On July 28, Above the Law hosted a Fashion and Entertainment Law Forum in Los Angeles at Bloomberg Law’s headquarters. The event was very well-attended — in fact, we hosted a standing-room only crowd. Our guests learned quite a bit about the fashion and entertainment law industries, and we couldn’t have been happier with how this event turned out. For an afternoon of discussion with a law-related bent, there were plenty of laughs and personable anecdotes shared with a more than attentive audience.
The highlight of the afternoon was a lively discussion, moderated by ATL Editor Staci Zaretsky, about all of the ins and outs of fashion and entertainment law. Panelists included Staci Riordan, leader of Nixon Peabody’s fashion practice; Jane Shay Wald, chair of Irell & Manella’s trademark practice group; Greg Weisman, West Coast chair of Ritholz Levy’s apparel industry practice group, Marjorie Williams, VP, Business & Legal Affairs of Endemol Shine North America, and Deborah Greaves, partner of Brutkus Gubner (and former GC of True Religion Apparel).
If you’re interested in becoming a fashion or entertainment attorney, here are some takeaways from our esteemed panelists that you can use to get a better understanding of the industry before you dive in.
1. In both fashion and entertainment law, clients are very artistic and seek a sense of ownership. Follow the advice of Marjorie Williams, who says in her role as an in-house attorney, she encourages creative minds to push the envelope — legally.
2. According to Deborah Greaves, compliance isn’t “sexy,” but it’s a huge part of the fashion industry. Like it or not, fashion is an international business with many moving parts, so always be aware that what is legal in one country may not be legal in another.
3. Having a “passion for fashion” is not nearly enough to propel aspiring fashion law attorneys to success in the industry, says Staci Riordan. Above all, you need to be a great lawyer, and that alone will get you where you need to be.
Once again, thanks to our panelists for their insights, to our readers for joining us, and to our friends at Bloomberg Law for sponsoring an educational and enjoyable afternoon.
Staci Zaretsky is an editor at Above the Law. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments. Follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.