Work history
Adam E. Hirshfield, Esq., PLLC, Partner
Oversee all aspects of the practice including client relations, risk management and business development. Areas of practice include international tax, intellectual property, entertainment and general corporate governance matters. Primarily a transactional law practice, negotiating licensing and release agreements; representing and counseling clients in transactions with major record labels, music publishing houses, TV & film studios.
• Taxation of IP / International Taxation: Accomplished reducing client’s tax burdens by 35% to more than 50% on worldwide income from varied entertainment and intellectual property related sources. Advise clients with respect to FAS 109 and FACTA. Advise clients on the Foreign Tax Credit and Subpart F income with respect to non-US income and interests.
• Business Structure: Successfully restructured businesses and helped clients optimize the financial performance of their business operations, tax strategy and business strategy by providing critical insight and a clearer and more complete understanding of proper tax treatment and planning.
• Business / Product Launches: Strengthened client’s business posture and provided comprehensive advisement on the creation and endorsement of product lines including calendars, fragrances, apparel and alcoholic beverages. Drafted LLC operating agreements for television development projects.
• Copyright & Trademarks: Registered copyrights and prosecuted trademark registrations. Responded to office actions brought by the United States Patent and Trademark Office concerning trademark and service mark registrations.
• Contract Drafting & Review: Negotiated and drafted recording artist releases from recording agreements, composer releases from music publishing agreements, recording agreements, music publishing agreements, artist management agreements, merchandising agreements, rights acquisition from major cable television network and television rights transfer agreements.
Simon, Eisenberg & Baum, LLP, Partner, Chairman Entertainment & Intellectual Property Law Practice Group
Served as a strategic advisor and legal representative to clients on legal and business matters pertaining to the entertainment industry. Represented and advised clients on business structuring/restructuring, (partnerships and incorporations); copyright and trademarks; licensing; intellectual property; corporate sponsorship; Internet content acquisitions; digital publishing and Internet distribution agreements. Advised solo musicians, musical groups, composers, artist managers, music producers, independent record labels, film producers, television producers, production companies, actors, models, directors and screenwriters.
• Business Launches: Guided clients through the development and initial launch of new businesses and products; provided advice regarding corporate formation, trademarks and contracts as well as general business. Counseled clients with respect to a variety of general corporate governance matters.
• Copyrights & Trademarks: Registered copyrights and prosecuted trademarks.
National Broadcasting Company, Attorney
Negotiated and drafted copyright & trademark license, non-disclosure, non-compete, standstill, joint venture, and LLC agreements, including agreements with Discovery Communications, National Geographic Television, Fox Broadcasting, Dow Jones, Television Française 1 (TF1), Deutsche Fernsehnachrichten Agentur (DFA), Shadow Traffic, Multivision Media Monitoring, Nielsen Media Research, Jupiter/Media Metrix, Hughes Electronics and General Motors.
• Project Management: Led multiple large scale projects; analyzed and translated complex legal contracts for distribution on company’s Intranet site. Ensured the language was complete, accurate in its intent yet able to be understood by those with limited or no legal knowledge.
• Collaborated throughout the enterprise: Worked collaboratively with mid and senior level executives of NBC divisions and subsidiaries, international and domestic counsel, and tax, securities and corporate agencies on international and domestic legal and business matters.
• Corporate Governance: Responsible for corporate governance of all of NBC's wholly-owned international and domestic subsidiaries, joint ventures and partnerships (over 150 companies in 10 countries).
Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman LLP, Associate
Litigated commercial contract and commercial real estate cases; litigated an $800 million multi-party, multi-jurisdiction anti-takeover and RICO case. Drafted complaints, case statements, requests for production, discovery motions, supporting briefs, and deposition questions and outlines. Attended depositions, performed due diligence and onsite discovery, gathered evidence and analyzed discovery materials. Increased profitability, achieved the highest in billable hours.
Kaufman, Feiner, Yamin, Gilden and Robbins, Law Clerk
PolyGram, Legal Intern
Grubman Indursky & Shire, P.C., Summer Associate
