SWLAW Blog | Entertainment & Media Law
October 29, 2019
Donald E. Biederman Entertainment and Media Law Institute Gala - Nov. 6th
Wednesday, November 6, 2019
7:00 P.M. - 9:00 P.M.
OUE SKYSPACE LA
On November 6, 2019, Southwestern Law School’s Entertainment and Intellectual Property Law Alumni Association (SWEIP) is hosting its 4th Biennial Donald E. Biederman Entertainment & Media Law Institute Gala. This special event provides SWEIP and other members of the Southwestern community with the opportunity to recognize alumni and friends for their outstanding service to the entertainment and media industries, the legal profession, and legal education.
Here are this year's honorees:
Neville Johnson '75 - Outstanding Alumnus
Neville Johnson graduated from Southwestern Law School in 1975. He has served on the Southwestern Entertainment and Intellectual Property Law Alumni Association (SWEIP) since its inception and also served as a member of the Biederman Executive Committee. He has also served as an adjunct professor at Southwestern since 2012, where he teaches Entertainment and Media Litigation.
During his legal career, Mr. Johnson has spent decades defending the rights of individuals in the entertainment industry. The Los Angeles Times has referred to him as “one of the most feared litigators in Hollywood” who “has wrangled more than $350 million for actors, writers, and other clients he contends were shortchanged their fair share of royalties and profits.” With dozens of civil jury trials, bench trials, arbitrations, mediations, and criminal cases under his belt, Mr. Johnson is routinely recognized as the “go-to” attorney for wronged talent and is a mainstay on The Hollywood Reporter’s annual list of the top 100 “Power Lawyers” in entertainment.
The Hollywood Foreign Press - Friend of the Law
The Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s Charitable Trust (the HFPA Trust) was established to provide financial support for educational and cultural non-profit organizations whose primary focus is the entertainment industry. The HFPA Trust is the philanthropic arm of the HFPA. Funding for HFPA Fellowships and Grants is derived from HFPA’s income from the Golden Globe Awards. In the past 31 years, the HFPA Trust has bestowed more than $29 million in fellowships and grants to film schools and non-profit organizations.
For the past two years, the HFPA Trust has generously supported Southwestern’s Entertainment and The Arts Legal Clinic, enabling Southwestern students to provide legal services to a wide array of creative artists – such as writers, actors, musicians, film students, game designers, and painters.
Southwestern Law School is grateful for the HFPA’s support and honored to be listed among its incredibly impressive list of grantees.
Professor Robert C. Lind - Donald E. Biederman Legacy Award
Professor Robert C. Lind joined Southwestern Law School in 1981, and during his tenure, developed cutting-edge entertainment, intellectual property, and media law courses, seminars, externships, and practicums. He has worked to provide employment opportunities to numerous alums interested in practicing entertainment and media law. And, he assisted in the founding of the Southwestern Entertainment and Intellectual Property Law Alumni Association (SWEIP).
Professor Lind was honored as the Irving D. and Florence Rosenberg Professor of Law in 2001, and as the Paul E. Treusch Professor of Law in 2005. In 2006, he was honored with the Upper Division Professor Excellence in Teaching Award. In 2008, he received the Outstanding Friend Award from the Southwestern Law School Alumni Association. Professor Lind served as Director of the Biederman Entertainment and Media Law Institute in 2009-10. In 2015, he was named the Irwin R. Buchalter Professor of Law. From 2016 - 2018, he served as Co-Director of Biederman Entertainment and Media Law Institute with Neil Ollivierra.