Firm Overview

Since its founding in 1954, Leopold, Petrich & Smith ("LP&S"), has played a significant role in the legal representation of entities in the entertainment and media industries. The firm's practice primarily involves three major areas: litigation, entertainment and insurance.

LITIGATION

Litigation has long accounted for a significant portion of the firm's practice. LP&S litigates in virtually every area of entertainment, general business and insurance law, in both state and federal trial and appellate courts. Although its litigation cases vary greatly in subject matter and size, LP&S specializes in the defense of motion picture studios, television networks, production companies, record companies, publishers, writers, agents and performers in matters involving the production and distribution of motion pictures, television shows, books, magazines, sound recordings and commercials. These actions generally involve issues such as copyright and trademark infringement, unfair competition, right of publicity, defamation, invasion of privacy, breach of contract, and the First Amendment. LP&S has an extensive appellate practice, having handled dozens of reported cases in the California and Federal Appellate Courts. In one of those, LP&S represented Universal Studios, actor Jimmy Stewart, and the estate of the late director Alfred Hitchcock before the United States Supreme Court in the 1990's leading copyright case, Stewart v. Abend, 495 U.S. 207 (1990).

ENTERTAINMENT

LP&S represents a wide variety of institutional clients and individuals. These clients include television and motion picture production companies and distributors, producers and investors, merchandise producers and licensors, and completion bond companies. The firm's work for these clients has included negotiating, drafting and reviewing agreements for the acquisition, production, and distribution of motion pictures, television programming and related merchandise. The firm's practice also includes extensive work in the areas of copyright, trademark, character merchandising and other licensing activities. The firm has filed amicus briefs on behalf of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) and Recording Industry of America Association (RIAA).

INSURANCE

LP&S is one of the leading firms in the entertainment insurance field, representing several of the principal underwriters for the entertainment industry. This complex field involves the review of scripts or manuscripts for plays, books, films, motion pictures, television programs and docudramas, and requires a specialized knowledge of copyright, trademark, privacy and defamation law. In addition, LP&S represents insurance carrier underwriters in evaluating coverage issues when claims are tendered for defense and indemnity, and LP&S represents insurance carriers when they are charged with or sued for alleged bad faith denial of coverage obligations. LP&S also is frequently called upon by insurance carriers to defend insureds against covered claims.

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