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    Entertainment & Sports Law

Entertainment & Sports Law

Corporate M&A - Entertainment & Sports Law - website - banner - image

Overview

Whether it's music, television, film, theatre, fine art, book publishing, video games, sports, e-sports or the metaverse/NFTs, we know what it takes to protect and market your talent and content in a field that's full of competition and opportunity. By leveraging the experience of our top-ranked professionals, we help entertainment and sports businesses and talent achieve their desired outcomes – from securing the best deals to winning contentious disputes.

Maximizing the value of your creative works and talent

Because Gowling WLG is a global leader in intellectual property (IP) law, we'll work with you to defend your IP protected works and ensure you're well-positioned to commercialize your rights. Our reputation as the trusted ESL law firm is supported by our experience working internationally with musicians, actors, professional athletes, sports teams and organisations, record labels, film and television producers, production companies, managers, agents, publishers and charities across all entertainment and sports media.

Growing your business and commercializing your content

We serve as key advisers to our clients, applying our talent and connections to help them grow and succeed in the ever-changing entertainment and sports markets. Understanding that your goals and needs are unique, we can assist on a diverse array of legal matters, including commercial transactions such as negotiating and drafting production agreements, talent agreements, licensing agreements, record deals and merchandising arrangements; finance and investments; employment issues; sponsorship negotiation; real estate transactions; estate planning; personality rights; and more.

Resolving your complex disputes

From arbitration and litigation to negotiation and mediation, we have the high-level experience needed to resolve – and help you avoid – even the most contentious disputes in the entertainment and sports worlds. Our lawyers have appeared before all levels of courts and tribunals, representing clients on numerous cases ranging from civil and commercial disputes for large entertainment and sports organizations to litigation relating to licensing and sponsorship. 

Team Canada

We are proud to have served as the official legal adviser to Commonwealth Games Canada during the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, UK.

 

Whether it's music, television, film, theatre, fine art, book publishing, video games, sports, e-sports or the metaverse/NFTs, we know what it takes to protect and market your talent and content in a field that's full of competition and opportunity. By leveraging the experience of our top-ranked professionals, we help entertainment and sports businesses and talent achieve their desired outcomes – from securing the best deals to winning contentious disputes.

Maximizing the value of your creative works and talent

Because Gowling WLG is a global leader in intellectual property (IP) law, we'll work with you to defend your IP protected works and ensure you're well-positioned to commercialize your rights. Our reputation as the trusted ESL law firm is supported by our experience working internationally with musicians, actors, professional athletes, sports teams and organisations, record labels, film and television producers, production companies, managers, agents, publishers and charities across all entertainment and sports media.

Growing your business and commercializing your content

We serve as key advisers to our clients, applying our talent and connections to help them grow and succeed in the ever-changing entertainment and sports markets. Understanding that your goals and needs are unique, we can assist on a diverse array of legal matters, including commercial transactions such as negotiating and drafting production agreements, talent agreements, licensing agreements, record deals and merchandising arrangements; finance and investments; employment issues; sponsorship negotiation; real estate transactions; estate planning; personality rights; and more.

Resolving your complex disputes

From arbitration and litigation to negotiation and mediation, we have the high-level experience needed to resolve – and help you avoid – even the most contentious disputes in the entertainment and sports worlds. Our lawyers have appeared before all levels of courts and tribunals, representing clients on numerous cases ranging from civil and commercial disputes for large entertainment and sports organizations to litigation relating to licensing and sponsorship. 

Team Canada

We are proud to have served as the official legal adviser to Commonwealth Games Canada during the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, UK.

 

Related experience

200213-cheaters-gamers-esports

Overactive Media Group Inc.

Overactive Media Group Inc.

Counsel to the eSports team Toronto Defiant and related ownership group Overactive Media Group Inc., in being successfully awarded a professional eSports team in the Overwatch League.
180619-music-industry-inclusion-rider

peermusic

peermusic

Counsel to peermusic, the world's largest global independent music publishing company, on its acquisition of Canada-based Premier Muzik, France-based All Right Music and Netherlands-based Global Master Rights to form the global independent leader in music neighbouring rights management.
201106-business-people-reviewing-agreement-term

National Arts Centre

National Arts Centre

Counsel to the National Arts Centre with respect to copyright, licensing, rights management, and acquisition and agreement negotiation surrounding their live multimedia productions, as well as to NAC's National Creation Fund.
200213-cheaters-gamers-esports

Overactive Media Group Inc.

Overactive Media Group Inc.

Counsel to the eSports team Toronto Defiant and related ownership group Overactive Media Group Inc., in being successfully awarded a professional eSports team in the Overwatch League.
180619-music-industry-inclusion-rider

peermusic

peermusic

Counsel to peermusic, the world's largest global independent music publishing company, on its acquisition of Canada-based Premier Muzik, France-based All Right Music and Netherlands-based Global Master Rights to form the global independent leader in music neighbouring rights management.
201106-business-people-reviewing-agreement-term

National Arts Centre

National Arts Centre

Counsel to the National Arts Centre with respect to copyright, licensing, rights management, and acquisition and agreement negotiation surrounding their live multimedia productions, as well as to NAC's National Creation Fund.
200213-cheaters-gamers-esports

Overactive Media Group Inc.

Overactive Media Group Inc.

Counsel to the eSports team Toronto Defiant and related ownership group Overactive Media Group Inc., in being successfully awarded a professional eSports team in the Overwatch League.
180619-music-industry-inclusion-rider

peermusic

peermusic

Counsel to peermusic, the world's largest global independent music publishing company, on its acquisition of Canada-based Premier Muzik, France-based All Right Music and Netherlands-based Global Master Rights to form the global independent leader in music neighbouring rights management.
201106-business-people-reviewing-agreement-term

National Arts Centre

National Arts Centre

Counsel to the National Arts Centre with respect to copyright, licensing, rights management, and acquisition and agreement negotiation surrounding their live multimedia productions, as well as to NAC's National Creation Fund.
200213-cheaters-gamers-esports

Overactive Media Group Inc.

Overactive Media Group Inc.

Counsel to the eSports team Toronto Defiant and related ownership group Overactive Media Group Inc., in being successfully awarded a professional eSports team in the Overwatch League.

Awards & recognition

We are recognized as a "leading" law firm for our work in the entertainment and sports law fields by several legal directories, including Chambers Canada, Legal 500 Canada and Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory.
Susan Abramovitch, leader of our Entertainment and Sports Law Group has also been named as a leading lawyer in all those directories as well as in The Best Lawyers in Canada and Who's Who Legal, which ranked her as one of the world's top entertainment lawyers.

Key contacts

Susan Abramovitch

Susan H. Abramovitch

Partner

Head - Entertainment & Sports Law Group

Toronto
View our team
Corporate M&A - Entertainment & Sports Law - in-page

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Gowling WLG is an international law firm comprising the members of Gowling WLG International Limited, an English Company Limited by Guarantee, and their respective affiliates. Each member and affiliate is an autonomous and independent entity. Gowling WLG International Limited promotes, facilitates and co-ordinates the activities of its members but does not itself provide services to clients. Our structure is explained in more detail on our Legal Information page.

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