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2026 Institute on Entertainment Law and Business

Agenda

Friday, October 9 | Los Angeles, CA

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View the conference sessions below to plan your Institute on Entertainment Law and Business experience.

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Meet the Speakers

Speakers List

Institute on Entertainment Law and Business Sessions

Session access will be provided by the Beverly Hills Bar Association.

Registration and Continental Breakfast

Availability:
Oct 09, 2026 @ 07:30 AM (PDT)
Duration:
8 Hours 50 Minutes
Speaker:
Credits:
N/A
Launch Viewer

Welcome and Introductions

Availability:
Oct 09, 2026 @ 08:50 AM (PDT)
Duration:
10 Minutes
Speaker:
Credits:
N/A
Launch Viewer

The Industry: Trends, Fads and Transformation

Availability:
Oct 09, 2026 @ 09:00 AM (PDT)
Duration:
1 Hour
Speaker:
Jeffrey Cole — CEO, Center for the Digital Future, USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism
Credits:
Total Credits: 1.0 MCLE , 60 CPE
Short Description:
Institute favorite, Jeffrey Cole, will share insights from his ongoing studies tracking current trends in entertainment. The industry is buzzing with activity in M&A and industry adjustments that will affect the entertainment legal practice. Hear how the major players have evolved, where streaming deals may be headed, and what lies on the horizon in entertainment.
Launch Viewer

Morning Networking Break #1

Availability:
Oct 09, 2026 @ 10:00 AM (PDT)
Duration:
20 Minutes
Speaker:
Credits:
N/A
Launch Viewer

Everything Everywhere All at Once: A Global Snapshot of AI Regulation for the Entertainment Industry

Availability:
Oct 09, 2026 @ 10:20 AM (PDT)
Duration:
1 Hour
Speaker:
Bobby Ghajar — Partner, Cooley LLP | Felix Hilgert — Partner, Osborne Clarke | Elvis Stumbergs — Managing Counsel, Privacy, Electronic Arts Inc. | Jim Gatto — Partner & Co-Leader, AI, Robotics and Quantum Industry Team, Sheppard
Credits:
Total Credits: 1.0 MCLE , 60 CPE
Short Description:
Governments are playing catch-up with AI, implementing new ideas on how to regulate this innovative industry. This increases legal, ethical, and reputational risk for talent and entertainment companies operating in the U.S., and globally. This session reviews major global regulatory and litigation developments affecting AI development, training, and use, particularly where biometrics, identity/likeness, copyright, and disclosure obligations intersect with synthetic or AI-assisted content. Panelists will highlight key regulators, common enforcement triggers, and how expectations are emerging in key territories through guidance, investigations, and lawsuits. Attendees will leave with practical insight to allocate risk and support responsible innovation within the entertainment industry.
Launch Viewer

Morning Networking Break #2

Availability:
Oct 09, 2026 @ 11:20 AM (PDT)
Duration:
20 Minutes
Speaker:
Credits:
N/A
Launch Viewer

The Changing Landscape of Rights Deals

Availability:
Oct 09, 2026 @ 11:40 AM (PDT)
Duration:
1 Hour
Speaker:
Jordan Moblo — Executive Vice President, Creative Acquisitions & IP Management, Universal Studios Group | Sylvie Rabineau — Co-Head, Literary Packaging Department, WME | Briana Hill — Partner, Co-Chair of Media + Entertainment Group, Pryor Cashman
Credits:
Total Credits: 1.0 MCLE , 60 CPE
Short Description:
From bestselling books and hit video games to news stories and comic books, the race for compelling underlying source material has never been more competitive. This panel examines how rights deals are evolving as studios, creators, and rightsholders reassess ownership structures, navigate shifting leverage, and refine adaptation strategies in today’s rapidly changing media marketplace.
Launch Viewer

Morning Program Adjournment and Passing Period for Venue Transition

Availability:
Oct 09, 2026 @ 12:40 PM (PDT)
Duration:
10 Minutes
Speaker:
Credits:
N/A
Launch Viewer

Luncheon

Availability:
Oct 09, 2026 @ 12:50 PM (PDT)
Duration:
30 Minutes
Speaker:
Credits:
N/A
Launch Viewer

Keynote Presentation

Availability:
Oct 09, 2026 @ 01:20 PM (PDT)
Duration:
40 Minutes
Speaker:
Donna Langley — Chairman, NBCUniversal Entertainment | Bruce M. Ramer — Partner, Gang, Tyre, Ramer, Brown & Passman, Inc
Credits:
N/A
Short Description:
Join Donna Langley, Chairman of NBCUniversal Entertainment, for a 40-minute conversation with Bruce Ramer about the current landscape of the entertainment industry.
Launch Viewer

