Entertainment, Sports and Media

Heenan Blaikie has been a significant player in the Canadian and foreign entertainment industry for a long time. Today, we have the largest and most respected entertainment law practice in the country. In addition, Heenan Blaikie plays a key role in the media industry and is one of the few law firms in Canada with a structured sports law practice.

Our client list is very diversified and includes:

• major studios
• independent producers
• print, on-line and broadcast media
• individual athletes and performing artists
• multimedia and animation studios
• professional sports franchises
• amateur and arts organizations
• distributors and broadcasters
• banks and financiers
• film and television producers, directors, screenwriters and actors
• Web-based businesses, including computer games designers, CD-ROM and DVD manufacturers, Web site affiliates and ad-supported content enterprises
• videogame publishers and development studios
•  music recording labels

Services Overview

We provide entertainment, sports and media advice in connection with:

• Intellectual property protection – copyright registration, trade-marks, brand name, royalty agreements, trade secrets, libel, defamation, breach of contract, acquisition and licensing of rights, development agreements
• Film and television distribution and production – network licenses, TV syndication, pay TV and home video licensing, foreign distribution and co-production agreements
• Communications law – establishment of corporate structures, key regulatory advice in proceedings before the CRTC, negotiation of broadcasting and rebroadcasting rights, interactive media services and distribution,  competition policy in the media sector, foreign investment rules in Canada’s cultural industries and e-commerce arrangements
• Corporate and commercial – mergers and acquisitions, structuring, restructuring, financing, refinancing, divestitures, strategic alliances, joint ventures, partnerships, initial and secondary offerings, creation of capital market products, tax incentives and credits, corporate governance
• Contractual agreements, including songwriting and publishing, recording, merchandising and touring
• Securities law – preparation and negotiation of investment documents and agreements, federal and provincial securities information, limited partnership offerings and other investment vehicles structured to raise financing for film projects and theatre work, among others
• Talent (athletes and entertainers) – commercial appearances, sponsorships, product endorsements, print and TV advertisements
• Sports negotiation, including salary caps, revenue sharing, player contracts and grievances, pension plans, collective bargaining issues, arbitration procedures and broadcasting agreements
• Tax law – non-resident tax issues, federal,provincial and international tax credit programs, signing bonuses and related negotiations
• Immigration issues
• Labour and employment law – salary arbitration, wrongful dismissal suits, workers’ compensation claims, conditions and termination of employment, strikes and lockouts, contract drafting and negotiation, compliance with labour standards in Canada and elsewhere, human rights issues
• Marketing and advertising – negotiate and drafting talent contracts, music rights clearance, joint promotion agreements, on-line, digital and e-mobile marketing initiatives, promotional contests, sponsorship issues
• Financing and investment strategies for athletes, artists, media executives, agents, producers
• Litigation – labour disputes, contractual disputes, cross-border litigation, exclusive licensing transactions, competition/antitrust, bonding disputes, tax litigation, finder’s fee concerning the purchase of a sports franchise, domain name disputes, publicity rights, endorsement agreements, property rights, international sports disputes
• Real estate – construction financing, leasing and operation of sports facilities, real estate development, construction contracts
• Post-career planning, including acquisition and development of a business, estate planning, tax planning
• Videogame publishing, videogame development and interim financing in the videogame industry

Organizational Involvement

Our entertainment, sports and media lawyers are active in several professional organizations:

• Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television
• Sports Lawyers Association (United States)
• Canadian Media Production Association
• Women in Film & Television
• FilmOntario
• The Association of Media & Entertainment Counsel (United States)
• Computer Animation Studios of Ontario