Law practice statement of Attorney John J. Tormey III, a New York lawyer providing legal services, and legal advice regarding entertainment law matters.

Law Office of John J. Tormey III, Esq.
John J. Tormey III, PLLC
1636 Third Avenue, PMB 188
New York, NY 10128 USA
(212) 410-4142 (phone)
(212) 410-2380 (fax)
brightline@att.net

My Law Practice Statement, CV, and Statement of Client's Rights all follow. I do appreciate your keeping these materials on file, in the event that you, or someone you know, is in need of legal representation.

Please know that I am happy to represent artists and other individuals, companies and their principals, and others, for legal transactional or other work that they might require. I handle these matters on a task-by-task basis, depending upon what the client's needs may be at the time.

I am also happy to reach an arrangement with clients in an endeavor to place their work in relevant markets with professional entertainment industry recipients. I take submissions by mail only, pursuant to my written submission guidelines, which I will forward upon request to those that inquire of me regarding placement work. In this respect, I ask that you please review my submission guidelines carefully prior to forwarding any work to me.

My law practice and biographical information follows:

I have a general law practice, with a focus on entertainment, media, and the arts. Transactions are the main staple of this practice, as well as certain claims and litigations. Also, I assist writers, producers, and others in placing their work with professional industry recipients.

I maintain an "AV" rating from the Martindale-Hubbell lawyers directory, which is the highest rating given by Martindale-Hubbell to lawyers. I am in my fourth decade in the legal profession. In 1996 I finished a tour of duty as Senior Litigation Counsel and Senior Counsel to Miramax Films. I thereafter announced the commencement of my own law practice, now known as "John J. Tormey III, PLLC". Thankfully, this law practice is very active. The key elements have been hard work, and a firm commitment to timely and responsive representation of my clients. In this electronic age I have been fortunate to receive some additional exposure given a presence on the Internet and numerous appearances as a guest commentator on New York's COURT TV.

The practice is a general commercial one, with a focus on contractual and corporate matters, entertainment law, and intellectual property. I draw upon past experience with motion pictures, television, music, art, merchandising, licensing, publishing, advertising, marketing, computers, interactive media, litigation, and wills and estates. A large number of my friends are in the arts, entertainment, media, and other creative fields. My father is a working actor in Manhattan, and I have played music professionally. A significant component of my practice is the legal representation of talent, as well as media and entertainment entities - including both start-up and existing businesses.

It is my mandate to continue to play a positive role in helping businesses grow, and in helping individuals succeed. Much of my work also exists outside the bounds of the entertainment and media fields. I handle employment matters, and I represent doctors, other lawyers, diverse types of corporations, computer and on-line concerns, fashion and interior designers, photographers, and others in various fields. My goal is to maintain my solid client base, and maintain a mutuality of respect with those clients. In terms of sheer numbers, I tend to have more numerous clients than many other lawyers because of, among other things, this populist approach.

I am admitted to practice law in New York, California, and the District of Columbia. My past affiliations have been with Collegiate School; Harvard University; UCLA School of Law; the law firm of Pryor, Cashman, Sherman & Flynn; The Walt Disney Company, and Miramax Films. I have included my résumé which illustrates my career path in greater detail. One of the best ways for me to generate new work is through quality referrals from past and existing clients, and from my other friends. Accordingly, please keep me in mind in situations when your friends and colleagues are seeking representation. You are welcome to forward my contact information and credentials to them. Aside from the traditional methods of mail, phone and fax, I can be contacted at my e-mail address above.

This law practice is conscientious and hard-driving, with conservative overhead expended along the way. Through this approach, I expect to continue to keep the clients that I represent. In recent years I have been a client myself, and have retained outside counsel on numerous matters. My clients will receive the same quality and timely response, and courtesy, that I would fully expect if I were the client. I trust that you will wish me well in my continuing endeavor, and consider my law practice for appropriate referrals. Thank you, and I look forward to hearing from you.

