{"id":2415100,"date":"2026-05-13T15:34:23","date_gmt":"2026-05-13T15:34:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2415100"},"modified":"2026-05-13T15:34:23","modified_gmt":"2026-05-13T15:34:23","slug":"new-yorks-most-powerful-entertainment-attorneys-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/new-yorks-most-powerful-entertainment-attorneys-2026\/","title":{"rendered":"New York\u2019s Most Powerful Entertainment Attorneys 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\n
\n\tWhen it comes to cases taken on by New York\u2019s top entertainment lawyers, the stakes can be high. From leading the criminal defenses of Sean Combs, Harvey Weinstein and Luigi Mangione to representing such A-list talent as Blake Lively, Matthew McConaughey, Robert De Niro and Spike Lee, these legal powerhouses operate at the highest levels of culture and controversy. And in helping bring Broadway and independent productions to life and championing First Amendment rights, these lawyers aren\u2019t just contributing to make world-class entertainment happen, they\u2019re also defending the freedoms that make it possible. The attorneys on this list were chosen based on the impact of their cases, the profiles of their clients and their reputation for success.<\/p>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n\n
Marc Agnifilo, Karen Friedman Agnifilo and Teny Geragos<\/h2>\n
\t<\/p>\n
\n
\n\n
\n
\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n
\t\t\t\t\tMarc Agnifilo, Karen Friedman Agnifilo and Teny Geragos<\/span><\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCourtesy of Subject (3)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
\n\tAfter securing a partial acquittal for Combs \u2014 obtaining not guilty verdicts on the most serious charges of racketeering and sex trafficking \u2014 Agnifilo and Geragos are defending Weinstein for allegedly raping an aspiring actress in a Manhattan hotel in 2013. It\u2019s a case heading to court for a third time after charges in the first trial were reversed and then there was a mistrial. Meanwhile, Friedman Agnifilo is representing Mangione in state and federal cases stemming from the 2024 shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. She\u2019s already scored significant early victories for the 27-year-old Ivy League graduate, getting the death penalty taken off the table in the federal case and the terrorism charges dismissed in state court. <\/p>\n
\n\tWHAT MOVIE OR TV LAWYER DO YOU MOST IDENTIFY WITH? <\/strong><\/p>\n
\n\tGERAGOS<\/strong> \u201dScout from To Kill a Mockingbird<\/em>. Growing up, I watched my dad represent people that society had already condemned. Scout\u2019s experience felt similar to mine, and living it gave me the strength and the passion to do what I do every single day.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
\n\n
Brian Ascher<\/h2>\n
\t<\/p>\n
\n
\n\n
\n
\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n
\t\t\t\t\tBrian Ascher<\/span><\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCourtesy of Subject<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
\n\tGibson Dunn (Litigation)<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n\tAs never-ending as a zombie\u2019s hunger, disputes over profit participation tied to The Walking Dead<\/em> continue on, with Ascher securing significant victories for AMC Networks in the multihundred-million-dollar litigation, including the court rejecting breach of contract claims brought by the show\u2019s executive producers. Away from the undead, Ascher recently won an important federal appeal for Bob Dylan, obtaining sanctions against two attorneys who handled a lawsuit against the singer-songwriter that they and their client ultimately abandoned. <\/p>\n
\n\tWHAT MOVIE OR TV LAWYER DO YOU MOST IDENTIFY WITH? <\/strong>\u201cVinny Gambini from My Cousin Vinny<\/em>. Like his fianc\u00e9, my wife is much smarter and more likable than me, and if I could get her on the stand as an expert witness as he did, I\u2019d have a better chance in every case!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
\n\n
Julian Azran<\/h2>\n
\t<\/p>\n
\n
\n\n
\n
\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n
\t\t\t\t\tJulian Azran<\/span><\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCourtesy of Subject<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
