2026 Entertainment and Media Law Conference — March 19, 2026

23rd Annual Entertainment & Media Law Conference on March 19, 2026, 1:15-7 p.m.

 

For 23 years, the Media Law Resource Center and Southwestern Law School have hosted an annual forum at which renowned experts discuss the most timely, important, and controversial topics in entertainment and media law. 

Thursday, March 19, 2026
1:15 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. PT
Southwestern Law School
4 MCLE Credits offered

Register to attend the 2026 MLRC Conference

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Schedule of Events

**More speakers to be added soon

12:30 p.m. — Check-in

Check in at our registration table in the Bullocks Wilshire lobby. 

1:00 p.m. — Welcome & Introductions

Opening remarks. 

1:15 - 2:15 p.m. — Advising Creators in the Artificial Intelligence Age

So, your client wants to use AI in an upcoming production. Maybe it’s for special effects, maybe it’s saving on background actors, maybe it’s resurrecting the dead. What questions should you ask and what issues should you raise? We’ll offer a practical guide to advising on these issues, including distributor and labor issues, copyrightability of AI outputs, client content used for AI training, what you need to know about international regulation of AI, and more.

  1. Panel One Speakers

    Robyn AronsonModerator — Robyn Aronson, Robyn Aronson Law, PC

    Prior to founding her own practice, Robyn was the head of business affairs for Disney+’s unscripted, documentary, and variety programming (both domestic and international), where she negotiated deals for features and series around the world. Previously, Robyn led the business and legal affairs team for Netflix’s original documentaries group: negotiating and drafting deals, managing production legal, and handling IP- and rights-related issues. 

    More recently, as a solo practitioner, Robyn has provided business and legal services on original series and features for Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, HBO Max, ESPN+, Paramount+, and Apple TV+.

    Lisa CallifLisa Callif, Donaldson Callif Perez 

    As a Founding Partner of Donaldson Callif Perez, Lisa Callif is the go-to attorney for all things clearance. Lisa specializes in representing independent producers and production companies in all aspects of content creation, including equity financing, production, and distribution with extensive experience in fair use, copyright, and personal rights issues.  

    Sarah Fowler

    Sarah Fowler, SAG-AFTRA

    Sarah Fowler is senior deputy general counsel at SAG-AFTRA, the union representing approximately 160,000 actors, announcers, broadcast journalists, dancers, DJs, news writers, news editors, program hosts, puppeteers, recording artists, singers, stunt performers, voiceover artists and other media professionals. She is an adjunct professor at Vanderbilt Law School and a lecturer in law at USC Gould School of Law, where she teaches a course on the intersection of labor law and the entertainment industry.

    Anke StrijbosAnke Strijbos, Brinkhof 

    Anke is a partner at Brinkhof and specializing in media, copyright and information law, with a particular focus on audiovisual rights, platform regulation and AI. She also has experience in privacy law and IT. Anke combines legal precision with a deep understanding of technological reality. The area of law she has registered at the Netherlands Bar is intellectual property.

    Damion Taylor Damion Taylor, Pyrforos Technologies 

    Damion Taylor is a Los Angeles-based media strategist, producer, and technology entrepreneur with more than 15 years of experience at the intersection of content creation and audience intelligence, including leadership roles at Warner Bros., Machinima, and New Form Entertainment. He is the Founder and President of Pyrforos Technologies, a media-focused software development company building creator-first AI tools, including the Zuba Media streaming platform and My Private AI, local private AI tool to protect copyright. A Contributing Writer for Forbes covering the relationship between artificial intelligence, Hollywood, and independent media, Damion brings a practitioner's perspective to AI — not in theory, but as it is actually being used in production, development, and distribution today. He holds an MBA in Marketing and Finance from the University of Notre Dame's Mendoza College of Business.

     

  2. Panel One CLE Materials

2:15 - 2:30 p.m. — Break

15 minute break. 

