ORIGIN

As counsel to The Ford Foundation, we handled negotiations and drafting for the funding of this film by Ava DuVernay, which is inspired by the life and work of Pulitzer Prize winner Isabel Wilkerson.

CHIMP CRAZY

We are counsel to CHIMP CRAZY, the most watched HBO documentary series of the last four years.

Sony

Among counsel for Sony Pictures and Sony Pictures Television, producers and/or distributors of some of the most successful motion pictures and programs in the world.

THE HATCHET WIELDING HITCHHIKER

We're counsel for this sensational Netflix documentary that has taken the internet by storm.

A24

We are honored to be legal and business affairs counsel to A24, winner of dozens of Oscars, and the producers behind EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE, MOONLIGHT, LADY BIRD, THE WHALE, and much more.

TIGER KING

We are outside counsel for the directors and producers of the most popular documentary series in history.

SEARCHING FOR SUGAR MAN

Production counsel for the late Malik Bendjelloul's sensational, Oscar-winning "Searching for Sugar Man," released by Sony Pictures Classics.

SOPHIE: A MURDER IN WEST CORK

We are counsel for this controversial and compelling Netflix documentary series by our Academy Award winning client, Lightbox.

The Ford Foundation

THE BBC

We have been among the outside counsel for the BBC, where SmithDehn's Philip Wheeler was a senior in-house solicitor for 11 years.

MURDER MOUNTAIN

We're counsel for this acclaimed and popular documentary series.

The Princess

Vogue 2

AMERICAN ANIMALS

We were production counsel for this "wildly entertaining" (Variety) scripted feature film that captivated the 2018 Sundance Film Festival.

CHEER

We are among the production counsel for Season Two of this Triple-Primetime-Emmy-Award-winning series on Netflix.

Media Rights Capital

Among counsel to MRC, the industry’s largest independent film, TV and digital studio.

SPACEY UNMASKED

We're counsel to this hard-hitting biographical documentary series on the distributed by Max and Channel Four.

PHILIP GLASS

One of our partners, Russell Smith, has provided legal advice and related services for Philip Glass, the world's most successful living music composer.

ITV

US counsel to the largest and most popular commercial television network in the United Kingdom.

UNTOUCHABLE: THE INSIDE STORY OF THE HARVEY WEINSTEIN SCANDAL

We are counsel for the Hulu Documentary, UNTOUCHABLE: THE INSIDE STORY OF THE HARVEY WEINSTEIN SCANDAL

SHOWTIME NETWORKS, INC.

We are among the outside counsel to Showtime Networks, Inc. At the moment, we are production and claims counsel for their hardhitting, controversial new Sacha Baron Cohen series, WHO IS AMERICA?.

NATIONAL BIRD

We are honored to be production counsel for this scathing, "bird's eye" documentary, directed by Sonia Kennebeck and exec produced by Wim Wenders and Errol Morris, about the US military drone program.

Fear Thy Neighbor

Production counsel to this Investigation Discovery series about what happens when a homeowner unwittingly takes up residence next to psycho or when evil minds decide to lay down roots right next door.

WHO IS AMERICA?

We are production and claims counsel for Showtime, Sacha Baron Cohen, and their hardhitting, controversial new series, WHO IS AMERICA?, a reincarnation of DA ALI G SHOW in the Trump era.

Make Or Break

Paramount Pictures

We are among the outside counsel for Paramount Pictures.

LAST CHANCE U

We're counsel for this award-winning, very popular Netflix series that goes behind the scenes at the top junior college football programs in the US.

BRANDY HELLVILLE

We're counsel to this hugely popular Max series produced by Lightbox.

AMAZON STUDIOS

We are among the litigation defense counsel for Amazon Studios

FREMANTLE MEDIA

We are among the outside counsel to one of the world's largest and most successful creators, producers and distributors of outstanding entertainment brands.

American Nightmare 2

CBS CORPORATION

We are among the outside counsel for the CBS television network.