\n\tLatham & Watkins (Corporate)<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n\tMediawan \u2014 behind such hits as F1<\/em> and Slow Horses<\/em> \u2014 has Azran to thank for assisting in the French studio\u2019s acquisition of North Road. And when Initial Group recognized that YouTube creator content had become big business, Azran stepped in to negotiate the acquisition of Silver Tribe Media by the TPG-backed company, further expanding their reach. <\/p>\n
\n\tAFTER THE BIG MEDIAWAN WIN, I CELEBRATED \u2026 \u201c<\/strong>with Champagne at Entre Nous, the wine bar in Brooklyn I am a partner of, while taking calls outside.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
\n\n
Jonathan Bach and Alexandra Shapiro<\/h2>\n
\t<\/p>\n
\n
\n\n
\n
\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n
\t\t\t\t\tJonathan Bach and Alexandra Shapiro<\/span><\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCourtesy of Subject (2)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
\n\tWith Lively and Justin Baldoni set to face off in a Manhattan courtroom, Bach and Shapiro (among others) have already made victorious inroads defending Baldoni\u2019s Wayfarer Studios against Lively\u2019s allegations about the production of the film It Ends With Us<\/em>. In advance of trial, the court dismissed Lively\u2019s sexual harassment claims, ruling that the actress was an independent contractor, not an employee, which precluded her federal claims. That isn\u2019t their only major battle this year: Shapiro, with Bach an integral part of the defense, led in securing acquittals for Combs on sex trafficking and racketeering charges, and she\u2019s still attempting to throw out the remaining conviction, arguing on appeal that Combs\u2019 50-month imprisonment was unconstitutional, among other violations.<\/p>\n
\n\tAFTER A RECENT BIG WIN, I CELEBRATED \u2026 <\/strong><\/p>\n
\n\tBACH<\/strong> \u201cby going to my home in the Canadian Rockies for relaxation, cooking, hiking and biking. I cross-examined Don Henley about his claim that his handwritten notes to the lyrics of \u201cHotel California\u201d had been stolen, [and won] for rare book dealer Glenn Horowitz.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
\n\n
Alexia Bedat and Doug Nevin<\/h2>\n
\t<\/p>\n
\n
\n\n
\n
\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n
\t\t\t\t\tAlexia Bedat and Doug Nevin<\/span><\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCourtesy of Subject (2)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
\n\tKlaris (Talent)<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n\tPodcast junkie? There\u2019s a good chance you\u2019re hooked on one of Bedat\u2019s clients\u2019 pods. She reps some of the biggest names, from Barack and Michelle Obama\u2019s Higher Ground Audio and Brad Pitt\u2019s Plan B to Malcolm Gladwell\u2019s Pushkin Industries, as well as high-profile executives including Parcast founder Max Cutler. Among her notable deals, she negotiated IMO With Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson<\/em>, Fela Kuti: Fear No Man<\/em> and Higher Ground and Headgum\u2019s The Outfit<\/em>. Nevin dominated the Broadway season, serving as counsel on nine productions \u2014 from breakout hits Purpose<\/em> and John Proctor Is the Villain<\/em> to the revival of Gypsy<\/em> starring Audra McDonald \u2014 his slate collectively earning 20 Tony nominations.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
\n\tThe legal doctor for docs, Benge represented director Alexandria Stapleton, brokering the deals with Curtis \u201c50 Cent\u201d Jackson and Netflix that paved the way for viral limited docuseries Sean Combs: The Reckoning<\/em>. Not only did he lock in highly competitive access to key subjects, Benge secured the rights to use that<\/em> video \u2014 the footage of Combs ranting as he strategizes with his lawyers while under federal investigation, which Combs is threatening to sue over. He also negotiated licensing deals for Oscar-winning director Ben Proudfoot\u2019s documentary The Eyes of Ghana<\/em> (executive produced by the Obamas) and repped the Netflix short The Baddest Speechwriter of All<\/em>, about Clarence B. Jones writing for Martin Luther King Jr. and directed by Steph Curry and Proudfoot. <\/p>\n
\n\tWHAT MOVIE OR TV LAWYER DO YOU MOST IDENTIFY WITH? <\/strong>\u201cMiranda Hobbes, before she abdicated to Brooklyn.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
\n\n
Matthew Bruno<\/h2>\n
\t<\/p>\n
\n
\n\n
\n
\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n
\t\t\t\t\tMatthew Bruno<\/span><\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCourtesy of Subject<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
