Santa Barbara Entertainment Attorney
Matthew I. Berger
As an experienced Santa Barbara California Entertainment attorney, I have built my practice around my clients and value our relationship above all else.
The Matthew I. Berger Law Group represents musicians, film production companies, publishing companies, authors, film makers, songwriters, and multi-media artists, intellectual property licensing companies, and video game manufacturers. The firm seeks to bring a new level of thinking to its clients’ issues, in the process of finding cost-effective approaches to problem solving and the clients’ individual needs.
Contact us today for legal assistance with any of the following matters:
- Publishing, Film, Literary, Music, Recording, Interactive, and Merchandising
- Business Organization Formation, Operations, and Governance Consulting, including Entity Selection, Employment and Invention Assignment Agreements, Employee Handbooks, Human Resource Issues, Stock Option and Purchase Plans, and Corporate Finance Transactions
- Intellectual Property Services, including Trademarks, Trade Secrets, Copyrights, Licensing, and Distribution
- International and Domestic Business Transactions Contract Drafting and Negotiation
Matthew I. Berger Law Group offers clients the advantages of both large and small law firms. We have the characteristic strengths of large law firms, with our practical experience in handling significant cases for prominent clients throughout the world. We have a proven track record of success, with a high caliber of legal services and representation.
We also provide the benefits of a small firm through our tailored approach to our clients’ needs, rapid response time, economical service, innovative approaches to issues, and individualized attention.
Our firm serves a culturally and economically diverse clientele, including large international and local corporations, small businesses, nonprofit organizations, and individuals. We take pride in our strong record of getting quality results for our clients and providing excellent professional legal services. We are dedicated to protecting and fighting for the interests of our clients, whether by emphasizing preventative law and business-minded cost-effective problem solving, or by dynamic representation utilizing our extensive experience to obtain positive results. Our clients’ satisfaction is paramount.
If you or someone you know needs the legal representation of an experienced Santa Barbara Entertainment attorney, call Matthew Berger today at 866-927-0481. We offer ½ hour initial consultation to new clients at no charge.
Representative Projects
The following is a representative list of types of clients and matters handled by Matthew I. Berger Law Group:
Foreign Chip Manufacturer and Foundry: General corporate matters for wholly-owned local subsidiary; negotiation and drafting of chipset and other technology licensing agreements; due diligence relative to proposed acquisitions; consultation regarding various employment matters; representation (co-counsel) in defense of federal suit and International Trade Commission action for patent infringement, unfair competition, and Lanham Act violation relative to Mask Work notice and Semiconductor Chip Protection Act; registration and appeal of mask work registration before the United States Copyright Office; representation relative to subpoena in patent infringement action.
Multi-Media Corporations: All corporate matters; registration of trademark; negotiations and contract drafting with a major film studio, several production companies, and licensing agents.
Publishing Company: All corporate matters; contracts with writers, artists, distributors, management, and manufacturers; licensing and rights, protection of rights.
Multi-National Corporation: Employment agreements with California employees; foreclosure of secured obligation; technology licensing agreement for internet phone; Non-Circumvention, Non-Disclosure & Working Agreement with technology provider; creation of trade secret policy and related documents.
Supermarket Chain: Representation of eight family-owned business organizations, some of which operate supermarkets, others of which own and manage the real property, including formation of all entities (corporations and LLCs), corporate housekeeping, landlord-tenant relations with other tenants in shopping centers, negotiation and purchase of shopping centers, negotiation and drafting of leases, and review of financing documents.
Technology Manufacturers: Drafting of representative agreements for world-wide representation, non-disclosure agreements, consulting agreements, technology acquisition agreements, warranties, web site policies and warranty statements, and employment agreements; various employment matters (terminations).
California Subsidiaries of Foreign Publicly-Traded Corporations: All corporate matters; review and consultation regarding financing documents; representation in major real property acquisition; creation of asset acquisition and disposal procedure for compliance with foreign jurisdiction securities requirements; representation in defense against subpoena in patent infringement litigation; representation in U.S. General Services Administration investigation and subpoena; representation in technology purchase and sales agreements.
Restaurant Chain: Complete representation for chain of 13 restaurants and warehouse, including all corporate work (formation, housekeeping, securities, dissolutions), real property matters, liquor license matters, labor commission matters, sales tax matters, utilities matters, and taxation matters. Estate planning for primary shareholder.
