David Albert Pierce
Attorney Profile
Top Rated Entertainment & Sports Attorney in Beverly Hills, CA
David Albert Pierce is a managing member at Pierce Law Group LLP, located in Beverly Hills, California. Mr. Pierce focuses his practice on general entertainment law, as well as matters related to employment and labor law in the film and television industries. He regularly handles cases involving securities law, intellectual property, Internet and new media law, and issues related to film finance, clearance and rights. He primarily represents independent film and television production companies and film financiers in the Los Angeles area and nationwide.
Mr. Pierce is regularly sought out for his expertise in finance issues, clearance issues, labor matters and the unique legal aspects involving children in the entertainment industry. He teaches several entertainment law courses and has lectured internationally at the St. Petersburg School of Film & Television, Shanghai School of Film & Television, and the UK Chapter of the BHBA Entertainment Law Seminar in London.
Currently, Mr. Pierce is admitted to practice in all state and federal courts of California, as well as being admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court for which he filed two amicus curiae petitions in support of certiorari on case that reflected a split among the districts in regard to copyright. He is also a member of many professional and entertainment industry organizations.
In 2020, Pierce successfully lobbied the California Legislature on behalf of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce and a contingent of stand-up comedians and trade groups for other live venue performers, for an exemption to the AB-5 Employment Classification Statute to recognize stand-up comedians and certain other live performers-- as exempt from the terms of AB-5 thereby allowing them to continue to operate as independent contractors-- this exemption was equally desired by both performers and live venues. He is a member of both the American Bar Association's Forum on Entertainment and Sports Industries and the American Bar Association's Section of Labor and Employment Law. He is the Past-Chairperson of the Beverly Hills Bar Association's Entertainment Law Section and Past-Chair of the BHBA's Employment Law Section. He is also a founding member and Seminar Chairman of the California Society of Entertainment Lawyers.
Mr. Pierce obtained his undergraduate degree with honors from the Binghamton University, State University of New York, and his law degree from Cornell Law School. During his time in law school, he was a member of the school's entertainment and sports law association and also edited the Cornell Journal of Law and Public Policy. In addition to his law practice, Mr. Pierce regularly gives lectures and publishes articles related to entertainment law. He is a columnist for MovieMaker Magazine and has served as an adjunct professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, Extension, as well as, Elon University's Semester In L.A. Program educating students on the various aspects of running an entertainment production company, as well as on the topic of Media Law & Ethics. Mr. Pierce also regularly lectures at film festivals.
- 60%Entertainment & Sports
- 20%Intellectual Property
- 20%Securities & Corporate Finance
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2015 - 2022
Additional Sources of Information About David Albert Pierce
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White Papers
- Symposium on "Regulating The Mavericks" (2000) - D. Pierce, “An Overview of Basic Employment Laws Affecting Production Companies in California,” Beverly Hills Bar Association Publication No. 8A, 2000. D. Pierce, “Classification of Workers: Independent Contractor versus Employee,” Beverly Hills Bar Association Publication No. 8A, 2000.
- Curing Runaway Productions: Solutions Are Easy; Finding Legislators Willing to Implement Them Is Hard (2013) - D. Pierce, “Curing Runaway Productions: Solutions Are Easy; Finding Legislators Willing to Implement Them Is Hard” published in Beverly Hills Bar Association seminar materials, November 20, 2013.
- Making Movies In The Millennium, (2000) - D. Pierce & P. Gorman, “Selected Issues Involving Employment Law & Clearance Matters: What Every Filmmaker Should Know Before the Cameras Roll,” published in “Making Movies In The Millennium,” pub’d by State Bar of Nevada, Dec. 1999, re-pub’d in 2nd ed, Dec. 2000.
- The Legal Aspects of Independent Film & Television Production- An International Prospective (2001) - P. Gorman & D. Pierce, “The Legal Aspects of Independent Film & Television Production- An International Prospective,” published by Institute of the Public Administration and Management, Singapore, 2001.
- Blogs, Facebook & Twitter: How Instant Communication Can Help or Hurt Celebrities (2012) - D. Pierce, “Blogs, Facebook & Twitter: How Instant Communication Can Help or Hurt Celebrities,” Beverly Hills Bar Association seminar materials, February 15, 2012.