Passing Period

Availability:
Oct 09, 2026 @ 02:00 PM (PDT)
Duration:
10 Minutes
Speaker:
Credits:
N/A
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Alternative Facts: The Legacy of New York Times v. Sullivan and the Limits of Defamation Law

Availability:
Oct 09, 2026 @ 02:10 PM (PDT)
Duration:
1 Hour
Speaker:
Theodore J. Boutrous Jr. — Partner, Gibson Dunn | Erwin Chemerinsky — Dean and Jesse H. Choper Distinguished Professor of Law, UC Berkeley School of Law | Neville L. Johnson — Founding Partner, Johnson & Johnson, LLP | Franita Tolson — Dean and Carl Mason Franklin Chair in Law, USC Gould School of Law
Credits:
Total Credits: 1.0 MCLE , 60 CPE
Short Description:
In a time when free speech is coming under significant attack, this panel will explore the landmark Supreme Court case New York Times Co. v. Sullivan and its enduring impact on First Amendment law. Decided during the civil rights era, the ruling established the “actual malice” standard, requiring public officials to prove that defamatory statements were knowingly false or made with reckless disregard for the truth. By raising the bar for defamation claims the Court strengthened protections for investigative journalism and open debate on public issues. This discussion will examine the case’s historical context, its legal doctrine, and its continuing relevance and modern debates over press freedom, misinformation, and accountability.
Launch Viewer

Passing Period for venue transition

Availability:
Oct 09, 2026 @ 03:10 PM (PDT)
Duration:
10 Minutes
Speaker:
Credits:
N/A
Launch Viewer

All-Access, All-Rights? Legal & Business Realities of Creating Sports Docs and Docu Series (Concurrent Session)

Availability:
Oct 09, 2026 @ 03:20 PM (PDT)
Duration:
1 Hour
Speaker:
Jessica Boddy — Vice President, Head of Commercial Operations & Business Affairs, NFL Films | Andrina Davis — Head of Production, Original Sports Content, Prime Video | Marjorie C. Williams — Senior Vice President, Business Affairs, Paramount Sports Entertainment | Uri Fleming — Principal, Uri Fleming, Business and Legal Affairs, Inc.
Credits:
Total Credits: 1.0 MCLE , 60 CPE
Short Description:
Original sports programming (behind-the-scenes documentaries and docu-series built around teams, athletes, leagues, and events) sits at the crossroads of sports rights, entertainment production, and brand-driven distribution. This panel explores how deals are structured from development through worldwide exploitation, where the friction points arise, and how stakeholders manage risk while maintaining access.
Launch Viewer

The Popcorn is How Much? The Process and Economics of Theatrical Distribution (Concurrent Session)

Availability:
Oct 09, 2026 @ 03:20 PM (PDT)
Duration:
1 Hour
Speaker:
Linda Benjamin — Head of Business Affairs, Entertainment Content, IMAX | Eddie Gladbach — Senior Vice President, General Counsel & Secretary, AMC Theatres | Kevin Goetz — Founder & CEO, Screen Engine | Ilan Haimoff — Partner, GHJ
Credits:
Total Credits: 1.0 MCLE , 60 CPE
Short Description:
While under constant stress, theatrical distribution remains a lynchpin of the movie business. This panel will examine some of the nuts and bolts of theatrical distribution/marketing, discuss the economic model for studios and theaters, the evolution of the theatrical window and content at the multiplex, the importance of large-format/specialized screens and finally how theatrical distribution impacts the financial results for studios and participant talent.
Launch Viewer

I Have Been Accused of What? Allegations of Misconduct and Ramifications Thereof (Concurrent Session)

Availability:
Oct 09, 2026 @ 03:20 PM (PDT)
Duration:
1 Hour
Speaker:
Jonathan Anschell — Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer and Secretary, Mattel, Inc. | Mathew S. Rosengart — National Co-Chair, Media & Entertainment Litigation, Greenberg Traurig, LLP | Stanton "Larry" Stein — Partner, Head of Media & Entertainment Group, Russ August & Kabat
Credits:
Total Credits: 1.0 MCLE , 60 CPE
Short Description:
This panel examines the legal issues that arise when allegations of misconduct are made against talent, executives, and other entertainment industry professionals. Panelists will discuss how studios, networks, production companies, and record labels respond to allegations through internal investigations, suspensions, and contract terminations, as well as the interplay between civil litigation, criminal proceedings, and prosecutorial discretion. The panel will also analyze the key statutes and case law that shape these matters and provide practical guidance on advising clients through media scrutiny, crisis management, and reputation repair.
Launch Viewer

Adjournment

Availability:
Oct 09, 2026 @ 04:20 PM (PDT)
Duration:
05 Minutes
Speaker:
Credits:
N/A
Launch Viewer

Networking Reception

Availability:
Oct 09, 2026 @ 04:30 PM (PDT)
Duration:
1 Hour 30 Minutes
Speaker:
Credits:
N/A
Launch Viewer
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