2:30 - 3:30 p.m. — Shifting Tides in Intellectual Property

We’re still weathering the fallout from Jack Daniel’s on trademark and right of publicity cases, and now Cox v. Sony could upend how media companies police copyright infringement online. And then there are the AI cases, the Ninth Circuit raising questions about substantial similarity, and so much else. Our panel of experts will discuss major decisions and cases to watch.

  1. Panel Two Speakers

    Jeff Hermes headshotModerator — Jeff Hermes, Media Law Resource Center

    Jeff Hermes currently serves as one of two Deputy Directors of the Media Law Resource Center, where he focuses on digital media law issues. Jeff previously served as the Director of the Digital Media Law Project at Harvard University's Berkman Center for Internet & Society, where he led multiple initiatives to provide free legal resources in response to the needs of independent journalists and online media ventures.  

    Dale CohenDale Cohen, UCLA School of Law

    Dale Cohen is Director of Documentary Film Legal Clinic at UCLA School of Law, where he leads a group of student-clinicians providing pro bono legal services to documentary filmmakers. He also teaches News Media Law in the Digital Age. His research interests include media, entertainment, and communications law.

    Dale also serves as Special Counsel to FRONTLINE, the award‐winning PBS documentary series where he counsels and leads the news team and producers on legal issues and ethical standards. His extensive experience as a media lawyer, litigator and news executive includes positions at Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, NPR, Cox Enterprises, Inc. and Tribune Company. Dale was also a litigation partner at the law firm of Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal (now Denton's) in Chicago.

    Rose EhlerRose Ehler, Munger Tolles & Olson

    Rose Leda Ehler is an experienced litigator, focused on high-stakes disputes for clients across the entertainment and tech industries. She has represented both plaintiffs and defendants in every stage of litigation, including bench and jury trials. She has particular expertise in copyright, trademark and defamation law.

    Her commitment to delivering exceptional legal services and achieving favorable outcomes for her clients has earned her accolades and a strong reputation with clients, colleagues and competitors. In 2025, Rose was ranked Band 4: Media & Entertainment: Litigation by Chambers USA.

    Aaron MossAaron Moss, Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP

    Aaron Moss is a partner in MSK’s Entertainment, Intellectual Property, and Litigation practice groups, where he represents the owners and users of creative content in copyright, trademark, right of publicity, idea submission, and contractual disputes. He has also successfully argued high-stakes First Amendment cases before district and appellate courts nationwide, defending media clients against defamation, invasion of privacy, and other attempts to restrain speech.

    A. J. ThomasA. J. Thomas, Jenner & Block

    A highly accomplished media and entertainment litigator, Andrew J. “A. J.” Thomas focuses his practice on copyright, trademark and right of publicity matters, First Amendment cases, and complex business disputes. A. J. has secured victories, some precedent-setting, in jury trials and appellate proceedings across the country for many of the world's largest media and entertainment companies, entertainers, publishers, and advertising agencies.

    He has litigated a variety of media, entertainment, and complex commercial cases and handled more than 50 appeals, representing clients in state and federal trial courts, circuit courts, and before the U.S. Supreme Court.

  2. Panel Two CLE Materials

3:30 - 3:45 p.m. — Break

15 minute break. 

3:45 - 4:45 p.m. — Breakout Discussions

We’re also bringing breakout sessions back to the Entertainment conference, with facilitators leading discussions on your choice of: Celebrity Defamation; Video Game Law; and Deals for Cheap, Fast, and Lucrative Online Content.

  1. Celebrity Defamation

    Jonathan SegalJonathan Segal, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

    Jonathan Segal is an attorney with a passion for digital and traditional media, who has worked on award-winning productions in film, television, and the interactive space. His practice naturally focuses on intellectual property, communications, First Amendment, and other issues that affect the companies and technologies that make what we watch, amuse and delight us, and inform all of our worldviews. Jonathan fights for content creators if things go awry, defending against the full array of claims that arise from content production and distribution.