UNITED SHADES OF AMERICA

We are production counsel for this Primetime Emmy-Award-wining hit CNN series that follows comedian and political provocateur W. Kamau Bell as he explores communities and challenges across America.

BECKHAM

We are counsel for this four-part documentary series that reached number one on Netflix in the US and the UK.

UNTOUCHABLE

We are US production counsel for the BBC/Lightbox film, UNTOUCHABLE, about the rise and fall of Harvey Weinstein, premiering at Sundance 2019.

Gold Rush - Raw Television

Production counsel for all nine seasons of Discovery's popular observational documentary television series, "Gold Rush."

KNOCK DOWN THE HOUSE

We are counsel for KNOCK DOWN THE HOUSE, the acclaimed documentary by Rachel Lears, which was purchased by Netflix at Sundance for a record $10 million.

PLAN B ENTERTAINMENT

Among the counsel for Brad Pitt's production company, acclaimed for SELMA, 12 YEARS A SLAVE, THE BIG SHORT, THE DEPARTED, and other important films.

THE MOST HATED MAN ON THE INTERNET

We were production counsel for this legally difficult, hugely popular Netflix series by Raw TV.

BAFTA

Handling contract drafting and negotiations for the British Academy of Film and Television Arts

THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS

We are production counsel to this most successful documentary film since Fahrenheit 9/11.

Break Point 2

Web of Lies

We are production counsel for this compelling Discovery series that reveals stories of deception and homicide triggered by online interactions.

Our Great National Parks

We were counsel for Netflix on this documentary series narrated by President Obama and produced by his production company, Higher Ground Productions.

BORAT SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM

We are production and claims counsel to Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan

RADICAL MEDIA

We are counsel to film/TV production company Radical Media. With offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, Berlin and Shanghai, Radical is one of the premiere companies in the industry.

NETFLIX

We are outside counsel for Netflix.

LISTEN TO ME MARLON

We are production counsel to this 2015 Sundance-selected, 2016 Oscar-Short-Listed, Marlon Brando biopic released by Universal Studios and Showtime.

The Imposter

Production counsel for "The Imposter," an astonishingly true story about a French man who fools everyone into believing he is a missing Texas boy, including the boy's family.

ASHLEY MADISON

We are production and business affairs counsel on this hit Netflix documentary series.

Channel 4

U.S. counsel to Channel 4, Britain's second largest broadcast network and one of the world's most challenging and creative producers of television programs and films.

THE LONGEST WAR

We are counsel to this definitive Showtime Documentary by the creators of HOMELAND and director Greg Barker, which unpacks the human stories and drama behind America's involvement in Afghanistan.

FORMULA 1: DRIVE TO SURVIVE

We're counsel for this Netflix documentary series.

STUTZ

We're counsel for Jonah Hill's remarkable documentary feature about his therapist and how the therapy transformed him.

Ghosn

PASSION PICTURES

We are US and UK counsel to this multiple Oscar winning film and television company behind Searching for Sugar Man, The Imposter, and Project Nim, to name a few.

Borat

Production and claims counsel for the multi-Oscar nominated comedy, "Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan."

ALL THREE MEDIA AMERICA

We're among the US and UK counsel for All3Media America, the LA-based, multi studio production hub for one of the world's leading creators of high-quality content.

1971: THE YEAR THAT MUSIC CHANGED EVERYTHING

Honored to be production counsel for this Apple+ series from the Oscar award-winning team who created the acclaimed documentary, AMY

TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY FOX

We have been among the outside counsel to Twenty-First Century Fox.

THE MAURITANIAN

Executive Produced by Russell Smith and Zak Kilberg for our joint venture, Convergent Media. With Jodie Foster, Tahar Rahim, Benedict Cumberbach, and Shailene Woodley.

LIGHTBOX ENTERTAINMENT

We are US and UK counsel for this LA-and-London based production company founded by multiple Oscar and Emmy Award winning Simon Chinn and Jonathan Chinn, and funded by Channel 4.

