This month at The Mixer, join us for an entertaining discussion of how filmmakers can protect their intellectual property, conduct business in an effective and efficient manner, and avoid common pitfalls when developing, producing, and distributing media projects.

Presenter Shirley Roberson is an attorney with Hughes Media Law Group who has experience in film-related legal issues. We will examine basic types of intellectual property and unique legal features of each one, discuss why LLC’s are used so prevalently in the entertainment industry, review how to select the ”residence” of a business, learn why asset valuation is so challenging, and hear some fun but important lessons about “how and how not to” deal with business conflicts.

Join us for networking with local creatives, and for Filmmaker Legal Issues 101!

This event is free and open to the public. All ages are welcome. Beer and wine will be available for purchase to 21+ guests.

For ADA accommodations or accessibility information, contact laura.bet@seattle.gov.

About the presenter:

Shirley Roberson is Senior Associate at Hughes Media Law Group PC, where she focuses on corporate transactions – including mergers & acquisitions, software licensing and distribution management, and business asset management. At HMLG, Shirley works with a broad range of clients, including those in the entertainment, media, gaming, and tech industries. Before joining HMLG, Shirley was a founding partner of Arrow Law Group. She serves Seattle’s local community in many ways, including as a member of the Book-It Repertory Theatre Board of Directors; President of the Rain City Rock Camp Board of Directors; and as an Arts Fund Associate from 2009 to 2013.

As the former in-house Programming Director for Wave Broadband®, she implemented a number of prototype corporate initiatives addressing HD and VOD programming during the initial roll-out of these technologies to the cable industry. While attending Loyola Law School, Shirley enjoyed the L.A. sun and serving as a litigation analyst with the NASD, now known as FINRA. She also worked as a clerk, paralegal and, after passing the California bar exam, associate at a local firm representing some of the largest retail and commercial development projects in the Los Angeles area.

Law is Shirley’s second career, and before law school she put her MBA to work as a communications manager for DIRECTV®, driving projects that introduced local satellite programming, international programming, VOD, geography-based sports broadcasting and DVR technology to DIRECTV’s international customer base.

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