Summary: The Hollywood Reporter has released its 2017 Power Lawyers list.
The Hollywood Reporter released its annual list of the most powerful entertainment lawyers in Hollywood, and the diverse group includes the lawyer who took down Gawker and the counsel to stars such as Scarlett Johansson and Zoe Saldana.
“The men and women on this list handle a range of cases, from simple talent contracts to complex corporate mergers that take months to iron out, but they all have things in common. They all love working in the entertainment industry. They all play a vital role in keeping Hollywood’s wheels turning. They’re all at the very top of their field,” The Hollywood Reporter wrote.
The 100 attorneys on the list were chosen as part of an open submission process that occurred earlier in the year, and the entertainment industry magazine wanted to know who were the top attorneys behind the town’s major litigation, biggest deals, and anything else that mattered in Hollywood.
One attorney who made the list, Charles Harder, has had a big year representing celebrities battling media companies. The litigator fought for celebrity clients such as Hulk Hogan and Melania Trump against Gawker and The Daily Mail, respectively; and he won huge settlements in those defamation cases. In fact, his $100 million plus win for Hogan against Gawker was attributed to the website’s demise, and the verdict sent a big message to the media that even if a story is true, that there could be punishments if the story violates personal privacy and is not actually newsworthy.
Other top litigators on the list include Patty Glaser of Glaser Weil Fink Howard Avchen & Shapiro, who is representing Conan O’Brien in his battle against a writer who claimed the talk show host stole his jokes; and Marty Katz of Sheppard Mullin who is representing the investors of the troubled movie London Fields.
Transactional attorneys were also well-represented on the Power Lawyers list. For instance, Robert Lange of Kleinberg Lange Cuddy & Carlo was included for his work negotiating Billy Bush’s jump from Access Hollywood to Today, and he also handled Bush’s exit from Today after that infamous “grab them by the p*ssy” moment with Donald Trump aired in 2016.
Harvard Law-educated attorney Jared Levine was included for his work negotiating deals for Jordan Peele, who was already a household name with his Comedy Central show “Key and Peele” but who hit another level of stardom thanks to his horror flick “Get Out.”
When it comes to what Power Lawyers can do, it’s more than just litigating and making deals. Kevin Yorn, for example, helps his celeb clients like Zoe Saldana and Scarlett Johansson expand their brands beyond the silver screen. With Saldana, he is helping her build a Latin media company, and with Johansson he is assisting her in creating a beauty brand.
To see THR’s complete list, click here.
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