Stanley Gold rejoined prominent entertainment law boutique Gang Tyre Ramer & Brown last week, ending his 25-year run as president and chief executive of the late Roy Disney’s investment firm, Shamrock Capital Advisors.
Gold, who will serve as of counsel at Beverly Hills-based Gang Tyre, will continue to serve as chairman of Shamrock’s public equity group.
“I’ve given up the CEO position at Shamrock and turned it over to younger people,” he said.
Gold started his legal career at Gang Tyre in the late 1960s, and served as the firm’s managing partner until 1985, when he left for Shamrock.
During his time at Shamrock, Gold said he kept in touch with the Gang Tyre team, including name partner and well-known entertainment attorney Bruce Ramer, whom he considers a lifelong friend.
Now, Gold said he’s excited to be practicing law again.
“I get to keep my hand in it and figure out what’s happening, and have some fun with people I like and admire,” he said.
Gold’s focus at Gang Tyre will be on high-level financing and corporate deals in the entertainment industry.
He expects he will be busier than ever, splitting his time evenly between the firm and Shamrock.
“That’s the way you stay alive and enjoy life,” Gold said. “My theory is if you want a job done in a hurry, then give it to a busy man.”
Musical Journey
Jeffer Mangels Butler & Marmaro LLP boosted its presence in the entertainment industry with the addition of litigator Jeffrey Goldman.
Goldman left Loeb & Loeb LLP and joined Jeffer Mangels earlier this month as partner. He specializes in copyright and trademark litigation, and contract disputes among record labels, music publishing companies, artists and producers.
Goldman said he joined Jeffer Mangels’ Century City office because he preferred working at a smaller shop where he could take new clients without worrying about conflicts. Also, he’s always been impressed with the firm’s attorneys.
“I’ve known some of the attorneys at Jeffer for many years, I’ve had battles against them,” Goldman said. “There was a tremendous amount of respect I have for the firm and the talent of its people, which was a big attraction.”
Goldman brings a roster of cases, including one case on behalf of the four major record labels against Myxer Inc., an Internet company that sells ringtones, videos and games for mobile phones. The suit accuses Myxer of making copyright music available without rights or royalty payments.
Meanwhile, Jeffer Mangels also has added five attorneys to the firm’s Century City, San Francisco and Costa Mesa offices.
Entertaining Mediation
The entertainment industry is getting its own mediation organization thanks to entertainment lawyer Jamie Mulholland and state Sen. Charles Calderon, D-Montebello.
Mulholland and Calderon, a member of the committee on arts, entertainment, sports, tourism and Internet media, launched Entertainment Mediation Institute LLC earlier this month. The Beverly Hills organization specializes in resolving disputes involving the motion picture, television, cable, music and sports industries.
Mulholland said he and Calderon opened Entertainment Mediation to help companies avoid litigation, which can be costly, time-consuming and frustrating.
“Mediation is getting the parties together to have them craft their own solution with the help of a mediator, so the matter is not subject to the possible whims of a jury or a judge,” Mulholland said.
Entertainment Mediation has 12 entertainment attorneys and former industry executives on its panel of mediators, including John Schulman, former executive vice president and general counsel at Warner Bros.
Mulholland said the rates that Entertainment Mediation charges are competitive with other private mediation services, with a half-day mediation costing $3,500 and a full-day mediation costing $5,000.
Name Change
Litigation powerhouse Quinn Emanuel Urquhart Oliver & Hedges announced earlier this month that the firm changed its name to Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP, adding well-known attorney Kathleen Sullivan as name partner.
Sullivan, who is a partner in the firm’s New York office, heads its appellate practice group. She joined Quinn Emanuel in 2005 after serving as dean of Stanford Law School.
Founding partner John Quinn said the firm’s partnership wanted to recognize Sullivan’s contributions by making her a name partner.
“Once in a generation you make a change in the firm name,” Quinn said. “It’s an extraordinary event.”
Quinn said former name partner Dale Oliver is still practicing at the firm, and Oliver is OK with the name change. Former name partner George Hedges died in March 2009 after battling melanoma.
Sullivan, who is the first woman to become a name partner at a top-ranked U.S. law firm, said the move shows that the firm offers opportunities for women.
“This decision reflects the fact that what John Quinn cares about is judging everyone on the excellence of their work,” Sullivan said.
News & Notes
DLA Piper LLP added Roger Rosendahl to its L.A. and New York offices earlier this month. Rosendahl, who joined as partner, focuses on corporate and finance and securities transactions. … Silver & Freedman named shareholder Barry Weisz managing partner last month. The Century City firm, which houses 28 attorneys, also celebrated its 35th anniversary in February.
Staff reporter Alexa Hyland can be reached at [email protected] or at (323) 549-5225, ext. 235.
