From the leading video game publishers and software companies to television networks and movie studios, sports leagues, record labels, Internet companies and talent, Covington delivers sophisticated, full-service and multi-faceted representation to a wide range of entertainment industry clients.
As digital content, technologies and distribution platforms create new opportunities and challenges, Covington is there to help, with a unique understanding of the issues and a commitment to finding novel solutions to the most complex problems. When competitors clash, our seasoned litigators can help carry the day with savvy advice and counsel. As industries consolidate or new partners collaborate, our broad transactional expertise can ensure that the deal gets done smoothly. And in a time of ever-increasing government oversight of content and technology issues, both domestically and abroad, Covington is unparalleled in its ability to guide its clients through the legislative and regulatory minefields.
From our offices in San Francisco, New York, Washington, London and Brussels, our Digital Media and Entertainment practice encompasses multiple disciplines. Whether handling contract negotiations on cutting-edge content licenses and joint ventures or wrestling with the thorniest of intellectual property disputes, Covington is tuned in and ready to help.
Representative Matters
- Electronic Arts in its acquisition of a 19.9% stake in French game company Ubisoft Entertainment, in a transaction requiring the participation of multiple Covington offices on various corporate, antitrust and international issues.
- Sony BMG Music Entertainment in an ongoing class action lawsuit brought by the Allman Brothers Band and Cheap Trick on behalf of all artists whose contracts pre-date the era of digital downloaded music. Sony BMG pays the artists under the applicable royalty rate for album sales at brick-and-mortar record stores, while the artists claim that Sony BMG should be paying a much greater royalty rate for downloaded music.
- Microsoft, Yahoo!, Google, eBay, Amazon.com, and Interactive Corp. on Net Neutrality and related broadband policy issues in the US and with respect to the EU’s current review of its communications regulatory frameworks.
- The National Football League in negotiating its $18 billion eight-year programming agreements with ABC, CBS and Fox Television, its interactive media rights/online cross-promotion and marketing agreement with AOL, CBS and Sportsline.com, and its international content distribution deal with Yahoo!
Accolades
- Chambers USA, leading Media and Entertainment practice, 2006-2007.
- Our partners have significant experience outside of the practice ─ for example, on Capitol Hill, where they were deeply involved in the development of telecommunications legislation, and in the executive suites of major and highly visible media companies.
- Our partners have over the years held leadership positions in major associations in the media field ─ including the Federal Communications Bar Association, the International Radio and Television Society Foundation, the Media Institute and the Media Law Resource Center.
- A Covington partner has recently served as president of the Defense Council Section of the Media Law Resource Center, the national organization of media defense attorneys, and as president of the First Amendment Advisory Council of the Media Institute.
- Covington partners are listed in Best Lawyers in America for 2006 for First Amendment and media law.
- A Covington partner received the Sprague Award and the President’s Medal from the National Press Photographers Association for service to the First Amendment.
- Covington is the only law firm member of the San Francisco Digital Media Advisory Council, a consortium of media, technology, and entertainment leaders aimed at promoting the continued development of the digital media industry in the San Francisco Bay Area.
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