    Kevin VickKevin Vick, Jassy Vick Carolan LLP

    Kevin Vick is a litigator with more than two decades’ experience representing clients in the entertainment, media, technology, fashion and other industries.   His trial and arbitration experience includes successfully defending motion picture companies and talent agencies in jury and bench trials.   Kevin also has represented Broadway producers and sports agencies in arbitration on both the plaintiff’s and defense sides.   His appellate experience includes successful representations of major technology, media and entertainment clients, as well as individuals.   Kevin litigates defamation, anti-SLAPP, copyright, Section 230, trademark, publicity rights, idea submission, and invasion of privacy matters, as well as business disputes involving breach of contract, trade secrets and partnerships.   Kevin also provides pre-broadcast/pre-publication content review.

     

  2. Dealmaking for Online Content

    Scott OranburgScott Oranburg, Paul Hastings

    Scott Oranburg is of counsel in the Entertainment and Media and is based in the firm's Century City office. Scott represents actors, writers, musicians, directors, producers, production companies, independent studios and financiers across the full spectrum of transactional entertainment matters. Scott has experience handling complex licenses and acquisitions of content by studios, independent producers, international brands, technology companies and over-the-top networks, with his diverse practice touching virtually every segment of the entertainment industry. Having previously worked as a business affairs executive at a global talent agency, he brings a unique business perspective to each deal where he focuses on maximizing client control and financial potential. 

    Scott is an active member of the Georgetown Alumni Admissions Program and a speaker at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law.

     

    Rebecca SiegelRebecca Siegel, TIME

    Rebecca Siegel is a seasoned legal professional with extensive experience in business affairs and intellectual property across the media and entertainment sectors. Currently serving as Vice President, Business Affairs & Associate General Counsel at TIME, Rebecca provides legal and business counseling to various content-based divisions. Prior roles include Deputy General Counsel at MediaLab, where Rebecca managed the in-house legal department and negotiated agreements for content development and distribution, and Vice President of Legal at Genius, where Rebecca led legal operations during a period of rapid growth. With a strong background in litigation and advisory roles at firms like Pryor Cashman LLP and Cahill Gordon & Reindel, Rebecca has represented major clients and handled complex legal issues in the entertainment industry. Educational credentials include a Juris Doctor from New York University School of Law and dual Bachelor's degrees in Business Administration and Telecommunications Management from the University of Florida.

  3. Video Games

    Mark HumphreyMark Humphrey, Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp

    Mark C. Humphrey is a partner in Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp's Litigation Practice Group. Mark’s practice focuses on commercial litigation with an emphasis on contractual and commercial disputes, video games, entertainment and intellectual property.

    Prior to joining the firm, Mark was an associate at Early Sullivan Wright Gizer & McRae LLP.  While at Early Sullivan, Mark gained experience in all aspects of civil litigation, including trial, motion practice, oral argument, discovery procedures, negotiating settlements, and appeals.

    Emma SmizerEmma Smizer, Frankfurt Kurnit

    Emma C. Smizer is an associate in the Interactive Entertainment Group at Frankfurt Kurnit. Variety included Ms. Smizer in their Dealmakers of 2023 “Up Next” list. She is also a Certified Information Privacy Professional in U.S. data privacy laws (CIPP/US).

    Ms. Smizer advises clients ranging from independent video game developers to leading AAA publishers, offering legal support across a wide array of transactional matters. Her practice is dedicated to supporting clients throughout the entire game production lifecycle, from initial development through post-launch. She frequently supports clients in intellectual property licensing, advertising, co-branding, monetization, and publishing and distribution matters. In her role, Ms. Smizer also works closely with attorneys in traditional entertainment and data privacy to provide holistic legal solutions for the complex demands of the interactive entertainment industry.

  4. Breakout Discussions CLE Materials

    Deals for Online Content

    Celebrity Defamation

    Video Games

4:45 - 5:00 p.m. — Break

15 minute break. 

