Hollywood’s New Leaders 2016: Law & Finance
Jonathan Altschul
Age: 39; Senior counsel, Loeb & Loeb
A leading dealmaker in music, television, digital media, and live- entertainment arenas, Altschul was a key player in negotiating licensing agreements on behalf of HBO with “The Game of Thrones” Live Concert Tour’s producers, the agreement with promoter Live Nation, and other agreements in connection with the upcoming show. He serves as outside counsel for Kaaboo Del Mar festival, a leading dealmaker in popular K-pop arena. “The breakneck pace in which distribution methods are evolving requires us to ensure that the clients we represent will benefit from these new income streams,” he says.
Jimmy Fanelly
Age: 32; Counsel, entertainment & media group, O’Melveny & Myers
Drawing on his previous experience as a director of business & legal affairs for global sports at Fox Networks Group, Fanelly focuses on the licensing, acquisition and distribution of film, television, sports, and new media properties. “To be the best resource for our clients, I strive to understand their businesses and strategy from a holistic perspective — not just a legal one — so that they are always well positioned for their next move,” he says.
Gina Reif Ilardi
Age: 36; Partner, content, media and entertainment unit, Jenner & Block
Since joining in April, she has advised ESPN on the 2016 Espy Awards and “30 for 30” series; acted as counsel to Bleecker Street Prods. for promotional film campaigns, and to Broad Green Pictures for releases “The Infiltrator,” “Bad Santa 2,” “Neon Demon,” and “Knight of Cups.” She advises Lionsgate on privacy issues, serving as counsel to STX Entertainment. “This field is constantly evolving with new things for me to learn, new people working alongside or opposite of me, and new problems to solve,” she says.
Eleanor M. Lackman
Age: 38; Partner and co-chair, litigation group, Cowan, DeBaets, Abrahams & Sheppard
Lackman serves as go-to outside IP counsel for BuzzFeed and Mic Network on copyright, trademark, endorsement, and other related issues. She is defending the NBA in two IP lawsuits, and defending Jay Z in three IP lawsuits pending in New York federal courts. “One of the newer and more fun challenges is the need to be able to pivot constantly,” she says. “On a given day, I may shift from being a fierce advocate to negotiating a business solution to building consensus among my team.”
David Rappaport
Age: 39; Lawyer, Partner, music practice, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips
Rappaport joined the firm in 2014, and expanded its new artist and EDM roster. He is outside general counsel to Diplo, Major Lazer, Mad Decent, Dillon Francis, Odesza, Flosstradamus, Claude VonStroke, and represents such alt artists as Dirty Projectors, Phantogram, Cold War Kids, Miike Snow, Richard Swift, Liz Phair. “Artist representation is about monetizing art in a way that doesn’t diminish the beauty and originality of the creative work,” he says. “The challenge? Crystalizing quantitative results, such as deal requirements and remuneration, from the qualitative desires of the artist client.”
Vanessa Foltyn Roman
Age: 30; Associate, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld
While in law school at USC, Roman found many of her college friends working to become writers and directors. Now she’s in a position to help filmmakers realize their dreams. “I typically say I’m not the kind of lawyer you’ve ever seen on a television or in the movies,” she says. “We represent those with the money giving it to those with the ideas to take it and turn into a film or television series or on a larger scale a slate of deals.” That includes Chinese investments, including East West Bank’s financing of Bona Film Group’s stake in 20th Century Fox films, which included Matt Damon’s “The Martian.”
Ana Y. Perez
Age: 40; VP/relationship manager, Entertainment Division of City National Bank
The former teller who joined City in 1997 is a leader in the Latino entertainment industry, helping to create a Latin Entertainment Initiative that meets industry financial needs with customized solutions. She has met with hundreds of U.S. industry leaders and concentrated on Latino entertainment markets in Los Angeles, Miami, and New York. “City National is growing rapidly this year, with new colleagues, new offices and more capabilities to serve all the financial needs of our clients,” she says.
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