Twenty Years and Counting: Michelman & Robinson, LLP Celebrates its Platinum Anniversary

Michelman & Robinson, LLP (“M&R”) is pleased to announce and commemorate the twentieth anniversary of its founding on June 1, 1999.

M&R is a leading midsize law firm known for its powerhouse litigation, transactional and regulatory teams that represent a who’s who of clients in the advertising & digital media, banking & finance, entertainment, hospitality, insurance, retail & apparel and technology spaces, among many others. The firm’s lawyers do so out of headquarters in Los Angeles, offices in Irvine, San Francisco and Chicago and its anchor in New York City.

Over two decades, M&R has realized measured, yet explosive growth, and with that have come tremendous accolades. A small sampling – M&R has been designated a “Best Place to Work” multiple times; its earned repeated recognition by The Legal 500U.S. News & World Report has given the firm’s commercial litigation practice group a Tier 1 ranking; Vault has called it one of the best known and most sought-after midsize law firms in the nation; the Los Angeles Business Journal included M&R in its Top 100 Southern California law firms; and Law360 honored its commitment to minority lawyers.

The recognition comes on the heels of remarkable successes over the years. M&R lawyers have made (and changed) law; have shielded clients from billions of dollars of exposure; have won multi-million dollar verdicts; have closed deal after significant deal; and have otherwise left their mark in the courtroom, in the boardroom and in the lives of the people who’ve counted on us time and time again.

Sanford Michelman, the firm’s co-founder is thrilled to celebrate the milestone. He says, “By nature, I’m rather forward-thinking, but to look back 20 years and remember the day Mark and I launched M&R is really something. We started out with big ideas, ambitious goals and an approach to law and business that was different from the rest, but not much else. Fast forward, and we’ve become a hard hitting, national firm known for our tenacity and unmatched client service excellence – that’s a lot to be proud of.”

What co-founder Mark Robinson is most gratified by is M&R’s work product, “we know our clients’ businesses from A to Z and what it is they want to achieve, and that’s entirely reflected in our work and remarkable track record of wins over the past two decades.”

Adds Dana Kravetz, M&R’s firm managing partner for the last 10 years and Chair of its Hospitality Industry Group, “It’s a great feeling of accomplishment to reflect back on 20 years of growth and successes, but what I’m most excited about are the opportunities to come. In my view, our nuanced understanding of client industries and uncompromising attention to detail means that the sky continues to be the limit for M&R and the extraordinary folks that work here.”

About Michelman & Robinson, LLP

M&R, a national law firm with offices in California, Illinois and New York, represents clients in complex litigation, transactional and regulatory matters in a wide variety of practice areas and industries, including Advertising & Digital Media, Banking & Financial Services, Commercial Litigation, Corporate & Securities, Entertainment, Hospitality, Insurance, Intellectual Property, Labor & Employment, Real Estate, Retail and Apparel and Tax. For more information, please visit www.mrllp.com.

Dana Kravetz Named to Law360’s Hospitality Editorial Advisory Board

Dana Kravetz has recently been named a member of the Law360 Hospitality Editorial Advisory Board. In that capacity, Dana will provide substantive feedback on how Law360 can continue to generate stellar hospitality-related content, and he will share sources when possible.

Law360, a subscription-based, legal news service operated by the Portfolio Media Company (a subsidiary of LexisNexis), covers nearly every major industry, and helps legal practitioners stay on top of legal precedent in a broad range of practice areas and corporate sectors.

Congratulations, Dana, for this prestigious appointment and recognition.

M&R Insurance Hot Topics

Please join us this May for the M&R Insurance Hot Topics! This event is a morning program of four focused panels with a luncheon to follow. The four panels will cover trending topics in the insurance industry such as cybersecurity, acquisitions, compliance and more. Accompanying M&R attorneys on the panels will be senior professionals in Private Equity and Insurance.

By attending the education-based program attendees will avail themselves to a broad-based curriculum directly impacting the insurance industry. The panel discussions offered will be an excellent source of continuing education for those insurance professionals in attendance, particularly given the timeliness and relevance of the areas of focus.

The event will be held in Los Angeles on May 10 from 7:30 AM – 1:30 PM, at the Luxe Hotel (Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles) and in New York on May 17 from 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM, at the W Hotel (Union Square, New York).

For more information click here.

 

MediaLink’s Founder Taps its Long-Time Advisor Michelman & Robinson, LLP in its Sale to Ascential plc

MediaLink, a leading strategic business advisory and development company, recently sold to UK-based Ascential plc, an international business-to-business media firm that informs and connects business professionals in more than 150 countries through market-leading exhibitions and festivals and information services. The transaction may be valued at more than $200 million.

Serving the media, marketing, advertising, entertainment, technology and finance industries, MediaLink’s international clientele ranges from Fortune 100 brands to startups and includes such well-known companies as AT&T, Microsoft, Fox and Comcast, to name a few. For its part, Ascential plc, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange, adds MediaLink to a growing roster of assets, Money 20/20 (the UK’s largest trade show), the prestigious Cannes Lions festival for the branded communications industry, EMAP (a content and subscriptions business) and fashion-trend forecaster WSGN among them.

