Entertainment, Arts & Sports Law Section

Thursday, January 15, 2026

10:30 AM – 11:15 AM
Murray Hill East | Second Floor

EASL Section Committee Meetings are open to all, and Annual Meeting registration is not required to participate. Join us at the New York Hilton Midtown during NYSBA’s Annual Meeting for in-person gatherings of the following committees:

Diversity Committee

The Diversity Committee’s purpose is to foster diversity in its many forms in both our Section and the legal profession in general, by, among other things, seeking to make our Section a welcoming, inclusive and collegial group for all of our members, and increasing opportunities for interaction among all persons. The Committee enthusiastically supports NYSBA President Doyle’s Diversity Challenge. The Committee’s activities in 2011 included (i) co-sponsoring a sold-out and well-received joint CLE event on reality television issues with the Metropolitan Black Bar and the Black Entertainment and Sports Law Associations, (ii) planning a second joint CLE program on an entertainment or sports law topic with one or more diverse bar associations, (iii) establishing a mentorship program pursuant to which experienced lawyers from our Section act as mentors to diverse 2L law students, new lawyers, lawyers in transition, and those who wish to shift areas of practice to the entertainment, arts and sports law areas, and (iii) establishing a pro-bono assistance/mentoring program for diverse admitted attorneys who would handle pro bono matters under the mentorship of experienced lawyers who are EASL members. The Committee is also exploring a possible veterans program.

Committee Co-Chairs:

Anne S. Atkinson | Pryor Cashman LLP
Melissa H. Brij-Raj | Pryor Cashman LLP Cheryl L. Davis | The Authors Guild

Fine Arts Committee

The Committee on Fine Arts serves the needs and interests of lawyers representing clients primarily in the visual art fields, and occasionally in other areas of fine arts, such as dance and music. The committee organizes CLE programs on cutting edge legal and business issues, recent cases and developments in both the private and not-for-profit sectors. Recent programs include panels and lectures on matters of art finance, copyright fair use, First Amendment, Nazi-era art restitution, cultural property law, photography, public art, gallery ethics, NFT’s, AI, appraisal and insurance. The Committee on Fine Arts has also arranged museum exhibition tours and behind the scenes visits to auction houses. In addition, the committee has presented programs on legal issues for the artistic communities in Williamsburg, Bushwick, and all over the City. The Committee has also co-sponsored programs with other EASL Committees, the NYSBA Intellectual Property Section, and other Bar Associations and organizations with the objective of enriching CLE course offerings.

Committee Co-Chairs:

Judith B. Prowda | Sotheby’s Institute of Art
Carol J. Steinberg | Law Firm of Carol J. Steinberg

Motion Pictures Committee

The Motion Pictures Committee’s mission is to organize and present meetings and educational programs dealing with all legal aspects of motion picture financing, development, production and distribution for practitioners who specialize in those areas and for attorneys who want to learn more about motion picture legal issues. The Committee presents several panels, lectures and discussions each year on traditional legal issues concerning motion pictures and cutting edge issues involving new technologies for producing and distributing motion pictures and new financing procedures. Many of these are presented in conjunction with other committees of the section.

Committee Co-Chairs:

Lawrence Sapadin | Adjunct Professor, New York Law School
Robert L. Seigel | Law Office of Robert L. Seigel

Music/MBLC Committee

The Music Committee seeks to educate both legal practitioners and non-lawyers on the complex and ever-evolving issues that arise in the music industry. The Committee understands the need to foster discussion of not just the legal issues, but also the intertwined business issues that confront music industry professional on a daily basis. Therefore, the Committee often organizes panel discussions on cutting edge legal issues impacting the music industry, with a particular focus on the digital technologies and emerging business models that are driving legal developments on both the transactional and litigation sides of music law practice.

Committee Co-Chairs:

Judah S. Shapiro | Judah S. Shapiro Attorney at Law
Robert L. Thony | Thony Law, PLLC
Rosemarie Tully | Rosemarie Tully, PC

Theatre and Performing Arts Committee

The mission of the Theater and Performing Arts Committee is to promote discussion and educate members about the current issues relating to the live performing arts, and also to allow practitioners means to network or simply get to know each other better. The Committee hosts at least 3-4 programs each year on topics relevant to our membership. In years past, the Committee has organized programs about theatrical securities offerings, not-for-profit theaters and tax issues, acquiring underlying rights for stage productions, electronic filing of Form D, investing on-line and negotiating music staff agreements, to name a few.

Committee Co-Chairs:

Jason P. Baruch | Sendroff & Baruch, LLP
Diane F. Krausz | Law Office of Diane Krausz
Avita A. Delerme | Steinway and Sons

Would you like to join a committee?

Use this link to learn how to manage your Sections, Committees, and Task Forces directly within My NYSBA. It provides step-by-step guidance to help you navigate and make the most of your member tools.
https://youtu.be/dT0Toyn8s5k?si=NjRSm5Ig7X6_jUUF

Review the list of the Entertainment, Arts & Sports Law Section committees to learn more!