Eight Covington Lawyers Named to Variety’s 2023 Legal Impact Report

Eight Covington Lawyers Named to Variety’s 2023 Legal Impact Report

April 19, 2023

LOS ANGELES / NEW YORK / WASHINGTON—Variety has named Covington lawyers Matt DelNero, Mike Hill, Mitch Kamin, Derek Ludwin, Adrian Perry, Robyn Polashuk, Neema Sahni, and Jonathan Sperling to its 2023 Legal Impact Report. Variety’s Legal Impact Report "profiles the top business lawyers working in entertainment and media."

In its feature, Variety notes Covington’s role in supporting media and entertainment industry clients on litigation, transactional, and regulatory matters - including advising Nexstar, Paramount Global, Universal Music, Warner Music, Sony Music Entertainment, TelevisaUnivision, Discovery, NFL, A+E Networks, Disney, ESPN, Major League Soccer, and the Los Angeles Clippers.

Matt is based in Covington’s Washington office and serves as co-chair of the firm’s Technology and Communication Regulation Practice Group, Entertainment and Media Industry Group and Diversity & Inclusion initiative. He represents creators, companies and investors in the media, telecom, and tech sectors before the FCC and other state and federal agencies. Prior to rejoining Covington in 2017, he worked in senior policy roles at the FCC, including in efforts to make broadband more available and affordable throughout the United States. This is Matt’s fourth consecutive year being named to Variety’s Legal Impact Report.

Mike is based in Covington’s New York office and advises media and technology companies and sports leagues, conferences, and teams in connection with a broad array of commercial and corporate transactions. He has extensive experience with complex television and video licensing and distribution agreements across broadcast, cable and streaming, with a particular focus on sports media rights agreements. This is Mike’s second consecutive year being named to Variety’s Legal Impact Report.

Mitch is based in Covington’s Los Angeles office and serves as co-chair of the firm’s Entertainment and Media Industry Group and Commercial Litigation Practice Group. His clients are leaders in the entertainment industry -- including major companies in television, music, sports, film, and gaming -- whom he represents in many of their most significant and sensitive matters. This is Mitch’s fourth consecutive year being named to Variety’s Legal Impact Report.

Derek is based in Covington’s Washington office and serves as co-chair of the firm’s Antitrust Litigation Practice Group and Sports Industry Group. He advises clients on high-stakes litigation, transactions, investigations, licensing and compliance issues. He has significant experience advising clients in structuring and securing regulatory clearance for major transactions, and is frequently sought out for guidance when clients are considering significant acquisitions, ventures, licensing arrangements, and other transactions with potential antitrust issues.

Adrian is based in Covington’s New York office and serves as co-chair of the firm’s Entertainment and Media Industry Group and Music Industry practice. He represents music, entertainment, and sports clients on matters involving emerging and innovative uses of technology, intellectual property, and data. A musician who has toured internationally and licensed his original music for film and television, Adrian brings significant experience in the entertainment industry to his legal practice. This is Adrian’s second consecutive year being named to Variety’s Legal Impact Report.

Robyn is based in Covington’s Los Angeles office and co-chair of the firm's Entertainment and Media Industry Group. She provides transactional and strategic advice on network and video programming distribution to leading studio, television and other media and technology companies around the world. Her work sits at the intersection of traditional and digital media, and focuses on the evolution of video distribution and consumption to new media and models. This is Robyn’s fourth consecutive year being named to Variety’s Legal Impact Report.

Neema is based in Covington’s Los Angeles office and co-chair of the firm's Music Industry practice and vice-chair of the Sports Industry Group. Through her work at the firm, and her prior experience in-house, she has developed a sophisticated understanding of the legal issues facing clients in the media and entertainment industries. This is Neema’s fourth consecutive year being named to Variety’s Legal Impact Report.

Jonathan is based in Covington’s New York office and chairs the firm’s Music Industry practice. He is a trial lawyer with over twenty-five years of experience and has represented record companies and publishers in some of the most significant disputes over distribution of content through new media. This is Jonathan’s second consecutive year being named to Variety’s Legal Impact Report.