MEMBERS OF THE FIRM
Marsha S. Brooks (Member) born New York, New York; admitted to bar, 1975, New York, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York and U.S. Court of Appeals, 2nd Circuit. Education: University College of Arts and Sciences of New York University (B.A., cum laude, 1971); Hofstra University (J.D., 1974). Phi Beta Kappa. Adjunct Professor, Hofstra University School of Law, 1990-1995. Author: "The Legal Aspects of Producing For Legitimate Theatre," (chapter) in Entertainment Law, New York State Bar Association, 1990; Chapter Author in "No Identity Crisis," by Melvin and Mario Van Peebles, Fireside, Simon & Schuster, 1990; "Negotiating and Drafting Stage Contracts," (chapter) in The Dow Jones-Irwin Handbook for Entertainers and Their Professional Advisers, 1987. Co-Author, "Setting the Stage," Legal Aspects of International Film and Television Co-productions, Daily Variety, June 26, 1991. Lecturer: "Deals: Producers' Relationships with Agents and Attorneys," The Broadway League October 27, 2009; "Legal Aspects for Producing in Commercial Theatre," Commercial Theatre Institute, April 26, 2002; "Securing Talent and Financing for Motion Pictures," ABA and Harvard Symposium on Entertainment Law, April 20, 1996; "Licensing Issues in International Copyright Transactions," Stanford Law School, March 17, 1993, March 16, 1995; "The Business of Commercial Theatre," Stanford Law School, March 14, 1996; "The Business of International Commercial Theatre," Stanford Law School, April 7, 1998; "International Theatre Productions," (Foreign Rights), Law and Theatre Seminar, Columbia Law School, March 24, 1992, March 9, 1993, March 29, 1994, March 28, 1995, April 1, 1997 and March 31, 1998; "Legal Aspects of Producing in the Commercial Sector," Commercial Theater Institute, February 10, 1997 and May 12,1997; "Making Deals That Work with Writers, Directors, Producers and Other Talent," Show Biz Expo East, September 16, 1991; "Making Your Deal as a Producer, Director, Writer," Show Biz Expo East, January 8, 1993; "The Legal and Business Aspects of Film and Television," Show Biz Expo East, January 8, 1994; Workshop-"Legal Affairs for the Independent Producer," Show Biz Production Expo New York, January 7, 1995, January 5, 1996; "Selling Your Play to Film and Television," Seminar, The Dramatists Guild, Inc., January 13, 1993; "On the Road: How Tours are Produced," The Entertainment & Leisure Division of Marsh & McLennan and New York University Department of Arts Administration, 1991; "Legal Issues: How They Affect The Producer," Women in Film and Video and Boston Film/Video Foundation, 1990; "Intellectual Property Law as Applied to the Theatre," New York University Law School, 1988, 1989 and 1990; "What Is Entertainment Law & What Does An Entertainment Lawyer Do?" University of Pennsylvania Law School, 1990; "International Rights Transactions: A Case Study of Two Types of Transactions in Entertainment Law," Stanford Law School, February 18, 1986 and April 30, 1987; "The Legal Aspects of Commercial Theatre Production: The Lawyer's Role," Stanford Law School, 1985; "The Legal Aspects of Motion Picture Production from a Producer's View," Columbia University Film Division of the School of the Arts, 1983; "Motion Picture Financing," Seminar, Foundation for Independent Video and Filmmakers, 1985; "The Legal Maze of Docudrama," Copyright Society of the U.S.A., 1986; "The Legal Aspects of Commercial Theatre Production," Commercial Theater Institute, 1988. Member and Trustee, The Copyright Society of the U.S.A., 1985-1988. Chair, Committee on Theatre and Performing Arts, New York State Bar Association, 1994-1996. Member, Board of Contributing Editors, Entertainment Law and Finance Newsletter, 1985-1989; Board of Directors, New Dramatists, Inc., 1991-2000; Board of Directors, 1991-1993, 1981-1983 and Vice President, 1982-1983, New York Women in Film and Television, Inc.; Steering Committee, League of Professional Theatre Women/New York, 1982-1987. Practice Areas: Entertainment; Media; Intellectual Property.
Thomas R. Distler (Member) born Newark, New Jersey, August 31, 1958; admitted to bar, 1984, New York. Education: Washington University (A.B., summa cum laude, 1980); Yale University (J.D., 1983). Phi Beta Kappa; Pi Sigma Alpha. Co-Author, "Setting the Stage," Legal Aspects of International Film and Television Co-productions, Daily Variety, Annual Special Report on Independents in Entertainment, June 26, 1991. Lecturer, "International Joint Ventures," League of American Theatres and Producers Conference on Investing in the Future, October 25-27, 1991. Member: New York State Bar Association. Practice Areas: Entertainment; Media; Intellectual Property.