WELCOME TO WREXHAM

We are counsel to this five-time Emmy Award Winning hit television series starring Ryan Reynolds.

All That Breathes

100 FOOT WAVE

We're counsel for this HBO Original Series

THE FINAL YEAR

An insiders' account of President Barack Obama's foreign policy team during their final year, as they set out to define their legacy, promote diplomacy - and react to the rise of Donald Trump.

OCTOBER FILMS

We are US and UK counsel to October Films, one of the world's most respected and longest established factual television production companies. They have won over 100 international awards.

THE TINDER SWINDLER

We were production counsel for this Netflix true crime series.

Trainwreck Woodstock 99

HBO

Our attorneys have been among the production and claims counsel to Home Box Office, Inc.

Da Ali G Show

Production and litigation counsel to Sacha Baron Cohen's multiple-Emmy-nominated, path-breaking television series, "Da Ali G Show."

CITIZENFOUR

We're among the counsel for this Oscar-winning (Best Feature Documentary) about Edward Snowden and national security in post 9/11 America.

Sins Of Our Mother

STARZ

Owned by Lionsgate, our client Starz is a leading global media and entertainment distributor/producer, with over 5,000 TV episodes and feature films each year on its several channels.

FEDERER: 12 FINAL DAYS

We are counsel to this stirring feature documentary by Oscar-winning director Asif Kapadia, on Amazon Prime.

Unprecedented

Dirty Wars

We served as production counsel for this award-winning, widely acclaimed investigative documentary about U.S. covert operations across the globe.

ENDEMOL SHINE GROUP

We are among the outside counsel for Endemol Shine Group, a global production powerhouse. Endemol Shine has 120 companies across all the world’s major markets.

Raw TV

US production counsel for Raw TV, a multi-award winning production company with a reputation for gripping narrative, visual innovation and journalistic vigour.

Bruno

Production and litigation counsel to Sacha Baron Cohen's award-winning film "Bruno."

Virunga

We are production counsel for this Oscar-Nominated 2014 documentary about the fight to save Virunga National Park, the last refuge of moutain gorillas.

WHITNEY

We are production counsel for this definitive biopic of Whitney Houston, directed by Oscar-winner Kevin MacDonald and produced by double-Oscar winner Simon Chinn.

NOBODY SPEAK

We have been counsel for producers of this Netflix documentary about the Hulk Hogan vs. Gawker Media case and its outside funding, showing how big money can be used to silence the media.

JURY DUTY

We're counsel to this insane and hilarious Amazon FreeVee series.

Fifa Uncovered 2

LEAVING NEVERLAND

We are counsel for this explosive two-part film about Michael Jackson, by Dan Reed for HBO Documentary Films.

TINA

We're counsel for this definitive HBO biopic of Tina Turner, produced by our Academy Award winning client, Lightbox.

Sprint 2

THE EDGE OF DEMOCRACY

We are production counsel to this Oscar short-listed film, which the New York Times has ranked among the top ten films of 2019 in all categories.

SELMA

Honored to be representing the director and producers of this important, Academy-Award-winning film.

DON'T F**CK WITH CATS -- HUNTING AN INTERNET KILLER

We are counsel to this hit Netflix true crime series that follows internet sleuths who attempted to track down Luka Magnotta after he reportedly shared a graphic video killing cats.

NAVALNY

We're handling business affairs and production counsel work on this hard-hitting CNN/HBO documentary by Fishbowl Films.

KNOCK DOWN THE HOUSE

We are counsel for KNOCK DOWN THE HOUSE, the acclaimed documentary by Rachel Lears, which was purchased by Netflix at Sundance for a record $10 million.

BUZZFEED

We are outside counsel to BuzzFeed.

