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We want to inspire your business and empower your creativity. Best and Flanagan’s Entertainment Law practice group provides business structuring, tax planning and other strategic advice for corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships, and individuals. We represent world renowned and Grammy® award winning musicians, producers, photographers, film companies, authors, publishers, artists, engineers, explorers, researchers, speakers, actors, athletes and other creative talent in protecting and commercializing their intellectual property rights. We also work with a wide range of organizations in the creative arts, music, entertainment, educational programming, internet and publishing businesses.

Our firm represents both domestic and foreign companies with respect to a wide range of entertainment industry contracts and transactions, including project financing, talent agreements, production agreements and distribution agreements. We prepare contracts, assignments, licenses and security agreements, on behalf of producers, studios, distributors and talent. From securing gap financing for a film project to structuring the complex transaction, Best & Flanagan’s attorneys are well-versed in the full array of entertainment and arts-related work, including agency, publishing, recording, biographical, performer and producer agreements. In addition to our practical and zealous representation, our attorneys also teach other lawyers and industry professionals in the areas of music copyright and publishing, film production, and the like.

We strive to mitigate potential conflict in order to create mutually beneficial relationships. Should our clients, however, find themselves facing disputes or litigation, our lawyers work aggressively to protect and defend their rights and assets. In entertainment-related disputes and litigation, the firm routinely represents clients in matters involving breach of contract, band break-ups, copyright and trademark infringement, publisher, label and management conflicts, literary and film rights, credits, licensing and privacy issues, and defamation suits.

We also have a diverse Private Wealth Planning section, which is often called upon to offer its experience in establishing or modifying sophisticated, high net worth estate plans for our entertainer clients, as well as in administering estates, trusts, guardianships and conservatorships.

Our goal is to provide our clients with solid, comprehensive legal counsel, built on long term relationships, and our practice areas include:

  • Acting contracts
  • Agreements between U.S. and foreign entities
  • Band Agreements
  • Book-to-Film Deals
  • Copyright and Licensing
  • Director Agreements
  • Distribution agreements
  • Entertainment Industry Related Litigation
  • Film and Music Library Sales and Acquisitions
  • Film Soundtrack Agreements
  • Film, Television, and New Media Production and Distribution Agreements
  • Financing Agreements
  • Formation of Loan-Out Entities
  • Merchandising 
  • Motion Picture Rights
  • Music Rights
  • Option Agreements
  • Print and Electronic Book Publishing
  • Producer Contracts
  • Publishing Agreements
  • Reality-Unscripted Television Contracts
  • Representation of Talent and Executives
  • Sports Contracts and Marketing
  • Television Rights
  • Theatrical Agreements
  • Title Clearance
  • Trademark Searches, Registrations and Licensing
  • Script Review
  • Confidentiality and Idea Disclosure Agreements
  • Non-Compete Agreements
  • SAG/AFTRA Issues
  • Sale and Licensing of Rights in Stories, Screenplays, Books, Photography and Music
  • Trade Secret Protection
  • Tax, Business and Estate Planning
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    David G. Schelzel Attorney
    P 612.341.9719