Dot.com Startup: Complete representation, including: dissolution of foreign corporation and reincorporation in California; capitalization counseling; drafting of amended and restated articles of incorporation to authorize Series A and B Preferred Stock; securities issuance, including preparation of investor suitability questionnaire, purchaser representative questionnaire and agreement, stock purchase agreement, subscription agreement, warrants, Regulation D compliance, California Corporations Commission compliance, Blue Sky research in other jurisdictions, drafting of private placement memorandum for $3.5 million round of preferred financing; drafting of Incentive Stock Plan, including incentive stock option, nonstatutory stock option, restrictive stock purchase, and stock grant agreements; preparation of indemnity agreements; preparation of terms and conditions and privacy policy for web site; review and comment on various strategic alliance agreements; trademark registration.
Non-Profit Corporations: Creation of non-profit entity; assistance in obtaining IRC Section 501(c)(3) status; acquisition by one non-profit corporation of the court-related program of another non-profit corporation; advise regarding operational matters.
Material Supplier in Construction Trade: Complete representation of supplier of kitchen appliances wholesale to builders of custom homes, including corporate housekeeping, commercial collections, mechanic’s liens, and related litigation in municipal, superior, appellate, and bankruptcy courts.
Entertainment Enterprise: creation of parent and subsidiary corporations; negotiation and drafting of publishing, artist, and content provider contracts; investor relations; licensing.
Musicians and Artists: Representation of singer/songwriter in the recovery of recording masters and termination of recording contract; review and negotiation of recording contracts and related matters; representation of musician in tour contracts; consultations with authors regarding book publishing contracts; consultations with artists regarding copyright and artist’s rights matters; creation of exclusive representation agreement for exploitation of artist’s works.
Various: Shopping Center lease negotiations; minority shareholder rights defense; preferred shareholder rescission rights resolution; preparation of term sheet for proposed venture funding; sales of LLC economic interest; dissolution of corporations with dissident shareholders; litigation related to breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duties, trade secret protection, negligence, employment-related matters, secured party’s defense of effort by competing secured creditor to invalidate multi-million dollar security interest, copyright infringement litigation, patent infringement litigation, breach of fiduciary duty litigation and cargo losses, among numerous others.
If you or someone you know needs the legal representation of an experienced Santa Barbara Entertainment attorney, call Matthew Berger today at 866-927-0481. We offer ½ hour initial consultation to new clients at no charge.
If you or someone you know needs the legal representation of an experienced Santa Barbara Entertainment attorney, call Matthew Berger today at 866-927-0481. We offer ½ hour initial consultation to new clients at no charge.
ADDRESS OF THE FIRM:
Matthew I. Berger Law Group
957 Maple Street
Carpinteria, CA 93013
Telephone: 866-927-0481
Fax: 805-684-4064
Services provided after-hours
MEMBERS OF THE FIRM:
Attorney Matthew I. Berger
- Jurisdictions Attorney is Licensed in: California
- Date Admitted to the Bar: California and US District Court, Central District of California 1979; US District Court, Southern District of California and US Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit 1982; US District Court, Northern District of California 1983; US District Court, Eastern District of California 1991.
- Colleges Attended, Degree & Year Graduated: Bachelor of Arts (Political Science Major; Sociology Minor), University of California, Santa Barbara 1972 (with Honors); Juris Doctor, University of Oregon School of Law 1979.
- Professional Memberships & Achievements: State Bar of California (Member, Sections on: Business Law, 1980—; Intellectual Property Law, 2002—; Trusts and Estates, 2002—); Associate Editor, Oregon Law Review, 1978-1979. Recipient, American Jurisprudence Award, Trusts and Estates. Author: “Liquefied Natural Gas Facility Siting On The Oregon Coast,” Oregon Coastal Management Commission, 1979. Staff Attorney, “Felix S. Cohen's Handbook of Federal Indian Law,” 1982 edition, Michie Bobbs-Merrill. Certified Ocean Resources and Coastal Law Attorney.
- Los Angeles Production Listings (Backstage.com)
The following listings are not casting notices but instead reflect the best general information available about current casting assignments. Do your homework and use them wisely. Do not phone or visit casting directors' offices. - 11-18-09 EUR ALL ON ONE PAGE (Eurweb)
GQ NAMES OBAMA 'LEADER OF THE YEAR': President on one of five covers for magazine's December issue. *GQ has crowned President Barack Obama "Leader of the Year" in its forthcoming December issue. - Entertainment briefs (Arizona Daily Star)
NEW YORK - 11/11 CELEBRITY NEWS: Aerosmith’s Joe Perry: Band not breaking up (Bradenton Herald)
Aerosmith’s Joe Perry: Band not breaking up - 11-05-09 EUR ALL ON ONE PAGE (Eurweb)
BEYONCE PREPS ABC THANKSGIVING SPECIAL: Plus, singer to release live DVD and CD from an August concert in Las Vegas. *Turkey, football and now, Beyonce, will be available on Thanksgiving day, thanks to ABC, which is putting together a special featuring the superstar.
Additional Questions or need further information?