or film or television production companies concerning the payment of contingent proceeds (or “net profits”) flowing from the exploitation of various feature films and television shows.
Representation of a high-net-worth investor in a lawsuit against the administrators of a multi-hundred million dollar theatrical feature film fund seeking a “finders fee” for a $75 million cash investment brought to the fund. Representation of numerous actors, writers, directors, talent agents, and talent and/or business managers in disputes concerning payment or nonpayment of management and/or talent agency commissions.
Representation of entrepreneurial, entertainment, equity venture, and gaming companies in a broad range of corporate finance and real estate matters including developments, capital raises, acquisitions, and sales.
Representation of a critically acclaimed feature film screenwriter in defense of an indemnity claim brought by a noted actor, director’s production company, and a movie studio.
Representation of a publicly traded entertainment company in connection with the development and financing of a first-run Broadway musical theater, including negotiation of a long-term lease and use arrangements with New York City and New York State development agencies.
Representation of an Academy Award-winning best actor in a breach of contract “pay or play” matter also involving First Amendment issues.
Representation of a film production company concerning breach of contract, fraud, and other claims by a distribution company concerning a slate of films financed by a bank, litigation which involved, among other things, the obligations of a completion bond company.
Representation of a director against a film production company concerning the director’s final cut rights involving representations in the completion bond. Representation of a film distribution company in defense of allegations that it failed to market and distribute a motion picture in accordance with the parties’ agreement.
Representation of a foreign sales agent in connection with a breach of contract dispute involving an Academy Award-winning best picture.
Representation of a film production company in defense of fraud allegations by a distributor/financier regarding the budgets for a slate of films, the payment of royalties, and the payment of advances.
Representation of the owner of the copyright of a film against a film production company hired by that owner to shoot the footage for the film for breach of contract and fraud surrounding the production company’s failure to shoot the film as required, refusal to stop working on the film after being fired, and subsequently holding the footage shot for the film “hostage.”
Representation of a film distributor/financier against a film financier, a completion guarantor, and a production company. Representation of an independent production and distribution company concerning breach of contract and business torts against a digital visual effects vendor.