5:00 - 6:00 p.m. — Hollywood Under Threat 

All sectors of the media are under pressure in the second Trump administration, and entertainment is no exception. What forms is that pressure taking, and how are companies handling it? How are business trends affecting the ability to resist a government demand? What should companies know about dealing with the FCC, after its declaration of non-independence from the White House? Are markets for potentially controversial content drying up?

  1. Panel Three Speakers

    George FreemanModerator — George Freeman, Media Law Resource Center

    George Freeman is Executive Director of the Media Law Resource Center, a non-profit trade association supporting the media in legal matters.  Before that he was Of Counsel to the law firm of Jenner & Block. 

    For 31 years he was the chief First Amendment lawyer in the Legal Department of The New York Times, leaving as Vice President and Assistant General Counsel in 2012. At the Times, he counseled the company’s newsrooms, was primarily responsible for the newspaper’s and company’s litigations. He was at the forefront of numerous high-profile First Amendment cases, including Judy Miller’s resistance to a subpoena in the prosecution of Scooter Libby and the defense of The Times in a libel case brought by quarterback Ken Stabler; the Times newspaper didn’t lose or settle a libel case for dollars during his tenure. 

    Asha Chai-ChangAsha Chai-Chang,  Love My Productions

    Asha Chai-Chang is an Emmy Award–winning filmmaker and accessibility strategist working at the intersection of entertainment, law, and equity. A two-time Netflix Writer/Director Fellow and Yale University graduate, she is the creator of the Oscar-qualified, Netflix-funded trilingual (Spanish, English, ASL) comedy MARQUE DOS, which the African American Film Critics Association recognized for its groundbreaking disabled and Afro-Latino storytelling.

    As the founder of Love My Productions and a Production Accessibility Coordinator for major studios including Amazon, Apple, and ABC/Hulu, Asha consults on inclusive production practices and disability compliance across film and television. A former finance professional, she brings structural and business insight to conversations about diversity, representation, and the evolving legal landscape shaping the entertainment industry.

    Jessica GonzálezJessica González, Free Press

    Jessica is co-CEO of media advocacy organization Free Press. She’s an attorney and activist at the intersection of racial justice, media, technology and democracy. She aspires to instigate positive cultural change, a more informed electorate and a more harmonious existence for all people in the U.S. by opening channels of communication so that all people can access accurate information and tell their stories.

    She regularly appears as an expert witness before Congress and in the media, with press appearances on the BBC, CBS, CNN, The Los Angeles Times, MSNBC, NPR, The Washington Post and more.

    Meg JamesMeg James, Los Angeles Times

    Meg James is a senior entertainment industry writer for the Los Angeles Times. She was the lead reporter for The Times’ coverage of the deadly “Rust” shooting on a New Mexico film set in 2021, work recognized by the Pulitzer Prize board as a finalist in breaking news. A member of the Company Town team for two decades, James specializes in covering television, corporate media and investigative projects. She previously wrote for the Miami Herald and the Palm Beach Post. A native of Wyoming, she is a graduate of the University of Colorado and Columbia University.

    Ari MeltzerAri Meltzer, Wiley Rein

    Ari draws upon his experience in the areas of regulatory policy and compliance, transactions, and litigation, to provide clients with a holistic approach to their legal needs. He represents clients on some of their most important strategic matters, including mergers and acquisitions, significant rulemaking proceedings, and government investigations.

    Ari works with clients to maximize the business potential of digital distribution technologies. He advises clients on spectrum monetization and policy, satellite, and cable distribution (including retransmission consent agreements and market definitions), and advertising matters.

     

  2. Panel Three CLE Materials

6:00 - 7:00 p.m. — Reception

Join us for an evening reception to network and connect with fellow attendees and panelists. 

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Coffee Break Sponsor

MiC Specialty

Conference Sponsors

Ballard Spahr, Davis Wright Tremaine, Fox Rothschild, and Jassy | Vick | Carolan Jenner & Block, Katten Muchin Rosenman, Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp, and Motion Picture AssociationQBE