Karen J. Gottlieb

Karen has over 20 years of experience in entertainment and media industry transactions across all aspects of motion picture, television, branding, licensing, spokesperson, news, internet, book/magazine/electronic publishing, merchandising, fashion, radio, consulting and executive employment.  A key player in building the firm’s non-music practice group since joining the firm in 1996, Karen has been a partner of the firm since 2002.

Karen advises actors, celebrities, reporters, writers, directors, producers, fashion designers, as well as executives and national and international institutions.  Her expertise spans development, finance, production, distribution, licensing and acquisitions, as well as institutional practices and policies.

Karen began her legal career at Stroock & Stroock & Lavan in its Entertainment, Labor and Employment Department in 1993, where she also negotiated and advised major and independent record labels, film studios and production companies on entertainment industry union and guild collective bargaining agreements and employment policies and agreements.

Karen graduated from Duke University with an A.B. in Public Policy and a Certificate in Film and Video, and the Fordham University School of Law, where she was an editor on the Law Review.  

Representative Transactions

Karen’s past experience includes:

• providing advice and foundational documents for start-up media companies such as Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, numerous internet, film and television production companies, etc.;
• films including W.E., Gnomeo & Juliet, Playing The Field, Percy Jackson, Prime, Kill Bill 2, Johnson Family Vacation, Shaft and Music of the Heart in addition to documentaries such as The Union, $ellebrity and I Am Because We Are;
• television series including ABC News, The Dr. Oz Show, Bethenny, The View, Martha Stewart Living, Smash, America’s Got Talent, Desperate Housewives, Ugly Betty, Project Runway, Project Accessory, as well as numerous reality docu-dramas and network and HBO music concert specials;
• websites and e-commerce sites such as The Daily Beast, College Humor, Electus, Groupon, eBay and various celebrity websites;
• books and magazines such as Martha Stewart Living, Vera Wang on Weddings, You Have No Idea (Vanessa Williams’ memoir); Broken Music (Sting’s memoir), Born to Rise (by the founder of Harlem Village Academies Deborah Kenny), The Perricone Promise and The Wrinkle Cure (by Dr. Nicholas Perricone);
• branding and licensing businesses for brands, fashion designers and celebrities in the areas of fragrance, apparel, jewelry, cosmetics, eyewear, fine and everyday tabletop, home goods, giftware and more;
• celebrity endorsements, commercials and PR activities such as with Louis Vuitton, Hickey Freeman, Tag Heuer, Pirelli, All State Insurance, M&Ms and others;
• senior executive employment agreements, consulting agreements and joint ventures.

Education

• A.B. in Public Policy, Duke University, 1989
  Certificate in Film and Video, 1989
• J.D., Fordham University School of Law, 1993
  Fordham Law Review, 1991-1993