Lewis Brisbois is pleased to announce the addition of Steven Beer and Richard (“Rip”) Beyman to its New York office as partners in its Entertainment, Media & Sports Practice. Mr. Beer will also become co-chair of the firm’s national practice, along with Jonathan Pink, the firm’s long time Entertainment Practice chair. The pair arrive from Franklin, Weinrib, Rudell & Vassallo, P.C.in New York.
“Steven and Rip have a well-respected bicoastal and international practice and we are thrilled to welcome them,” said Greg Katz, Executive Committee member and New York office managing partner. Practice Co-Chair Jonathan Pink added, “They each are trusted advisors with decades of entertainment deal experience representing clients at all levels of the process including creative conception, IP protection, finance, production, distribution, and talent – managing the gamut of contracts at all levels of the industry. Steven and Rip’s team will broaden the scope of our Entertainment and Media industry services within the fast-growing streaming and new media fields as well as theatrical and live performance deals. We look forward to building the future of this practice with them and offering their unique and powerful experience to our clients.”
National Business Practices and Corporate Practice Chair Michael Platner noted, “Steven and Rip add a diverse range of deal experience and industry relationships that our clients will recognize and benefit from, particularly in entertainment hubs like New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Atlanta where we’ve had a long-standing presence.”
Firm founder and Chairman Bob Lewis noted, “We continue to grow our commercial practice teams by attracting talented, well-respected lawyers such as Rip and Steven, and emphasizing a strong commitment to meeting the needs of entertainment and media clients.”
Steven Beer
While with Franklin, Weinrib, Rudell & Vassallo, Mr. Beer practiced in the area of entertainment law, focusing upon film, television, and music matters. Representing industry-leading companies, he has also acted as counsel to numerous award-winning writers, directors, producers, and multi-platinum musical artists. In addition, Mr. Beer regularly negotiates rights deals for film and television projects.
In discussing his decision to join Lewis Brisbois, Mr. Beer said, “While the national platform at Lewis Brisbois is substantial and resourceful, we especially appreciate the ‘can-do’ problem solving approach to rendering legal services. This collaborative attitude resonates in each engagement. Our clients feel empowered to work with our team of first-rate professionals, all of whom are committed to personal, cost-efficient, and timely services.”
Included annually in Super Lawyers’ New York Metro edition, Mr. Beer has also been listed by Research and Markets as a top lawyer in Entertainment Law, Settlements and Negotiations, and by The Wrap online news organization as one of the “21 Great Thinkers of Indie Film.”
Outside of his practice, Mr. Beer frequently lectures and writes about entertainment industry topics, including film finance, production, and distribution, as well as issues concerning young artists. He co-authors the Legal FAQ column for DOCUMENTARY MAGAZINE, and has been published by Indiewire, Allworth Press, and in the inaugural edition of the Berkeley Entertainment Law Journal.
In addition, Mr. Beer is involved with several community organizations, serving as an executive trustee to New York City’s City Parks Foundation, where he co-chairs the Arts Committee that oversees SummerStage, New York City’s largest outdoor performing arts festival. Steven also serves as board member to Rooftop Films and the New York Production Alliance, of which he is Secretary.
A graduate of Villanova University’s Charles Widger School of Law, where he was a law review member, Mr. Beer holds a Bachelor of Arts, with honors, from Washington University in St. Louis. He is admitted to practice in New York, Connecticut, and Illinois.
Richard Beyman
Mr. Beyman also practiced in the area of entertainment and media law while with Franklin, Weinrib, Rudell & Vassallo. He has extensive experience in managing transactions across several media and platforms, as well as with advising producer clients on strategic planning matters. Mr. Beyman regularly assists clients with negotiations from rights acquisition through development, as well as with financing, production, and distribution. In addition, he has acted as production, distribution, and strategic advisor to industry-leading alternative content live events for streaming and worldwide theatrical distribution.
“We are thrilled to join the thriving practice at Lewis Brisbois and to be part of the team broadening the firm’s approach to the industry,” Mr. Beyman said. “The breadth of the national, full-service Lewis Brisbois platform will enable us to provide integrated services to clients across numerous disciplines as their needs arise.”
Listed several times by Super Lawyers’ New York Metro edition in the area of Entertainment & Sports, Mr. Beyman has also held leadership positions with several community organizations. He currently serves on the board of the Norwalk Symphony Orchestra. In addition, he has served on the Entertainment Law Committee of the New York City Bar Association and on the law firm advisory board of the Association of Media and Entertainment Counsel. Moreover, he co-authored the chapter on licensing intellectual property in Business & Legal Primer for Game Development.
Mr. Beyman received his law degree from Fordham University and his Bachelor of Arts, with distinction, from Cornell University. He is admitted to practice in New York and Connecticut.
Source: lewisbrisbois.com
