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The image of America throughout the world has been one of its greatest strengths. It inspires respect, admiration, and even envy among friends and enemies alike. Aside from its military might, one of the strongest contributors to this is the massive public relations engine that’s Hollywood. The epicenter of the entertainment industry, however, comprises a whole lot more than what appears on the big screen. There are countless parts that work in harmony to keep the machine running.
The music studios, movie studios, TV stations, talent agencies, and everything in between that ply their trade in Tinsel Town all have one thing in common. This is that they all operate under a special niche of the law, and that’s where entertainment lawyers come in. With the onset of the digital age, the playing field is a lot more complicated across the board, and it calls for a new crop of legal professionals to grapple with the new realities.
Attorney Bryan Freedman is an excellent example of this new breed of legal operators, as he has been at the forefront of this revolution, operating at the highest level of entertainment law. He learned his trade at the University of California-Berkeley and the McGeorge School of Law. As a young man he needed to do something powerful to help people. He set up his law firm, Freedman and Taitelman, in 1997 and this is now among Hollywood’s most prominent outfits. On his list of clients, you’ll find actors, musicians, c-suite executives, talent organizations, production outfits, directors, etc.
Changes in The Legal Landscape
Before the digital revolution of recent decades, Hollywood relied on movie ticket sales to drive their revenue. Similarly, music studios looked to the sales of physical albums to make a profit. We’ve gone past the age of physical media into a world where most movies, TV shows, music, and even books are downloaded and consumed by people in the comfort and privacy of their own homes. This brave new digital world brings with it a whole new set of legal complications and problems.
Companies that enter deals and agreements involving sums of money that run into the hundreds of millions of dollars. At these levels of cost and complexity there’s an obvious increased risk of dispute. Freedman has demonstrated a unique aptitude on steering the legal matters and resolving such disputes.
Industry-Wide Competence and Legal Excellence
To attain a solid reputation within the legal profession, you cannot rely on a single act or victory. You have to build it up, ever so slowly, over time. Winning a big case will not supplant repeat clients, satisfied customers, and respect among fellow law practitioners as an indicator of your worth as a legal professional. Freedman is considered one of Hollywood’s premier legal minds by credible, respected entertainment publications such as Variety, The Hollywood Reporter, and various professional ranking bodies.
People label Freedman as a ‘legal pitbull,’ a moniker that inspires confidence or triggers fear. This depends on which corner of the courtroom Mr. Freedman is standing in – yours or your opponent’s. A self-professed ‘crisis specialist,’ he is well-equipped to handle the late-night calls and corporate high-stakes drama that come with the role. Superstar actress Gabrielle Union, for example, has him to thank for successfully championing her cause against broadcaster NBC. She accused the organization of harassment and discrimination during her tenure as one of the judges on the hit TV show America’s Got Talent. Mr. Freedman’s efforts assisted the parties amicably settle the case outside court.
High-profile clients on his list include the likes of Kate Beckinsale, Mariah Carey, Linkin Park, Megyn Kelly, Julia Roberts, Tucker Carlson, Don Lemon, Christopher Nolan, Chris Cuomo, Vin Diesel, and many more.