The Business Journal raises the curtain on the legal stars who work in L.A.’s entertainment industry.

JOHN M. GATTI, 47

Firm: Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP

Law School: USC

Selected Clients: CBS Entertainment, National Lampoon, Ladd Co., Sam Simon, Jon Peters.

Years in Practice: 22

Most Challenging Case: The trial and appellate proceedings between Alan Ladd Jr. and Warner Bros. involving television licensing allocation issues being tried for the first time.

Best Career Moment: My first jury trial, when I was first chair and received a 12-0 jury verdict of $3.6 million including punitive damages based on a finding of fraud in an idea submission case.

Worst: Losing an unopposed motion on procedural grounds as a first-year associate.

Highlight From Past Year: Representing Alan Ladd Jr. and Jay Kanter in trial and appellate proceedings against Warner Bros. resulting in precedent-setting decisions applying the implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing to the licensing of motion pictures; having the Court of Appeal remand to the trial court our clients’ claims for fraud and breach of contract for additional damages.

Longest Workday: Many all-nighters preparing for ex-parte applications for injunctions or opposing such applications.

How My Practice Is Changing: A greater emphasis on protection of digital and new-media rights.

If I Weren’t an Attorney: I would be a baseball coach.

My Colleagues Don’t Know: I am a die-hard San Francisco Giants fan. I try to keep that fact quiet in Los Angeles.