SmithDehn Plans New Office in Northern Ireland; Plus a New Film and Television Company

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As reported this week in Screen Daily, a leading source for international news of the film and television industry:

"US media law firm SmithDehn LLP is planning to open an office in or near Derry, Northern Ireland, where it will expand its involvement in film and TV. The US firm, whose clients have included Twentieth Century Fox, HBO, Channel 4 and ITV, has partnered with production outfit Social Construct Films to form Convergent Media, with the ambition to branch into TV development, financing, production and sales. At a launch event this week, the company unveiled plans for a film project which it described as a 'positive, uplifting, scripted drama about Northern Ireland.' Convergent Media’s Creative Director and Founder Zak Kilberg said the company has three feature films and three television series in development for production. SmithDehn partner and Convergent Media chief executive Russell Smith said: 'This is a natural progression for our law firm, as we’ve developed both expertise and extensive contacts in the business, from Los Angeles to the UK and Ireland. Our tie-up with Convergent Media is a match made in heaven, allowing us to merge those strengths with the proven talents of our new film and television collaborators.'”

Once home to the "The Troubles" of Northern Ireland, Derry/Londonderry is now internationally recognized as a shining example of peace and progress. Derry also is one of the world's best five tourist destinations, according to last year's editions of Lonely Planet and Rough Guide. As the BBC reported last week, SmithDehn noticed Derry and its surrounding areas on both sides of the border "because Derry is a spirited and enthusiastic city." As one of our partners said in the BBC report: "Derry has a magic, it has a spirit, it has the X-factor that we are looking for, and talent that is under-utilised."

As for Social Construct Films ("SCF"), which is SmithDehn's partner in forming Convergent Media, SCF is a US-based, Sundance award-winning company with a diverse slate of completed feature films (including titles acquired by IFC, HBO, Lionsgate, and Tribeca), together with a growing presence in development, packaging and international sales.

The plans for SmithDehn Northern Ireland and Convergent Media came on the heels of the first semester of an internationally acclaimed graduate-level course run by SmithDehn at the University of Ulster, together with top executives of HBO and Channel 4. Quoted in The Lawyer magazine, one of SmithDehn's partners summarized the situation as follows: “Our film and television course in Derry has been a wildly successful experiment. It has proven to us that in and around Derry and the Northwest of Ireland, there is an amazing supply of under-utilised talent. We want a European front office, not a back office.” The magazine went on to report that "the Vice President for Legal affairs at HBO, Peter Rienecker, taught the programme alongside HBO’s Senior Vice President and Chief Counsel for Programming and Marketing, Viviane Eisenberg." Channel 4 General Counsel Prash Naik also co-taught the course. The former Vice President for Legal Affairs at Discovery, Laura Farina, who recently joined SmithDehn, will join the faculty next year.

Our latest news also attracted the attention of the Irish Film & Television Academy, which hosts the Irish version of the Oscars. The IFTA's news outlet reported this week as follows:

"At a launch party in Derry attended by HBO executives, Derry City officials, filmmakers, production companies, and hundreds of other supporters from across the UK, the US, and Ireland, SmithDehn and Convergent Media laid out bold plans for film and television development, financing, production, sales, and legal services. The local hiring process for these companies is already underway in both Northern Ireland and across the border. SmithDehn Northern Ireland (‘SDNI’) plans to hire and train legal talent from across the Northwest of Ireland to service SmithDehn's hundreds of film/television clients regarding US legal matters. SmithDehn's attorneys are the legal architects behind ‘Da Ali G show’ and ‘Borat’, as well as acclaimed features like ‘Searching for Sugar Man’ and ‘The Imposter.’ At the New York/New Belfast Conference and Index 50 Luncheon at Fordham University next month, sponsored by The Irish Echo and KPMG, SmithDehn will be one of 50 transatlantic companies honoured for their business between the U.S. and Ireland.... Social Construct Media's Creative Director and Founder Zak Kilberg said this: 'We are thrilled to be in partnership with SmithDehn and to be launching our European company together, in the NorthWest of Ireland. There is a vast wealth of untapped creative talent, resources, and stories here, ready to be discovered, utilized and told. We're excited to connect all of this to the worldwide film and television market.'”