Arent Fox Adds Media & Entertainment Litigator

LOS ANGELES — Arent Fox LLP is pleased to announce that Richard L. Charnley, a skilled trial lawyer and well-known media and entertainment attorney, has joined the firm’s nationally recognized Intellectual Property and Media & Entertainment practices as a partner in the firm’s Los Angeles office. Mr. Charnley brings extensive experience representing studios, television networks, and producers in a wide range of intellectual property and insurance matters. Drawing on his background in business and finance, he also works with lending institutions and title companies to provide representation on professional errors and omissions and investment issues.

“Richard has developed an extraordinary track record of success and delivered winning strategies in a broad range of entertainment-related cases that have made him in demand,” said California Managing Partner Robert C. O’Brien. “His ability to find the Achilles heel in an opponent’s case and persuade juries and judges to find in his clients’ favor has made him a fearsome adversary. Richard is a great addition to our litigation team and our Intellectual Property group, which has been named among the top practices in the US on a consistent basis.”

Recognized for his insight into the many issues that trigger lawsuits in the entertainment industry—from idea misappropriation to distribution rights to reality show ownership issues and from profit participation to violations of agreements and on-set safety issues—Mr. Charnley is frequently tapped by the media for legal commentary, including TheNew York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Hollywood Reporter, Vanity Fair, Entertainment Tonight, and Access Hollywood. The Hollywood Reporter has named him one of the Top 100 Most Powerful Entertainment Attorneys in the United States, and Chambers USA has honored him consistently as a leader in its Media and Entertainment section.

“Richard has been a standout media and entertainment lawyer for many years,” said Anthony V. Lupo. “Having Richard join our LA office will be a great asset for the firm’s television and movie studio clients and add to our already strong bench in New York and Washington, DC.” Mr. Lupo and partner Michael A. Grow are widely recognized as “go to” lawyers on the East Coast for television and movie studios, while nationally recognized partners Ross J. Charap and Paul M. Fakler lead the New York component of the firm’s practice. Mr. Charap’s practice is primarily transactional, while Mr. Fakler concentrates on litigation. Both are industry leaders in the digital music space, on cutting edge Internet issues, and represent artists, songwriters, music publishers, playwrights and media companies in litigation, transactional, and licensing matters.

Insurance carriers also rely on Mr. Charnley to defend clients in cases dealing with Buss issues, reservations and declinations, and to monitor cases for potential excess exposure. An accomplished presenter and author, he has been a featured speaker at RIMS International and a panelist for the American Bar Association Entertainment and Sports Forum. He also has published articles in Risk Magazine and Property & Casualty, as well as a number of legal trades.

After trying his hand at screen writing, Mr. Charnley graduated from Pepperdine University School of Law. Later, he was awarded a full fellowship at the Peter Stark Motion Picture Producers’ Program at the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts where he received a master’s degree in fine arts.

Arent Fox’s premier Media & Entertainment practice is a bet-the-company shop for television and movie studios and leading companies in the entertainment industry. The practice is comprised of seasoned attorneys experienced in transactional, regulatory, counseling, litigation, and royalty rate-setting matters across every segment of the media and entertainment industries.