- Employment Law Updates (2002) - D. Pierce, “Employment Law: Things Every Small Business Should Know,” published by California Workforce Development Board, 2002. D. Pierce, “ABCs of Employment Law: Understanding the Regulators and the Regulations,” published by the California Workforce Board, 2002.
About David Albert Pierce
First Admitted: 1992, California
Professional Webpage: https://www.piercellp.com/david-albert-pierce/
Educational Background
- Cornell Law School, Juris Doctorate 1992
- Graduate of Binghamton University, major in Political Science and minor in Business, Binghamton, New York, 1989
Scholarly Lectures/Writings
- Teach a yearly course entitled "Organizing, Financing & Running a Start-Up Entertainment Production Company" for UCLA Extension's Entertainment Studies program since 1998, Adjunct Instructor
Guest Lecturer at 2 day Symposium on Film Finance & Production Issues
, Guest Lecturer, Shanghai University School of Film & Television, Entertainment, 2018- Taught 2 semesters a course entitled "Business of Screenwriting" at LMU School of Film & Television, Adjunct Professor, 2010
- Instructor, Academy of Television Arts & Sciences' “Entertainment Law Update For Visiting Television & Film Professors,”, Academy Of Television Arts & Sciences, 2002
- Guest Lecturer, “Understanding The Business Of Motion Pictures: An American Perspective Of The Evolution Of The Entertainment Industry,” Producer’s Symposium, St. Petersburg University Film & Television Studies, St. Petersburg, Russia, February 19-24, 2010
- Legal Business Columnist, MovieMaker Magazine, 2004
- Teach Media Law & Ethics as Adjunct Professor for Elon University's Semester in L.A. program, once a year since 2012.
Bar/Professional Activity
- American Bar Association, Labor and Employment Section
- U.S. Supreme Court, 2013
- Member, American Bar Association Entertainment & Sports Law Section
- Seminar Chariman - California Society of Entertainment Lawyers
- California Bar Association, Labor and Employment Section
- Member, Californai Bar, Entertainment Law, and Intellectual Property Sections
Chairman, Beverly Hills Bar Association's Entertainment Law Section
- American Film Institute
- California
- Former Chairman, Beverly Hills Bar Association's Labor & Employment Section, 1998-1999
- Independent Feature Project/West
Other Outstanding Achievements
- Executive Producer, “JOURNEY OF A FEMALE COMIC,” Documentary, Produced by Latin Hollywood Films , 2013
- Executive Producer, "CHICAGO 8," Motion Picture, Distributed by VMI Wordlwide, 2011
- Co-Executive Producer, "SYMPHONY OF SILENCE" Motion Picture, official Academy Awards ® submission of Armenia for Best Foreign Language Film, Distributed by GLC Enterprises, 2001
- Executive Producer, "KIKI MELENDEZ' HOT TAMALES LIVE," Comedy Special, Showtime Network , 2012
- Co-Executive Producer, "I WANT SOMEONE TO EAT CHEESE WITH" written & directed by Jeff Garlin, Distributed by The Weinstein Company, 2007
- Executive Producer, "THE EMPLOYER," Motion Picture Distributed by Vision Films, 2012
- Co-Executive Producer, "MERCY" written & directed by Scott Cann, distributed by IFC Films , 2010
Pro bono/Community Service
- Runs a yearly legal clinic at Slamdance Film Festival for indepenent filmmakers., 2019
- Advisory Board Member- The Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, 2014 - 2016
- Executive Board Member of the National Cornell Law Alumni Association, 2000-2013
- Trustee of Executive Board of Leukemia Lymphoma Society - Southern Californa Chapter, 2010-present
Representative Clients
- David provides legal services to major film studio including: Fox Studios, MGM, and Lionsgate. He also has represented many independent film and televsion production companies, high net worth film investors, and on-air talent and writers (including David Rabinowitz & Charlie Wachtell, writers of the Academy Award nominated film "BLACKkKLANSMAN")., 2019
Industry Groups
- Comedy Writers/performers
- Film Investors
- Independent Film & TV Production
Last Updated: 10/25/2021