Steve Krone

practice areas

• entertainment transactions
• intellectual property
• entertainment & ip litigation

education

• University of Chicago Law School, J.D., 1992; With Honors
• The University of Chicago Law Review
• University of Southern California, A.B., Cinema-Television Production, 1988

legal expertise

• Representation of entertainment, media and convergence companies, financial institutions, investors and financiers, and individual creative artists and executives in connection with all aspects of the financing, development, production, acquisition, distribution and other exploitation of motion pictures, television programming, video games, music, online and other content, and related products and services. Intellectual property, copyright, non-copyright protection of ideas, privacy and celebrity publicity rights, defamation, and royalty and participation accounting.

representative matters

• In final stages of negotiation on a major co-financing deal between an existing media company and multiple film distributors to co-finance and co-market a slate of theatrical films.
• Regularly handle single and multi-title co-financing deals on behalf of film financiers.
• Structuring, negotiation and day-to-day management of $1.5 billion film production and P&A fund, and multi-picture co-financing arrangements with three major studios, on behalf of preeminent independent film production company.
• Lead negotiation and day-to-day management of business and legal affairs team responsible for literary rights options and acquisitions; writing, producing and directing agreements; production, distribution and finance arrangements; and other transactions in connection with over 50 major studio and independent film projects.
• Representation of film director/producer in connection with multi-picture overall deal with major studio valued in excess of $20 million.
• Negotiation of executive employment agreement valued in excess of $10 million on behalf of CEO of entertainment company.
• Representation of producer of multi-platform (live/on-line), major entertainment events, including negotiation of strategic alliances with a consortium of international media, sports, consumer electronics, gaming and lifestyle brands.
• Acquisition of movie, television and ancillary rights in classic French science fiction novel on behalf of independent producer, including analysis and risk assessment of complex chain-of-title.
• Supervision of production and distribution audits, and negotiation of settlements, in connection with over 30 major studio releases on behalf of independent production companies.

professional, business and civic affiliations

• Executive Committee, Los Angeles County Bar Association, Entertainment Law and Intellectual Property Section
• Advisory Board, StarGreetz

other career experience

• Director, Donald E. Biederman Entertainment and Media Law Institute and Professor of Law, Southwestern Law School (2010-2016)
• Visiting Professor, Chapman University School of Law and Dodge College of Film and Media Arts (2007-2010)
• President and COO, Village Roadshow Pictures Entertainment (1999-2006)
• Executive Vice President, Business & Legal Affairs, Village Roadshow Pictures Entertainment (1998-1999)
• Attorney, Gang, Tyre, Ramer & Brown (1994-1998)
• Law Clerk, Justice William J. Brennan, Jr. (and in the Chambers of Justice David H. Souter), Supreme Court of the United States (1993-1994)
• Law Clerk, Chief Judge Abner Mikva, U.S. Court of Appeals for D.C. Circuit (1992-1993)