7/17/2008
“Ken is known as a powerhouse lawyer and recognized as an executive-level business counselor who understands the current convergence of legal issues between the traditional media and entertainment fields, as well as private equity, new media, privacy and technology.” said Shuftan.
“Wildman Harrold’s expertise in new media and complex litigation makes them a perfect fit with my experience and the needs of the LA legal and entertainment communities,” states Suddleson.
Suddleson has spent his entire 30-year career in the entertainment industry, having represented high-profile clients and cases. He comes to Wildman Harrold from Foley & Lardner LLP, where he served as chair of its media and entertainment practice. Suddleson’s experience includes both his work as a lawyer on all sides of media and entertainment issues as well as four years in the Office of the Chairman of Paramount Pictures.
A business lawyer for the media and entertainment industry, Suddleson’s practice focuses on business transactions, contracts, intellectual property, technology and licensing. He represents and advises a broad range of clients including major motion picture and television production companies, network and cable television programming producers and distributors, computer game publishers, senior entertainment executives, foreign distributors and broadcasters, sports ventures, record labels, visual effects companies and hedge funds.
Wildman Harrold’s Los Angeles office includes recent lateral additions Carole Handler (May 2008), also from Foley & Lardner; and Dominique Shelton (June 2008), Jesse Brody (March 2008) and Alan Friel (Feb. 2008), all from Kaye Scholer. Partner Nancy Derwin-Weiss, formerly in-house counsel with Paramount Pictures, joined the firm’s LA office in 2007, as founding partner. These attorneys work closely with Chicago-based partners John Letchinger, Justine Young Gottshall, Jamie Rubin, Tom Smedinghoff and Bill Cook, whose work has focused on the convergence of new media, privacy and data security, and which has propelled Wildman Harrold’s expansion in the media and entertainment space.
Suddleson serves as an adjunct professor at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, where he team-teaches Strategic Thinking and other courses. He holds a B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles and a J.D. from UCLA School of Law. In 2007, Suddleson was featured in The Hollywood Reporter inaugural list of "100 Power Lawyers," in which he was described by an industry insider as, "the dean of entertainment lawyers."
Prominent Business Lawyer M. Kenneth Suddleson Joins Wildman Harrold to Lead Firm’s New L.A. Office
CHICAGO –M. Kenneth Suddleson, valued counsel to the entertainment, media and technology industries, has joined Wildman Harrold to head its newly established Los Angeles Office beginning Friday, July 18th. Robert Shuftan, Managing Partner of Wildman Harrold, announced today that Suddleson, in his new role, will focus on building a leading media and entertainment practice for the firm.“Ken is known as a powerhouse lawyer and recognized as an executive-level business counselor who understands the current convergence of legal issues between the traditional media and entertainment fields, as well as private equity, new media, privacy and technology.” said Shuftan.
“Wildman Harrold’s expertise in new media and complex litigation makes them a perfect fit with my experience and the needs of the LA legal and entertainment communities,” states Suddleson.
Suddleson has spent his entire 30-year career in the entertainment industry, having represented high-profile clients and cases. He comes to Wildman Harrold from Foley & Lardner LLP, where he served as chair of its media and entertainment practice. Suddleson’s experience includes both his work as a lawyer on all sides of media and entertainment issues as well as four years in the Office of the Chairman of Paramount Pictures.
A business lawyer for the media and entertainment industry, Suddleson’s practice focuses on business transactions, contracts, intellectual property, technology and licensing. He represents and advises a broad range of clients including major motion picture and television production companies, network and cable television programming producers and distributors, computer game publishers, senior entertainment executives, foreign distributors and broadcasters, sports ventures, record labels, visual effects companies and hedge funds.
Wildman Harrold’s Los Angeles office includes recent lateral additions Carole Handler (May 2008), also from Foley & Lardner; and Dominique Shelton (June 2008), Jesse Brody (March 2008) and Alan Friel (Feb. 2008), all from Kaye Scholer. Partner Nancy Derwin-Weiss, formerly in-house counsel with Paramount Pictures, joined the firm’s LA office in 2007, as founding partner. These attorneys work closely with Chicago-based partners John Letchinger, Justine Young Gottshall, Jamie Rubin, Tom Smedinghoff and Bill Cook, whose work has focused on the convergence of new media, privacy and data security, and which has propelled Wildman Harrold’s expansion in the media and entertainment space.
Suddleson serves as an adjunct professor at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television, where he team-teaches Strategic Thinking and other courses. He holds a B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles and a J.D. from UCLA School of Law. In 2007, Suddleson was featured in The Hollywood Reporter inaugural list of "100 Power Lawyers," in which he was described by an industry insider as, "the dean of entertainment lawyers."
About Wildman Harrold
Wildman Harrold is a 200-attorney business law firm representing Fortune 500 companies and private businesses in Complex Litigation, Business Transactions and Intellectual Property. Their media and entertainment law practice represents top tier corporations such as CBS Corporation, Current TV, MTV Networks, Paramount Pictures Corporation, Scripps Networks, Summit Entertainment, United Media, Viacom Inc. and Yahoo! among others.