On the record

When Norah (Gottfried) Weinstein ’02 and Matthew Belloni ’02 graduated from USC Law, few could have predicted the plot twists to come in their legal careers.

Both headed to jobs with firms they loved — Weinstein to Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom in New York and Belloni to Alschuler, Grossman, Stein & Kahan in Santa Monica, Calif. — and enjoyed the work they did. But when Weinstein transferred back to Skadden’s L.A. office, she was struck

Matthew Belloni and Norah Weinstein

by something: Despite the growing prominence of entertainment law in the legal landscape, no publication existed to keep entertainment lawyers apprised of the news that mattered most to them.

Having written for the Daily Californian during her undergraduate days at the University of California, Berkeley, Weinstein saw an opportunity. Working with the publisher of The Hollywood Reporter and with financial backing from THR’s parent company, Vnu, she put together a plan for The Hollywood Reporter, ESQ., an online publication dedicated to entertainment law in all its variations. Then she called Belloni, who had edited her work at the Daily Californian and had remained a friend ever since, and convinced him to come on board as editor.

“It was a unique opportunity to start something new, utilize our legal and our journalism backgrounds, and juggle issues we are interested in,” says Belloni, who practiced entertainment litigation under Larry Stein ’69. “It’s a risk, but we’re young. And it’s fun.”

And successful. The publication launched in June with a high-tech web site that includes a weekly interactive digital magazine, daily news and three searchable databases with details on case filings, attorney contacts and deal information. When it debuted, The Wall Street Journal Law Blog ran an entry headlined “Starstruck Law Blog Hearts The Hollywood Reporter ESQ.” and cheered the publication’s coverage and “nifty” software.

The publication tackles entertainment law in a broad way, covering legal news in everything from sports and fashion to movies, music and the Internet. Content is divided into seven primary categories: talent and studios, litigation, corporate, IPtech, labor, government and celebrity. Weekly features include a bylined opinion piece from an attorney or industry executive and a Q&A with an industry leader.

“We brought a lawyer’s mindset to this,” says Weinstein, THR ESQ.’s publisher. “We always try to include where a lawyer went to school, for instance, and their first job. Lawyers care about pedigree. And we want this to be by, for and about this community.”

As the entertainment industry converges with technology and media, the potential for THR ESQ.’s growth seems equally exponential. The publication’s dedicated staff is small — six people including Belloni and Weinstein — but one writer is based in New York, and they all work closely with The Hollywood Reporter’s staff to ensure global coverage of the entertainment industry.

“Partnering with The Hollywood Reporter changes the nature of what we’re doing from a local start-up to an immediately credible service with international resources,” says Weinstein. “We still work law firm hours, but being here and caring so much about everything we do — it’s all worthwhile.”

 -This story appeared in the Fall/Winter 2006 USC Law Magazine.