Brent A. Turman

Sports and Entertainment

• Successfully fended off a request for preliminary injunction in a matter related to the music of a prominent deceased musical artist.
• Secured a jury verdict finding that the client was a partner in the entity that initially published the “Fifty Shades of Grey” trilogy books and a ruling that entitled the client to more than $13.2 million in royalties, interest and attorneys' fees.
• Obtained a $10.3 million summary judgment for an entity that loaned funds for the production of a feature film distributed by a major studio.
• Represented multiple university presses when approached to option film or television rights to books.

Intellectual Property Disputes

• Played crucial role in securing a unanimous defense verdict in favor of a manufacturer of downhole sand and gas separation products in a $4.5 million patent infringement suit.
• As lead briefing attorney, persuaded a federal judge to quash notice of deposition for a Fortune 50 CEO and dismiss claims for trademark infringement and business disparagement.

Business Disputes

• Secured the dismissal of all claims against a prosthodontist and his dental practice with a Chapter 27 Anti-SLAPP Motion to Dismiss.
• Secured the denial of an application for a temporary restraining order filed against a business intelligence consulting firm CEO.
• Represented, as part of a legal team, an LLC and one of its members in claims against a large, Chinese state-owned enterprise, as well as several of its "subsidiaries." In pursuing the arbitration claim, the team also defended its clients in two federal proceedings in the Northern District of Texas, one federal proceeding in the Northern District of California, one proceeding in the Delaware Court of Chancery, and one appeal to the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. The panel awarded the claimants more than $68 million (confirmed in 2018).
• Led the team that obtained multiple, favorable settlements on behalf of a campus safety and student conduct software provider against several public and private universities around the United States.
• Ensured that a claimant received $0 in future medical damages in arbitration involving alleged negligent supervision regarding an explosive device at the workplace.
• Obtained summary judgment for a large residential developer in a negligence action.
• Obtained summary judgment for a water park after oral argument, defeating the plaintiff's premises liability action.

• Named to the "40 & Under" list in the Benchmark Litigation Guide, 2025
• Named to "Best Lawyers Under 40 in Dallas" List, D Magazine, 2021–2024
• Selected by attorney peers for inclusion in Texas Super Lawyers Rising Stars^®, Thomson Reuters, 2017–2022
• Named to "Ones to Watch" List, The Best Lawyers in America^®, 2021
• Best Short Film, AutomaCon Short Film Festival, 2018
• Best Drama, Wildwood Film Festival, 2018
• Best Director, Universal Film Festival, 2014
• Eagle Scout

• Dallas Regional Chamber
  • Leadership Dallas Class, 2023
• State Bar of Texas
  • Entertainment & Sports Law Section, Former Chair
  • Texas State Bar College, Member
  • Entertainment Law Institute, Planning Committee Member, 2018, 2020-2024
• Greater East Dallas Chamber of Commerce
  • Executive Board, Legal Counsel
  • Economic Summit, Co-Chair, 2024
• American Bar Association Forum on the Entertainment & Sports Law Industries
  • Litigation Division, Member
• Highland Park United Methodist Church Day School
  • Advisory Board, Former Member
• Greater East Dallas Chamber of Commerce
  • Executive Board, Legal Counsel
• Texas Association of Motion Media Professionals
  • Former President
• Dallas Bar Association
  • Entertainment Art & Sports Law Section, Former Chair, 2016, 2023
• Women Texas Film Festival
  • Advisory Board, Former Member
• D Magazine Young Leaders Network
  • Member
• Dallas Producers Association
  • Producer Member
• SMU Meadows Alumni Advisory Council
  • Member
• Texas UIL Young Filmmakers Festival
  • Judge
• USA Film Festival
  • Judge