Pending U.S. regulatory approvals, MediaLink will form part of Ascential’s Information Services division.

Los Angeles-based law firm Michelman & Robinson, LLP (M&R) represented MediaLink in the sale, led by Ronald Camhi, who helped launch MediaLink in 2003 and advised it through more than a decade of tremendous growth. Mr. Camhi’s team included M&R’s co-founder Sanford Michelman (L.A.), Ryan Hong (L.A.), Ian Shane (NY), Michael Hatchett (NY), Celina Kirchner (L.A.) and Matthew Lasky (L.A.).

Michael Kassan, MediaLink’s Chairman, CEO and founder, said of the sale, “this was a significant transaction that will allow us to take our proven business model to the next level with geographic growth alongside Ascential.” He went on to praise MediaLink’s long-time counsel, “We were so fortunate to have Michelman & Robinson at our side. They know the media space, its nuances, and how to navigate complicated deals.”

Mr. Camhi, head of M&R’s Media Practice Group stated, “I’ve handled many media transactions, but this one was particularly enjoyable because of the novel issues and fantastic people involved – on both sides of the table.” And given the history between MediaLink and M&R, Mr. Michelman added, “it speaks volumes about M&R that Michael, MediaLink’s founder, sought us out to represent the sale of his baby. I’m very proud of our team.”

Twelve M&R Attorneys Named to Southern California Super Lawyers List

2016-02-09 09.13.15 amTwelve Michelman & Robinson, LLP (M&R) partners were named to the list of 2016 Southern California Super Lawyers. They are Darren Barker, Ronald Camhi, Jeffrey Farrow, Mona Hanna, Marc Jacobs, Dana Kravetz, Sanford MichelmanMark Robinson, David Samuels, Andrew Selesnick, Todd Stitt, and Stacey Zill.

Additionally, Chairman Sanford Michelman, Firm Managing Partner Dana Kravetz and Orange County Office Managing Partner Mona Hanna were named to the 2016 list of Top 1oo Attorneys in Southern California. This is the second straight year that Michelman & Kravetz made the Top 100 list. While Hanna was also selected one of the Top 50 Women Attorneys in Southern California and among the Top 50 Attorneys in Orange County.

Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. Only five percent of lawyers practicing in each region are selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers annually. Each year, the research team at Super Lawyers Magazine undertakes a rigorous multi-phase selection process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, independent evaluation of candidates by the attorney-led research staff, a peer review of candidates by practice area and a good-standing and disciplinary check.

Michelman & Robinson Representing Camper Van Beethoven and Cracker Lead Singer In Class Action Lawsuit

Michelman & Robinson, LLP is representing Camper Van Beethoven and Cracker lead singer and songwriter, David Lowery, in a class action lawsuit seeking $150 million in damages from Spotify for copyright infringement. The suit alleges that the music streaming company knowingly, willingly, and unlawfully reproduces and distributes copyrighted compositions without first obtaining mechanical licenses.

Michelman & Robinson attorneys were mentioned in the following publications in regards to this story:

NPR:

Lowery’s lawyer, Sanford Michelman, says Spotify may owe tens of millions of dollars not just in unpaid royalties but for copyright infringement, which can run as high as 150-thousand dollars per violation.

Courthouse News:

“I hope that Spotify acts in a corporately reasonable manner,” says Sanford Michelman, the lead attorney for the class. “These individuals – especially songwriters – put their hearts and souls in their works.”

Mona Hanna, an attorney representing the class with Michelman & Robinson, told Courthouse News that Spotify knew Lowery objected to the use of his songs without his consent, but “played them nevertheless.”
“He has been very vocal with respect to his concerns and objections over his songs being played without his consent and approval,” Hanna said.

Damaris Medina Included in The Ambulatory M&A Advisor’s List of ’36 People to Know in the Urgent Care Market’

DMedina- smallDamaris Medina was one of three attorneys included in The Ambulatory M&R Advisor’s List of “36 People to Know in the Urgent Care Market:”

Damaris L. Medina, Health Care Attorney for Michelman and Robinson LLP, represents a diverse array of health care clients in complex litigation, contracting, and risk management. She also advises health care providers on managed care contracting, employment, compliance, breach of contract and other related business matters, in addition to defending them against government investigations and audits. Recently Medina won a seat on the Board of Directors for the UCAOA.

Seasoned Insurance Regulatory Attorney Nicole Zayac Joins Michelman & Robinson, LLP as Counsel

Michelman & Robinson, LLP (M&R) is pleased to announce that Nicole Zayac has joined the Firm as Senior Counsel, where she will continue her practice in representing clients in the insurance and related industries. With extensive experience working with clients on regulatory issues, compliance and mergers and acquisitions, Ms. Zayac will practice in M&R’s Regulatory and Administrative Group at the Firm’s San Francisco office.

Read the full press release

Melanie Natasha Howard Named to Super Lawyers’ 2015 Up-And-Coming 25 Rising Stars in Orange County!

Melanie Natasha Howard was selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers’ Up-And-Coming: Orange County Rising Stars – Top List. Ms. Howard was among a group of attorneys who received the highest point totals in the Southern California Rising Stars nomination, research and blue ribbon review process.

List of 25 Up-And-Coming Orange County Rising Stars