A full-service transactional law firm providing counsel to individuals and companies throughout the entertainment and media industries.
Sloss Eckhouse Dasti Haynes LawCo LLP is a full-service transactional law firm providing counsel to individuals and companies throughout the entertainment and media industries. Using our in-depth industry knowledge, exemplary lawyering and strong relationships, we are committed to providing our clients with the guidance and advocacy they need to succeed.
Founded over 30 years ago as a boutique law firm servicing the independent film community, the Firm now represents clients across the motion picture, television, new media and music industries, including writers, directors, actors, authors, producers, episodic creators (for television, streaming and podcast series), animators, VR filmmakers, musicians and songwriters, as well as production companies, distributors, financiers, foundations, sales agents, publishers, record companies and music publishers.
Our attorneys have extensive experience in the entertainment industry and we regularly advise our clients on all aspects of the life cycle of their projects, from development and financing through production and, ultimately, sales and distribution, with an emphasis on client-centered, practical solutions to a wide array of legal and business issues arising in both narrative and documentary productions.
Talent Representation:
We represent the industry’s premiere creative talent, including directors, writers (including screenwriters and authors), animators, producers, showrunners, and on-camera talent. We guide our clients through the myriad legal issues they encounter with studios, networks, production companies and agencies throughout their careers. Working closely with a client’s other professional advisors on all matters, we evaluate, structure and negotiate services and rights agreements, first look and overall deals, commercial endorsements, sponsorships, merchandising and licensing agreements.
Narrative and Documentary Feature Films, Television and New Media:
We assist our clients in acquiring necessary rights for development projects and navigating complex relationships among multiple partners. We structure and negotiate independent and studio development and financing agreements, option/purchase and writer agreements, production services agreements and co-production and collaboration agreements. We serve as production counsel for select motion picture, television, new media and virtual reality productions created by our clients domestically and around the world, including both scripted and unscripted projects. These productions range in budget level from independently-financed documentaries to $50 million-plus theatrical features with studio distribution. We assist clients with negotiating above-the-line talent deals, forming production entities, obtaining guild and union clearance, advising on clearance issues, handling day-to-day production issues and delivering projects to distributors.
Financing and Distribution:
We advise our clients on how best to creatively structure and execute their financing and distribution plans for projects at all budget levels, including negotiating and documenting equity, debt, tax credit and fiscal sponsor agreements, as well as completion guarantees, collection account management agreements, domestic and foreign sales agency agreements and all forms of distribution agreements across all media with global studios, indie distributors and all major streaming platforms.
Music:
Our music practice supports artists and institutional clients, including musicians, songwriters, record labels, publishers and media companies. We negotiate a wide array of deals and regularly advise our clients on recording, publishing, management, distribution and live performance agreements, in addition to overseeing the resolution of disputes such as copyright infringement and royalty claims.