• “Chess and Checkers: Tips for Presenting an Expert Witness at Trial,” Dallas Bar Association Headnotes, author; November 1, 2024.
• “Perspectives: Where the buck might stop: Broker liability for lack of coverage on live-event COVID-19 cancellations,” Business Insurance Magazine, co-author; March 4, 2022.
• “Scarlett Johansson’s Disney Lawsuit Could Change How Actors Are Paid,” Backstage Magazine, quoted; August 25, 2021.
• “Biometrics in the COVID Era Workplace: Is Your Business Compliant?” D Magazine, co-author; November 19, 2020.
• “Pandemic brings bankruptcy, big losses to these two D-FW-based movie theater chains,” Dallas Morning News, quoted; November 2020.
• “Movie theaters in jeopardy as studios move blockbusters to 2021, audiences stay home,” CNBC, quoted; September 29, 2020.
• "The Effect of COVID-19 on Existing Litigation," Bell Nunnally Client Alert, co-author; May 20, 2020.
• "Emerging COVID-Specific Business Interruption Litigation Issues in Texas," Bell Nunnally Client Alert, co-author; May 8, 2020.
• "The Evolution of the Texas Anti-SLAPP Statute," Dallas Bar Association Headnotes, author; April 16, 2020.
• "Brief Intermission: A Preview of the Theater Business After COVID-19," Bell Nunnally Client Alert, author; March 30, 2020.
• "What Employers Need to Know About Using Biometric Technology," Dallas Business Journal, co-author; October 2, 2019.
• "How Changes in Texas Anti-SLAPP Statute Affect the Entertainment Industry," Entertainment Law & Finance, author; 2019.
• "The Right to Tweet," DBA Headnotes, author; May 2019.
• "Are Handshake Deals in the Entertainment Biz on Shaky Ground?" The Texas Lawbook, co-author; October 2018.
• "Are You in a Business Partnership and Don’t Know It?" Dallas Business Journal, author; June 2018.
• "Lifting the Veil on Sponsored Social Media Influencer Posts," Dallas Bar Association Headnotes, author; March 2018.
• "Defamation Mitigation Act Can Extend Deadlines Under the Texas Anti-SLAPP Statute," Texas Entertainment & Sports Law Newsletter; 2018.
• "Texas Film Commission Director Chops Down Machete's Allegations," Texas Entertainment & Sports Law Newsletter; 2015.
• "DIY Media Distribution: Eliminating the Middleman," Dallas Bar Association Headnotes; 2014.
• "Guilds and Unions in a Right-to-Work State," Entertainment Law Institute; 2014.

