2008
4th Annual Counsel of the Year Awards
Sports Counsel Award
Presented to Counsel who has demonstrated a high level of achievement in service to a sports league, team, players association or similar organization.
- Ethan Orlinsky, Winner
Senior Vice President & General Counsel, Major League Baseball Properties - Bobby Sharma
Vice President & General Counsel, NBA Development League, National Basketball Association
Presented to Counsel who has displayed a high level of achievement in technology and/or new media.
- Linda Bagley
Managing Vice President, Counsel, The Walt Disney Company - Elizabeth Mathews, Winner
Executive Vice President & Deputy General Counsel, MTV Networks - Clarissa Weirick
Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Warner Bros. Digital Distribution
Presented to Counsel who has shown a high level of achievement in labor relations and collective bargaining in service to management, labor organization, multi-employer bargaining group, public agency or similar organization
- Sheldon Kasdan
Vice President and Senior Labor Counsel, NBC Universal - Robert D. Manfred, Jr., Winner
Executive Vice President, Major League Baseball - Stuart Tenzer
Senior Vice President, William Morris Agency
Presented to Counsel who has achieved a high level of success in the field of hospitality and/or location-based entertainment including restaurants, hotels, theme parks, cruise line or other hospitality-related company.
- Danielle Bernthal
Assistant General Counsel, Six Flags, Inc. - Scott McLester, Winner
Executive Vice President & General Counsel, Wyndham Worldwide Corporation
Presented to Counsel Employed by a Government, public, quasi-public, public-private partnership or non-profit organization related to the media and entertainment industry.
- Nancy B. Rapoport, Winner
Gordon & Silver, Ltd. Professor, William S. Boyd School of Law, University of Nevada, Las Vegas - David Sherwyn
Associate Professor of Law, Cornell School of Hotel Administration & Academic Director, Center for Hospitality Research, Cornell University
Presented Jointly to a marketing executive and in-house counsel for a collaborative effort on an innovative branded marketing campaign.
- David Matlin, Winner
Vice President, Legal Affairs, Home & Garden Television (HGTV) - David B. Stern
Executive Vice President, General Counsel & Head of Business Affairs, Key Brand Entertainment, Inc. (dba Broadway Across America)
Presented to counsel who is under the age of 35 or has less than 10 years of combined law firm and in-house experience.
- Relani Belous
Vice President Business & Legal Affairs WW Television Distribution, MGM - Jeff Friedman
Vice President Business & Legal Affairs, Reveille - Caroline Jasmine Vranca, Winner
Executive, Business & Legal Affairs, Yari Film Group, LLC
Presented to Counsel who has been responsible for the most noteworthy or significant transaction(s) in 2008.
- Neil Klasky
Vice President, Fox Networks Group - Kristin McQueen
Senior Vice President, Worldwide Business and Legal Affairs, Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment - Frank H. Smith, Winner
Senior Vice President Business & Legal Affairs, AFG/Walden Media
Presented to the Top Media and Entertainment Practice at a Major Law Firm.
- Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
- Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP
- Loeb & Loeb LLP, Winner
The overall achievement award for 2008, Given to the Top In-house General Counsel or business Affairs Attorney within a Leading Media and Entertainment Company
- David C. Friedman, Winner
Executive Vice President & General Counsel, Summit Entertainment - Andrea R. Hartman
Executive Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, NBC Universal, Inc. - Claudia Teran
Senior Vice President of Legal Affairs, Fox Cable Networks
2007
3rd Annual Counsel of the Year Awards
Counsel of the Year Award
The overall achievement award for 2007, Given to the Top In-house General Counsel or business Affairs Attorney within a Leading Media and Entertainment Company
- Vernon Chu
General Counsel, BBC WorldWide Americas Inc.
Outstanding Media and Entertainment Law Firm Award
Presented to the Top Media and Entertainment Practice at a Major Law Firm.
- Greenberg Traurig
Rising Star Award
Presented to counsel who is under the age of 35 or has less than 10 years of combined law firm and in-house experience.
- Andy Wong
Assistant General Counsel, CBS Television
PWC Dan Brandhorst Memorial Dealmaker Award
Presented to Counsel who has been responsible for the most noteworthy or significant transaction(s).
