Savvy Lawyers Rock the Biz

Attorneys whose recent deals and court battles have changed the shape of entertainment:

Michael C. Donaldson
Founding partner
Donaldson & Callif
UC Berkeley, 1967
A fierce advocate for documentary filmmakers, champion of “the little guy” (though clients also include Oliver Stone and Leonardo DiCaprio) and expert on fair-use law, Donaldson was an integral part of the recent Lee Storey case, a victory against the IRS for the documentary community. He’s seeking an exemption, again on a pro bono basis, from the provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act that made it a crime to rip DVDs and other media that contain access controls. Donaldson handled 2010 docu Oscar winner “Inside Job” and had 16 projects at this year’s Sundance. “We do our best to work with filmmakers so they know their rights and how to exercise them responsibly.”

Variety Article