• "Bexar County 101" (how to try a case in San Antonio)," Bell Nunnally, presenter, December 10, 2024.
• "Anti-SLAPP Case Study: Dealing with Defamation, Business Disparagement, and Social Media,” 34th Annual Entertainment Law Institute (ELI), co-presenter; November 21, 2024.
• “Bright Lights, Big Opportunities: Best Bets in IP, Sports, and Entertainment Law,” American Bar Association Forum Annual Conference, panelist; November 14, 2024.
• "Ethics Lessons from Suits"
  • Birmingham Bar Association, presenter; October 31, 2024.
  • Texas General Counsel Forum, presenter; May 14, 2024
• "Ethics Lessons from HBO’s Succession"
  • UT Law CLE, presenter; October 4, 2024.
  • Southwest Association of Bank Counsel, presenter; April 25, 2024.
  • The Texas Association of Mediators Professional Development Conference, presenter; March 15, 2024.
  • American Bar Association's 45th Annual Conference - Forum on Entertainment and Sports Industries, co-presenter; October 6, 2023.
  • King County Bar Association; February 22, 2023.
  • New Orleans Bar Association’s Procrastinators’ Programs, Texas General Counsel Forum, Dallas Bar Association Bench Bar Conference, Louisville Bar Association, State Bar of Nevada, Birmingham Bar Association, Amarillo Area Bar Association, Dallas Association of Young Lawyers, multiple law firm litigation sections across the country; 2022.
• “Chatting ChatGPT,” 33rd Annual Entertainment Law Institute, co-presenter; November 9, 2023.
• "Astroworld Aftermath: Litigation and Its Impact on the Live Events Industry," Asian Pacific Interest Section of the State Bar of Texas Annual Conference and Celebration, co-presenter; April 28-29, 2023.
• "Astroworld Aftermath: Litigation and Its Impact on the Live Events Industry," Houston Bar Association Litigation Section, co-presenter; February 7, 2023.
• “Litigation Roundtable on the Depp v. Heard Trial,” Texas Bar 32nd Annual Entertainment Law Institute; November 10, 2022.
• “Protecting Your Company's Most Important Assets,” TechFW; September 20, 2022.
• "Astroworld Aftermath: Litigation and Its Impact on the Live Events Industry," Tarrant County Trial Lawyers Association, Collin County Bar Association, State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting and Dallas Bar Association; 2022.
• "What Kanye West Can Teach Us About Litigation," California Lawyers Association, Louisville Bar Association, Texas Association of Defense Counsel, Birmingham Bar Association, Mobile Bar Association Civil Litigation Section, Denton County Bar Association, New Mexico Trial Law Institute, New Orleans Bar Association Procrastinators Program, Dallas Bar Association Bench Bar Conference, Italian American Attorney Association of Los Angeles, Southern California Chinese Lawyers Association, Amarillo Area Bar Association, Corpus Christi Bar Association Young Lawyers, Memphis Bar Association Intellectual Property Section, District of Columbia Bar Litigation Community, Santa Monica Bar Association, State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting, State Bar of Nevada Entertainment Law Section, King County Bar Association (x2), New Orleans Bar Association (x3), Multnomah Bar Association, Dallas Association of Young Lawyers, Tarrant County Young Lawyers Association, New Orleans Bar Association, various law firm litigation sections; 2019–2022.
• "Litigation Psychology Podcast: Inspired by Kanye," Courtroom Sciences, Inc.; April 12, 2021.
• “Litigation Psychology Podcast: Storytelling in Litigation,” Courtroom Sciences, Inc.; 2021.
• “Litigating Partnership Disputes,” King County Bar Association, New Orleans Bar Association, Oklahoma Bar Association Litigation Section; 2019–2021.
• "The Future of Theatrical Exhibition," Entertainment Law Institute; 2021.
• "Combatting Sexual Harassment on Film Sets," Women Texas Film Festival; 2020.
• "Legal Issues Impacting the Live Event and Entertainment Industries in the Wake of COVID-19," State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting, Dallas Bar Association, Tarrant County Young Lawyers Association; 2020.
• "Using Social Media Evidence at Trial," SMU Dedman School of Law, guest lecture; 2019.
• "Litigation in the Film and Media Industries," University of Texas Arlington, guest lecture; 2019.
• "What Kanye Can Teach us About Litigation,” State Bar of Texas Podcast; 2019.
• "The State of the Art Law in Dallas," Dallas Bar Association, legal panel; 2019.
• “A Content Creator’s Guide to Staying out of the Courtroom: Defamation and Business Disparagement in Texas,” Entertainment Law Institute; 2018.
• “Obeying Terms of Use When Conducting Business on Social Media,” SMU Dedman School of Law, Guest Lecture; 2018.
• “Editing: Finding the Story and Editing Ethically,” Docu Fest, Legal Panel; 2018.
• “Legal Issues in Filmmaking,” Women Texas Film Festival, Legal Panel; 2018.
• “Top 10 Video Game Decisions: From Donkey Kong to eSports,” Texas State Bar Annual Meeting; 2018.
• “After the Handshake Deal: Proving What’s Not in Writing,” Austin Bar Association: Business, Corporate, & Tax Law Section; 2018.
• “Fifty Shades of Greed: A Case Study on Partnership by Conduct,” Entertainment Law Institute, Houston Bar Association; 2016–2017.
• “Art Law Roundtable,” Arts Counsel Texas, legal panel, 2017.
• “Success in the Screenwriting Business,” The Dallas Screenwriters Association, panelist; 2017.
• “Script to Screen: Legal Issues Relating to Filmmaking,” Arts Counsel Texas Lunch & Learn; 2017.
• "Entertainment Law Practitioners Panel," SMU Dedman School of Law SELA; 2017.
• “The Book of Sanctions: Enforcement of NCAA Bylaws,” Dallas Bar Association, legal panel; 2016.
• “Lights, Camera, Action: Legal Issues Affecting Film Festivals,” Dallas Bar Association, legal panel; 2016.
• “Why I Learned to Love Contracts,” Arts Counsel Texas Lunch & Learn; 2016.