\n\tThe final chapter of the It Ends With Us <\/em>showdown is heading to a Manhattan courtroom where Lively will face off against Baldoni with her claim that his Wayfarer production company promoted a retaliatory smear campaign against her. Bruno, joined by fellow partner Esra Hudson, was deeply involved in pretrial discovery, preparing for and taking key depositions and arguing for sanctions against Wayfarer.<\/p>\n
\n\tAFTER A RECENT BIG WIN, I CELEBRATED \u2026 <\/strong>\u201cthe birth of my son, who was born the same day that the court issued its dismissal of Wayfarer\u2019s $400 million lawsuit against Ms. Lively and Mr. [Ryan] Reynolds.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
\n\n
Carolyn Casselman, Elizabeth McNamara and Rachel Strom<\/h2>\n
\t<\/p>\n
\n
\n\n
\n
\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n
\t\t\t\t\tCarolyn Casselman, Elizabeth McNamara and Rachel Strom<\/span><\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCourtesy of Subject (3)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
\n\tVersatility defines this attorney trio. Casselman is the firm\u2019s go-to Broadway pro, representing many nonprofit theaters that are cultural institutions \u2014 including Atlantic Theater Company, Manhattan Theatre Club, Signature Theatre and Second Stage \u2014 as well as producers and financiers that in total garnered 33 nominations during the 2025 Tony season. An expert in high-profile First Amendment cases, McNamara is repping Penguin Random House and authors Susanne Craig and Russ Buettner in President Trump\u2019s defamation suit arising from their book Lucky Loser<\/em>; CBS\u2019 60 Minutes<\/em> in Trump\u2019s action over the interview of Kamala Harris; and Bob Woodward and Simon & Schuster in a roughly $50 million copyright lawsuit filed by Trump over recorded interviews conducted during his first term for Woodward\u2019s book, Rage<\/em>. Strom served as lead counsel for Netflix in its defense of the acclaimed docuseries Inventing Anna<\/em>, the story of fake German heiress Anna \u201cDelvey\u201d Sorokin, and led a team that overturned, in less than 24 hours, an injunction that would have blocked Lifetime from distributing Where Is Wendy Williams?<\/em> Strom\u2019s work drew global attention to the campaign to free Williams from her restrictive guardianship. <\/p>\n
\n\tWHAT MOVIE OR TV LAWYER DO YOU MOST IDENTIFY WITH? <\/strong>McNamara: \u201cDiane Lockhart on The Good Wife<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
\n\n
Marcie Cleary and Julie Murray<\/h2>\n
\t<\/p>\n
\n
\n\n
\n
\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n
\t\t\t\t\tMarcie Cleary and Julie Murray<\/span><\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCourtesy of Subject (2)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
\n\tFrankfurt Kurnit (Talent)<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n\tThe Tale of Silyan<\/em>, about rescuing an injured stork in Macedonia, moved audiences and won prizes across festivals; Murray negotiated distribution with Nat Geo and Dogwood to ensure the film found the wider audience it deserved. She also drove Netflix\u2019s and director Angus Wall\u2019s deal for the Eddie Murphy doc and handled the agreement with Netflix along with all talent and above-the-line agreements \u2014 including filmmaker Martina Radwan \u2014 for One Last Adventure: The Making of Stranger Things 5<\/em>. Drama is never far away with Real Housewives<\/em>, and Cleary kept the antics high by negotiating the deal for Sai de Silva to return to the New York cohort and appear on The Real Housewives Ultimate Girls Trip<\/em>. <\/p>\n
\n\tWHAT MOVIE OR TV LAWYER DO YOU MOST IDENTIFY WITH?<\/strong> <\/p>\n
\n\tCLEARY<\/strong> \u201cAdrian Boseman (played by Delroy Lindo) on CBS\/Paramount+\u2019s The Good Fight<\/em>. He was a masterful strategist.\u201d <\/p>\n
\n\tHOW HAS AI CHANGED THE WAY YOU DO BUSINESS? <\/strong><\/p>\n
\n\tMURRAY<\/strong> \u201dIn a lot of ways, AI has made the job harder because we need to protect chain-of-title and ensure that facts are true. We are having daily conversations with clients about best practices and copyright concerns to help them understand the potential pitfalls and legal risks.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
\n\n
Shellie Freedman<\/h2>\n
\t<\/p>\n
\n
\n\n
\n
\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n
\t\t\t\t\tShellie Freedman<\/span><\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCourtesy of Subject<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
