Katten's Gail Migdal Title and Michael Hobel Named Among 100 Most Influential Attorneys in Entertainment by The Hollywood Reporter

LOS ANGELES – Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP is pleased to announce that Gail Migdal Title, chair of the firm’s national Entertainment and Media Litigation Practice and managing partner of its Los Angeles office, and Michael S. Hobel, co-chair of the firm’s Entertainment and Media Practice, have been named among the “100 Most Influential Attorneys in Entertainment” by The Hollywood Reporter. They are recognized in the entertainment trade’s July 24 Power Lawyers issue, spotlighting the 100 most influential outside counsel in entertainment.

The Hollywood Reporter selected its “100 Most Influential Attorneys” by soliciting nominations from the entertainment community. It supplemented the industry’s recommendations with its own research, analyzing the year’s top stories, looking at the attorneys involved, and asking the industry’s most plugged-in executives which lawyers they consider the most influential in five distinct categories: talent dealmakers, litigators, entertainment-finance dealmakers, intellectual property and tech specialists, and labor experts.

In selecting Ms. Title for its list, The Hollywood Reporter notes, “Title is stronger than Hercules. This year the 30-year Hollywood law veteran won an appeals court ruling upholding Universal’s win in a complex profit participation claim over Kevin Sorbo’s compensation for the Hercules TV show.”

Of Mr. Hobel, the publication writes, “'Diversity' is how colleagues describe Hobel’s practice. He reps such TV biggies as FremantleMedia North America, Debmar/Mercury and HBO.

But he’s also successfully transitioned into the digital age, handling Funny or Die, as well as Microsoft’s recent license agreements with major studios to expand VOD and electronic sell-through offerings on the Xbox and Zune.”

“He can advise us on American Idol or The Swan or any number of difficult projects,” says Fremantle general counsel David Shall. “When you’ve got tough problems you go to Michael.”

A high-profile entertainment industry client recently described Ms. Title as “one of the finest entertainment litigators in the nation,” based on her “strong, aggressive advocacy, razor sharp intellect and innate sensitivity to the business needs of the client.” These accomplishments are supported by Ms. Title’s record of success. In the last year she has obtained outright dismissals of a number of intellectual property and contract cases brought against her clients on motions for summary judgment. Ms. Title’s practice includes all aspects of the entertainment industry, from motion picture and television development, finance and production, to distribution in all media worldwide. Her representation covers a broad range of legal and business issues that arise in the entertainment and technology industries, including copyright, trademark, unfair competition, contract and business torts.

Mr. Hobel has more than 25 years experience representing media, entertainment and other companies in complex transactions involving valuable entertainment and other intellectual property rights and assets. His practice includes the representation of motion picture studios, networks and distribution and production companies in developing, producing, acquiring and exploiting motion pictures, television programs, sporting events, video games, merchandising and other entertainment properties. He represents companies and financial institutions in financing motion picture and television productions. He also represents companies acquiring, selling and investing in production, distribution and multimedia companies, as well as film and music libraries.