Production & Development
The full deal lifecycle from pitch to production. Option and purchase agreements, first-look and overall deals, development and production services agreements, co-production and co-financing structures, and guild signatory and compliance work across WGA, SAG-AFTRA, DGA, and IATSE. Eric has negotiated these agreements at every stage, from a writer's first TV deal to multi-party co-productions with major studios and international partners. You get someone who knows what each side is really asking for, and why.
IP Rights & Licensing
From book-to-screen and life rights acquisitions to franchise development, merchandising, and anti-piracy enforcement. Eric structures IP deals that protect value across all windows, formats, and distribution platforms, not just for the deal in front of you, but for the deals that follow. Work in this area includes literary adaptations, underlying rights for scripted drama, kids and family IP licensing, branded entertainment partnerships, and trademark strategy.
Creator Counsel
The creator economy is producing real, valuable IP, and studios are coming to acquire it. The problem is that most creators don't have a lawyer who understands both worlds. Eric works with creators navigating their first studio or streaming deal, structuring co-production partnerships with production companies, and protecting their rights as shortform IP crosses into longform development. He has been the studio in these negotiations. Now he works for you.
Services include: first studio and streaming deal review and negotiation, creator-to-production company partnership agreements, shortform-to-longform adaptation structuring, brand partnership and sponsored content agreements, and YouTube and social platform deal review.
Distribution & Licensing
Domestic and international distribution agreements, streaming and SVOD licensing, output deals, and residuals and participation oversight.
Fractional GC / Outside Corporate Counsel
Monthly retainer-based general counsel services for production companies and entertainment businesses that need executive-level legal thinking without a full-time VP of Legal. This is how most small and mid-size production companies should structure their legal function and it is significantly more cost-effective than either a big-firm relationship or a premature in-house hire. Eric has built and run legal departments from the inside. He knows what good looks like.
Scope includes: corporate governance, trademark registration and enforcement, employment matters, vendor agreements, legal operations oversight, and cross-functional deal management.