- Julie Jacobs
Senior Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, AOL
Sports Counsel Award
Presented to Counsel who has demonstrated a high level of achievement in service to a sports league, team, players association or similar organization.
- Lisa Stancati
Assistant General Counsel, ESPN
Technology and New Media Entertainment Counsel Award
Presented to Counsel who has displayed a high level of achievement in technology and/or new media.
- Antonious Porch
Senior Vice President, Business and Legal Affairs, Nickelodeon/MTV Networks Digital Media
Labor and Personal Representation Counsel Award
Presented to Counsel who has shown a high level of achievement in labor relations and collective bargaining in service to management, labor organization, multi-employer bargaining group, public agency or similar organization
- Laura Legge
Vice President and Counsel, Labor Relations, ABC, Inc.
Hospitality and Location-Based Entertainment Counsel Award
Presented to Counsel who has achieved a high level of success in the field of hospitality and/or location-based entertainment including restaurants, hotels, theme parks, cruise line or other hospitality-related company.
- Randy Winograd
President and General Counsel, SBE Entertainment Group
Public Service Counsel Award
Presented to Counsel Employed by a Government, public, quasi-public, public-private partnership or non-profit organization related to the media and entertainment industry.
- Steve Yamaguchi
University Counsel, University of Southern California
Video and Online Games Counsel Award
- Debra Baker
Senior Vice President, Operations, Warner Bros. Interactive
Excellence in Branded Entertainment Award
Presented Jointly to a marketing executive and in-house counsel for a collaborative effort on an innovative branded marketing campaign.
- Lynette Fuller-Andrews
Assistant General Counsel - Claire Edgar
Director, Champion Brand Marketing, Hanes Brand
2006
2nd Annual Counsel of the Year Awards
Sports Counsel Award
Presented to Counsel who has demonstrated a high level of achievement in service to a sports league, team, players association or similar organization.
- Brooke Beyer Jr.
Marketing Counsel, NASCAR INC. - Daniel M. Siegel
Vice President and Legal Counsel, CMG Worldwide INC.
Presented to Counsel who has displayed a high level of achievement in technology and/or new media.
- Eric Golden
President and Counsel, Imagility, INC. - Victoria Libin
Senior Director, Legal Affairs, Atom Entertainment INC.
Presented to Counsel who has shown a high level of achievement in labor relations and collective bargaining in service to management, labor organization, multi-employer bargaining group, public agency or similar organization
- Jean Bonini
Executive Vice President, Labor Relations, Sony Pictures Television - Patric Verrone
President, Writers Guild of America West
Presented to Counsel who has achieved a high level of success in the field of hospitality and/or location-based entertainment including restaurants, hotels, theme parks, cruise line or other hospitality-related company.
- Michael Silver
Senior Vice President, Business and Legal Affairs, Universal Parks and Reports, NBC Universal
Presented to Counsel Employed by a Government, public, quasi-public, public-private partnership or non-profit organization related to the media and entertainment industry.
- Nancy B. Rapoport
Gordon & Silver, Ltd. Professor, William S. Boyd School of Law, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Presented to counsel who is under the age of 35 or has less than 10 years of combined law firm and in-house experience.
- Kevin Garrett Monroe
Senior Counsel, Walt Disney Pictures
Presented to Counsel who has been responsible for the most noteworthy or significant transaction(s) in 2007.
- Rick B. Levy
Chief Business Development Officer & General Counsel, Office of the Chairman, International Creative Management
The overall achievement award for 2007, Given to the Top In-house General Counsel or business Affairs Attorney within a Leading Media and Entertainment Company
- Bob Gerrard
Executive Vice President and General Counsel
2005
1st Annual Counsel of the Year Awards
Rising Star Award
Presented to counsel who is under the age of 35 or has less than 10 years of combined law firm and in-house experience.
- Travis Tygart
Senior Managing Director and General Counsel, USADA
Presented to Counsel who has been responsible for the most noteworthy or significant transaction(s) in 2005.
- David Baker
Arena Football League, Former Commissioner
The overall achievement award for 2005, Given to the Top In-house General Counsel or business Affairs Attorney within a Leading Media and Entertainment Company
- Leah Weil
Executive Vice President and General Counsel, Sony Pictures Entertainment
