Minutes of the 9/7/05 Meeting of the Entertainment Executive Committee

In attendance:

Dave Bortman davesq@earthlink.net
Miles Feldman miles@brownewoods.com
Ken Freundlich kfreundlich@earthlink.net
Pamela Forster pamelaforster@earthlink.net
Joel Grossman joel@grossmanmediation.com
Helen Kang hkang@sheppardmullin.com
Leigh Leshner venturepwb@aol.com
Susan Pollyea susan.pollea@sbcglobal.net 
Susan Rabin srabin@spattorney.com
Caroline Raufi craufi@stroock.com
Marissa Roman mroman@akingump.com
Joe Schleimer schleimerlaw@msn.com
Marc Staenberg mstaenberg@bhba.org 
Cole Sternberg coles@grammy.com

The meeting was CALLED TO ORDER at approximately 8:45 AM.

Ken Freundlich served as chairperson of the meeting.

There was no READING OF THE MINUTES of the last meeting.

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

The upcoming panels and other events were discussed.

JULY AND AUGUST

Marc Staenberg applauded Ex Comm. for organizing two very successful summer programs and based on the high attendance of this summer’s events, he urged the committee to continue scheduling programs during summer months.

SEPTEMBER 21, 2005
Marissa Roman reported that the panelists had reconfirmed their attendance and that there would be a comprehensive, advanced, and practical (to cover the basics) discussion of completion bond issues. She pointed out that in the wake of hurricane Katrina many producers were rethinking their views on the role of completion guarantors.

OCTOBER 19, 2005
Peter Baghdassarian and Miles Feldman finalized the panelists and the topic for the program. The chosen topic is how to make sure that your agreements stand up in litigation. Peter was not present but had e-mailed Marissa regarding the names of the panelist: Bruce Isaacs and Jerry Margolis, both partners at Manatt Phelps & Philips, Darren Trattner, partner at Wyman & Isaacs, and Dixon Dern, a sole practitioner. Miles will moderate. Peter and Miles are working on gathering materials for the program. Miles is considering having his firm sponsor the program and place an ad in the Hollywood Reporter.

NOVEMBER 16, 2005
Joe Schleimer and Caroline Raufi will organize a panel regarding the regulation of managers and agents. Managers are currently unregulated but the panel will consider the question of whether they should be. Panelists will include representatives from a talent agency and a manager (preferably one who is also a lawyer). Also included on the panel will be a lawyer familiar with these issues (e.g. Alan Grodsky or Karen Stuart). Joe to moderate.

DECEMBER 21, 2005
Joel Grossman to organize a panel regarding alternative dispute resolutions. Are you perceived to be a wimp if you propose ADR? The panel will also discuss personal jurisdiction issues, among others relative topics.

JANUARY
Ex Comm. to organize a 3-hour evening program. Proposed topics: (a) litigation year in review, (b) guilds, (c) ethics substance abuse, and (d) state of the industry in light of technological advances. Cole Sternberg suggested Harold Owens for the substance abuse panel and volunteered to organize that panel. Marissa volunteered to organize state of the industry panel. The remaining topic and details about the event TBD.

FEBRUARY 2006
Leigh Leshner will organize a panel regarding film production issues.
MARCH 2006
Pam Forster to organize a panel. Topic TBD.

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KEN FREUNDLICH THANKS COMMITTEE
Ken thanked everyone for their support and hard work during his term as Co-Chair of the section. He recounted the year’s events and remarked on its successes. He urged everyone on the committee to get more involved and to organize at least one panel next year since he found doing so to be very rewarding. Ken will remain on the committee and was elected to serve on the BHBA Board of Governors next year. He will be organizing the BHBA 75th Anniversary event in 2006 and welcomed volunteers to join him in making it a great event.

E-NEWSLETTER
Alex Fisher of Emory Law School addressed the committee to propose an entertainment law electronic newsletter published on a quarterly basis. Ex Comm. will oversee the project. Helen Kang and Cole Sternberg will edit with Marissa’s comments as well.

NEW MEMBERS
Joel Grossman, sole practitioner.
Helen Kang at Sheppard Mullin.

FUTURE EXCOM MEETINGS

The September meeting took place on September 7, 2005 (on the regular meeting date of the first Wednesday of the month). There was no August meeting. The October meeting will take place on October 5, 2005.

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There being no further business to discuss, the meeting ADJOURNED at approximately 9:50 AM.