Sports and Entertainment

Bell Nunnally represents clients in various areas and genres of the arts, including music, film, television, radio, theatre, visual arts, literary publishing, amateur and professional athletics, and interactive media. From film production agreements to celebrity endorsement contracts, our sound business advice, experienced negotiation and vigorous advocacy protect our clients’ interests.

Bell Nunnally's music attorneys are among the most nationally and internationally well-respected in the region. We have represented some of the world's foremost recording artists, songwriters, performers, producers and personal managers. We serve as counsel to music publishing, recording and production companies; digital distributors of music; talent agencies and promoters.

Our attorneys are adept at forming record labels, publishing companies and production companies, as well as artist loan-out companies and intra-group agreements. We also utilize significant resources to ensure that our client's copyrights, trademarks and other proprietary rights are protected and enforced.

Bell Nunnally's attorneys handle all aspects of film and television production, financing and distribution. We have experience serving as legal counsel to movie exhibition and distribution companies, independent film companies, and production companies with respect to negotiating development/production agreements and other agreements, as well as creating production entities and commercial contracts. We have assisted these clients with various forms of financing agreements and completion guarantors on both a picture-by-picture and multi-picture basis. We also represent the legal, business and personal interests of numerous producers, performers, writers, directors, managers and other talent and entrepreneurs in both film and television.

Bell Nunnally attorneys have represented media outlets including newspapers, magazines and traditional, as well as web-based, broadcasters in a variety of matters. Our experience includes:

• Advertising and political advertising
• Reality shows and contests
• Copyright and trademark infringement
• Publishing contracts
• Broadcasting contracts
• On-air talent agreements
• FCC and regulatory compliance
• Freedom of Information and open records requests

Bell Nunnally’s sports lawyers have worked with amateur and professional athletes (such as professional boxers; football, basketball and baseball players; and U.S. Olympians), coaches, league franchises, broadcasters, sponsors, and promoters with respect to the unique legal issues related to various matters. We also assist other attorneys, agents and executives by supplementing their services and knowledge and, in turn, strengthening their relationships with their clients. Taking a full-service approach to sports franchises, talent and properties, our work includes:

• Contract analysis, drafting and negotiation
• Contract enforcement and dispute resolution
• Endorsement and sponsorship deals
• Intellectual property licensing, including broadcast and merchandising rights
• Merchandising licenses, branded media and sponsor-funded productions

The firm’s advertising attorneys represent clients involved in all aspects of advertising and marketing, including advertising and media placement agencies, as well as promotional and entertainment companies. We draft and negotiate agency and talent agreements and releases, as well as sponsorship and endorsement deals. In addition, we license music and other proprietary rights, develop joint promotion agreements and provide a myriad of related services to ensure our clients’ products and services comply with all applicable regulations before being presented to the public. We advise clients with respect to:

• Unfair competition
• False advertising
• Regulatory matters
• Copyrights
• Trademarks
• Comparative advertising
• Prizes, giveaways and sweepstakes
• Labeling
• Claim substantiation
• Federal Trade Commission (FDC) compliance
• Federal Communications Commission (FCC) compliance
• Telemarketing, email and fax laws
• Children’s advertising
• Internet advertising
• Political advertising
• Industry-specific and other applicable regulations

Our focus is on the protection and commercialization of our clients’ technology, including assisting them with the purchase, sale, development and licensing of their work. We counsel and advise early stage and growth-oriented technology owners and developers in licensing their proprietary technology, evaluating and negotiating development and joint venture agreements, and protecting their ownership rights. Our work includes:

• Technology, software, and merchandise licensing, commercial transactions and internet law
• Rights to license, own, use and protect proprietary technology, intellectual property
• Celebrity rights of publicity
• Agreements governing the license, development, manufacture and sale of products containing proprietary technology, trademarks, celebrity likenesses, content and digital rights
• Internet law issues, including current legislation governing privacy rights, Federal Trade Commission (FTC) enforcement of the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), and the CAN-SPAM Act
• Web hosting, development, subscription and web-based license agreements
• Internet user terms and privacy policies
• Commercial manufacturing, supply and procurement agreements
• Consumer product warranties, owner manuals and related materials for FTC compliance