Michael Leventhal specializes in providing corporate, intellectual property and business transactional services for media/entertainment and technology companies, as well as general businesses. He has represented hundreds of startups and every type of client from individuals to Fortune 500 companies. Working with entrepreneurs and visionaries at all stages of development has long been one of Michael’s passions. Michael has been a partner in a large national firm, a co-owner of several boutique law firms and a business consultancy, a solo practitioner and a senior executive at a high flying technology company. The combination of law firm and business consultancy is consistent with Michael’s holistic approach to representing businesses, both large and start up.
Michael has been on the forefront of the legal and business aspects of nearly every major technological innovation in digital media, including: // Payment for electronic transmissions of entertainment content (rather than just shiny discs) // Co-branding and cross-licensing agreements for online services // Pay-per-click advertising services // Digital music download services // Television/internet hybrids and the development and licensing agreements required to make them run // User generated content sites, including development in SecondLife, for social media, and for mobile devices, including phones and tablets // Alternate Reality Games // 3D display technology, augmented, virtual and mixed reality // Domain name dispute resolution
Michael’s clients have varied widely, including: // Fortune 500 companies such as Fox Interactive Media, NEC, and Transamerica // Digital vanguards like MySpace, Pop.com, Oversee.net, and GoTV // Entertainment/digital technology hybrids such as Motion Theory, Compendia Media, Virtual Netcasting Corporation, the Interactive Television Alliance, PaidContent.org, RockWeb, Satellite Events Enterprises, and Vimby // Traditional companies moving into digital media, such as Oakwood Corporate Housing //Various celebrities in digital media transactions or disputes, such as Roseanne Barr, Jeff Dunham, Carmelo Anthony, Kelsey Grammer, Xzibit and others
Most recently, Michael served as chief legal office and vice president at Magic Leap, Inc., the well-known augmented/mixed reality venture. His duties included: General counsel responsibilities // Content and technology licensing // Intellectual property strategy and planning // Working with the content team, business development, marketing, HR, and the CEO on special projects
Michael has represented hundreds of entertainment, digital media and high tech start-ups, early stage companies and middle market companies in music, film, visual effects, interactive television, sports, stand-alone online ventures, entertainment and non-entertainment web-based businesses, software, and more traditional businesses, advising on the following areas: // Corporate formation // Strategic planning // Structuring companies // M&A and alliances // Licensing matters // Obtaining financing // All manner of corporate transactions
Michael is a frequent speaker on intellectual property and digital media matters, and has authored a number of articles on the subject, including: // Who Can Stake a Claim in Cyberspace? An early analysis of cybersquatting and the relationship between domain names and trademarks, // iTV: Interactive Television: The legal chapter in a treatise regarding interactive television, // Litigation Issues Likely to Confront the Wireless Industry. The Los Angeles Daily Journal // The Golden Age of Wireless. Intellectual Property & Technology Law Journal You can read his blog on the AR/MR/VR world here at Mediated Reality
Michael has spoken at, among other locations: // The Governor’s Conference on the Arts // Beverly Hill Bar Association // World’s Best Technology Conference // Keiretsu Forum Venture Forum // The Skirball Cultural Center // Mark Taper Auditorium // NAB // iWireless World // ABA Los Angeles Meeting // Space Development Summits (several) <// International Space Development Conferences (several) // Los Angeles Country Bar Association Labor and Entertainment Law Conference // VRLA (Virtual Reality Los Angeles) conference in August, 2016, Digital Hollywood in October, 2016, May and October 2017, Media Summit in New York in March, 2017, UploadVR, and pretty much anywhere else where people will sit still long enough.
Education
// B.A., University of California, Los Angeles // J.D., Loyola Law School, Los Angeles
T: + 310. 457. 6100 C: + 310.702.4048
