Universally recognized as one of the nation’s leading advertising, marketing, branding, and public relations practices, we have again been selected by all of the independent ratings services as the very top of the field. To keep up with changes in advertising and marketing law, please visit our blog.
OUR CLIENTS
We advise some of the world’s best-known brands, including leading consumer products, travel, fashion, finance, media, and entertainment companies. We also represent over 100 advertising agencies of all sizes, and many of the leading commercial production companies and marketing and communications firms.
CLIENT BENEFITS
For over 40 years we have provided full-service advertising and marketing counsel and advice. Working with our equally well-regarded Entertainment Group, we are well placed to advise advertisers and agencies on how to adapt their agreements and business models to new media and emerging technologies. We advise on how to create cutting-edge marketing communications that avoid infringement claims and regulatory problems.
Manage Risk
Effective advertising often means edgy creative executions, and our clients depend on us to help them identify which business risks are acceptable and which are not.
Prepare Agreements
We negotiate, draft, and revise agency-client, barter, promotion, talent, music, licensing, production, and sales agreements.
License and Acquire Rights
We help clients determine when and how to license music, talent, and other rights for use in marketing communications, and whether to acquire ownership, and we advise on obtaining adequate indemnification and insurance.
Approve Names and Trademarks
We review, develop, register, and protect product names, logos, taglines, and other trademarks.
Substantiate Claims
We identify advertising claims requiring substantiation, help clients to assemble proper substantiation evidence, and draft necessary disclosures.
Use Social Media
As advertisers continue to expand into social media, we help them to comprehend changing terms of use and assess FTC and FCC enforcement in the evolving regulatory landscape.
Plan Branded Entertainment and Native Advertising Strategies
We counsel clients seeking to create entertainment properties or align their marketing campaigns with entertainment properties, and we regularly advise on native advertising and other custom content.
Create Promotions
We regularly advise on sweepstakes, skill contests, giveaways, coupons, rebates, and other promotions.
Video Games
We regularly work with advertisers utilizing video games to advance campaigns.
Privacy
We help advertising agencies and brands comply with privacy regulations.
Deploy “Viral” Advertising
We are proud to have advised on some of the industry’s most storied “viral” campaigns, and we frequently counsel clients on the pros and cons of employing user-generated content and “word of mouth” approaches.
Obtain Network Clearance
We help clients clear their work through broadcast networks and get it on the air.
Handle Regulatory Matters and Disputes
We help clients comply with all government and industry rules and regulations, and we bring and defend challenges before the Federal Trade Commission, State Attorneys General, the National Advertising Division, the National Advertising Review Board, the Children’s Advertising Review Unit, Departments of Consumer Affairs, and other regulatory bodies. We regularly advise on comparative advertising and other disputes between competitors.
Set Up Compliance Plans
We provide training sessions for in-house legal and marketing departments, and we help clients set up advertising compliance plans and legal review procedures.
Resolve Guild Issues
We help advertisers and producers follow Screen Actors Guild and Directors Guild of America rules and contracts, and we advise on audits and disagreements.
Negotiate Compensation Packages
We recommend strategies for negotiating with and keeping key employees, and we structure competitive bonus, equity, stock option, severance, and other compensation packages for high-level executives.
Structure M&A
We have helped negotiate and structure over 100 mergers and sales of advertising, public relations, and promotion agencies and consultancies.
PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
We regularly speak at conferences produced by the American Association of Advertising Agencies, the Brand Activation Association, the Association of National Advertisers, the Association of Independent Commercial Producers, the Global Advertising Lawyers Alliance, the Art Directors Club, the Ad Club of New York, the American, New York State, and New York City Bar Associations, and all industry groups. We are proud to teach at Columbia, Harvard, NYU, Penn, and other schools.
