Drafting Entertainment Industry Contracts

This course provides both narrative and experiential/inter-active instruction on contract drafting and analysis/review skills for those students interested in a transactional practice.

There is a particular emphasis on drafting entertainment industry contracts (i.e., commonly used clauses and concepts in the TV and Motion Picture industries); however, the skills and techniques taught will also apply generally to contract drafting regardless of industry.

Competent, professional contract drafting is a melding of strong writing and organizational skills, strategic thinking, attention to detail and substantive and contextual understanding - i.e., the ability and aptitude to effectively translate the business deal into a solid legal document which serves and protects the client's goals and interests. This course will teach those competencies, via a combination of instructional lectures and discussions (emphasizing both substance and techniques), 'real world' examples, and various hands' on drafting exercises and challenges, for which the Professor will give targeted, individualized feedback for guidance and improvement.

Since good contract drafting cannot be taught in the abstract, or solely via lectures/narratives, much emphasis will be placed on these drafting exercises and attendant feedback in a workshop-type setting.

Prerequisites: Contracts I (120A), Contracts II (120B), and Copyright (538 or 538A)