Résumé

EDUCATION:
UCLA SCHOOL OF LAW, J.D. 1987
UCLA Law Review
UCLA Law Moot Court Honors Program
American Jurisprudence Award, Labor Law

HARVARD UNIVERSITY, B.A., Psychology, cum laude, 1984
Dean's List & Harvard College Scholarship
Harvard Club of New York Scholarship
John Dales Scholarship (awarded by Screen Actors Guild)

EXPERIENCE:
JOHN J. TORMEY III, PLLC - New York, NY
Solo Law Practice, 1997 - Present

MIRAMAX FILMS - New York, NY
Senior Counsel, Business and Legal Affairs; and Senior Counsel, Litigation:
1994 - 1996
Handled in-house litigation and claims matters, including necessary coordination with outside counsel, and review of attorney billings. Served as lead attorney on arbitrations and other matters requiring appearances of counsel.
Drafted and negotiated agreements, correspondence and memoranda relating to the corporation's business of motion picture distribution, and film production matters of its affiliates.
Rendered day-to-day legal advice with respect to the following eclectic variety of matters: interactive and computer affairs, guilds and residuals, intellectual property, chain of title, piracy, merchandising, marketing and publicity, exhibitor collections, photographic rights, bankruptcy, and direct marketing.

THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY, INC. - New York, NY
Counsel: 1990 - 1994
Drafted and negotiated character merchandise license agreements.
Advised corporation regarding its licensing endeavors and various intellectual property, transactional, litigation, product safety, management and licensee audit, accounting, and credit issues, including those relating to the theme parks and Disney Stores.
Coordinated legal and investigative aspects of a nationwide character merchandise anti-piracy program. Participated in all phases of the civil pursuit and criminal prosecution of copyright and trademark infringers. Managed the legal affairs of the company's direct marketing catalogue subsidiaries.
Served as representative on the CARA Appeals Board for the rating of motion pictures.

PRYOR, CASHMAN, SHERMAN & FLYNN - New York, NY
Litigation Associate: 1987 - 1990
Represented plaintiffs and defendants in litigation matters. Concentrated in the area of intellectual property: copyright and entertainment litigation.

New York requires the posting of the following "Statement of Client's Rights". If you live in a state other than New York, your own state's requirements may vary. However, the principles that provide the foundation for the New York "Statement of Client's Rights" are inveterate, and you should be able to expect the same respect from the counsel of your choice:

STATEMENT OF CLIENT'S RIGHTS

1. You are entitled to be treated with courtesy and consideration at all times by your lawyer and the other lawyers and nonlawyer personnel in your lawyer’s office.

2. You are entitled to have your attorney handle your legal matter competently and diligently, in accordance with the highest standards of the profession. If you are not satisfied with how your matter is being handled, you have the right to discharge your attorney and terminate the attorney-client relationship at any time. (Court approval may be required in some matters, and your attorney may have a claim against you for the value of services rendered to you up to the point of discharge.)

3. You are entitled to your lawyer's independent professional judgment and undivided loyalty uncompromised by conflicts of interest.

4. You are entitled to be charged reasonable fees and expenses and to have your lawyer explain before or within a reasonable time after commencement of the representation how the fees and expenses will be computed and the manner and frequency of billing. You are entitled to request and receive a written itemized bill from your attorney at reasonable intervals. You may refuse to enter into any arrangement for fees and expenses that you find unsatisfactory. In the event of a fee dispute, you may have the right to seek arbitration; your attorney will provide you with the necessary information regarding arbitration in the event of a fee dispute, or upon your request.

5. You are entitled to have your questions and concerns addressed promptly and to receive a prompt reply to your letters, telephone calls, emails, faxes, and other communications.

6. You are entitled to be kept reasonably informed as to the status of your matter and are entitled to have your attorney promptly comply with your reasonable requests for information, including your requests for copies of papers relevant to the matter. You are entitled to sufficient information to allow you to participate meaningfully in the development of your matter and make informed decisions regarding the representation.

7. You are entitled to have your legitimate objectives respected by your attorney. In particular, the decision of whether to settle your matter is yours and not your lawyer’s. (Court approval of a settlement is required in some matters.)

8. You have the right to privacy in your communications with your lawyer and to have your confidential information preserved by your lawyer to the extent required by law.

9. You are entitled to have your attorney conduct himself or herself ethically in accordance with the New York Rules of Professional Conduct.

10. You may not be refused representation on the basis of race, creed, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin or disability.