Loyola Law School to host Summer in the City Entertainment and Digital Media Hot Topics Symposium

On Friday, July 31 over 50 lawyers and executives gathered inside the downtown L.A. Loyola  Law School for the Digital Media Hot Topics Symposium.

The event was designed to provide guidance and advice to entertainment legal advisers as they embark on a new season of production.

“Most of the local lawyers’ groups provide ‘year in review’ programs in fall or winter. But legal and business developments occur year-round,” said Entertainment & Media Law Institute director F. Jay Dougherty.

The summer symposium allowed top litigators to discuss the most recent developments in the entertainment and media law industry. Additionally, the experts discussed various ways the industry impacts transactional lawyers and their clients.

Digital media experts also gave an update on their latest legal and business developments.

The hot topic symposium began with welcoming remarks on the “Revolution in Small-Screen Entertainment,” from Loyola Marymount alum and executive vice president of ABC Studios Howard Davine. Davine also acted as both a commentator for the first panel and a panelist for the second panel.

“We have to continually raise our game and do our best storytelling. Within the chaos that is the current entertainment industry there is tremendous opportunity,” said Davine during the keynote.

The first panel, “Both Sides Now: Litigation Developments for Talent Representatives and Transactional Lawyers” was composed of  moderator and Loyola Law School professor, F. Jay Dougherty, partner at Hueston Hennigan LLP Robert Klieger, partner at Kulik Gottesman & Siegel LLP Glen Kulik, partner at Harder Mirell & Abrams LLP Douglas Mirell and Jennifer McGrath and partner at Plonsker Law LLP Michael Plonsker.

Each panelist was given 10- 15 minutes to discuss topics that ranged from revenge porn and the penalization to anti-paparazzi legislation.

Panelist also mentioned notable court cases and California laws that were developed in regards to the relevancy of their own topics.

The transactional commentators Howard Davine, senior vice president at Motion Picture Legal Paramount Pictures Corporation, Pam Kirsh and partner at Morris Yorn Barnes Levine Krintzman Rubenstein Kohner and Gellman, Alex Kohner were then given a chance to respond to previous statements made by the panelist.

Panel two was composed of moderator and professor at Loyola Law School Karl Manheim, executive vice president of ABC Studios Howard Davine, business affairs at Williams Morris Endeavor Entertainment Adam Cooper, founding partner and COO of Shout! Factory Bob Emmer, adjunct professor at Loyola Law School Tracey Freed and vice president of business and legal affairs at Vubiquity Yaphet Powell.

Attendees could also ask expert panelists questions.

The event ended with refreshments providing attendees a chance to interact with the top end entertainment legal advisers and executives on the downtown LA campus lawn.