\n\tKirkland & Ellis (Corporate)<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n\tFreedman was part of the team advising Warner Bros. Discovery on strategies that ultimately led to its plans to split into two separate, publicly traded companies in a tax-free transaction. Its Streaming & Studios company will consist of Warner Bros. Television, Warner Bros. Motion Pictures Group, DC Studios, HBO and Max, along with their legendary film and television libraries, while Global Networks will cover entertainment, sports and global news television (including celebrity.land), TNT Sports in the U.S., Discovery and Bleacher Report<\/em>. Freedman also played a key role in WBD securing a temporary, staggering $17.5 billion loan to shore up its balance sheet and buy back prior debt before splitting.<\/p>\n
\n\tAFTER A RECENT BIG WIN, I CELEBRATED \u2026 <\/strong>\u201cwith a good meal with my family after a big win for Virgin Music Group in closing its acquisition of Downtown Music Holdings. Step two is usually to get outside or to the climbing gym. There\u2019s something about being on the wall or on a bike that makes a win sink in.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
\n\n
Karen Gottlieb, Peter Grant and Robert Strent<\/h2>\n
\t<\/p>\n
\n
\n\n
\n
\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n
\t\t\t\t\tKaren Gottlieb, Peter Grant and Robert Strent<\/span><\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCourtesy of Subject (3)<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
\n\tGrubman Shire (Talent)<\/strong><\/p>\n
\n\tThese powerhouses handle a number of mononymous celebs: Madonna, Sting and Nas are repped by Gottlieb (who also oversaw legalities with the Billy Joel documentary And So It Goes<\/em>), and she works with Britney Spears and Jessica Simpson in their development and production projects. Grant advises iconic New York names in iconic projects: De Niro in Focker-in-Law<\/em>, Lady Gaga in The Devil Wears Prada 2<\/em> and NBC correspondent Martha Stewart in the Winter Olympics. Strent not only brokered Lizzo\u2019s deal to star as Sister Rosetta Tharpe in an Amazon MGM movie, which she is attached to produce, but also Shamrock Capital\u2019s partnership with Netflix to reboot Star Search<\/em> and the deal for Evan Gershkovich, the journalist held in Russia on espionage charges, whose upcoming memoir will be adapted into a feature for Amazon MGM\/United Artists.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/li>\n
\n\n
Phillip Hill<\/h2>\n
\t<\/p>\n
\n
\n\n
\n
\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n
\t\t\t\t\tPhil Hill<\/span><\/p>\n
\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCourtesy of Subject<\/cite><\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hollywoodreporter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Brian-Ascher-EMBED-2026.jpg?w=295\")
<\/p><\/div><\/div>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hollywoodreporter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/JulianAzran-EMBED-2026.jpg?w=295\")
<\/p><\/div><\/div>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hollywoodreporter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Bach_Shapiro-EMBED-2026.jpg?w=1000\")
<\/p><\/div><\/div>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hollywoodreporter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Bedat_Nevin-EMBED-2026.jpg?w=1000\")
<\/p><\/div><\/div>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hollywoodreporter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Daniel-Benge-Fox-Rothschild-EMBED-2026.jpg?w=295\")
<\/p><\/div><\/div>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hollywoodreporter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Bruno_Matthew-EMBED-2026.jpg?w=295\")
<\/p><\/div><\/div>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hollywoodreporter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Casselman_McNamara_Strom-EMBED-2026.jpg?w=1000\")
<\/p><\/div><\/div>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hollywoodreporter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Cleary-Murray-EMBED-2026.jpg?w=1000\"){kind=spacer}
<\/p><\/div><\/div>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hollywoodreporter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/ShellieFreedman-EMBED-2026.jpg?w=295\")
<\/p><\/div><\/div>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hollywoodreporter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Gottlieb-Grant-Strent-EMBED-2026.jpg?w=1000\")
<\/p><\/div><\/div>![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.hollywoodreporter.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/Phil-Hill-EMBED-2026.jpg?w=295\")
<\/p><\/div><\/div>