Stuart Fried

Stuart has over 20 years of experience in entertainment and media transactions, with a practice focusing on the music industry and on branding and licensing matters.  He represents fashion designers, musicians, celebrities, actors, athletes, songwriters, producers, executives, estates and institutions.  Stuart oversees the firm’s Licensing, Branding and Endorsement Practice and has extensive experience in negotiating domestic and international trademark licenses (including category licenses, master licenses and direct-to-retail licenses with major retailers), endorsements, joint ventures, distribution agreements and brand acquisitions and sales.

Prior to joining the firm in 1995, he was an attorney at Shearman & Sterling, where he specialized in commercial real estate and banking

Representative Transactions

• Represent fashion designers such as Vera Wang, Narciso Rodriguez and Zac Posen in licensing and branding matters, including direct-to-retail license agreements with Kohl’s and David’s Bridal, and license agreements with manufacturers in multiple product categories.

• Represent Madonna in licensing and branding matters, including the formation of a multi-category joint venture with Iconix Brand Group, and a worldwide joint venture to launch “Hard Candy” gyms.

• Represent Sean “P. Diddy” Combs and his apparel company Sean John in licensing, endorsement and related corporate matters including Sean John’s distribution and licensing arrangements with Macy’s and Global Brands Group, the sale of a minority interest in Sean John to an investment fund, and the acquisition of the Enyce brand from Liz Claiborne.

• Represent Sofia Vergara in licensing and endorsement matters, including licensing arrangements with Global Brands Group, Rooms To Go, Kay Jewelers and Maesa, LLC, and an endorsement agreement with Procter & Gamble.

• Represent Nicki Minaj in licensing and endorsement matters, including her fragrance license with Elizabeth Arden, direct-to-retail license with Kmart, and endorsement of “Myx” alcoholic beverage.

• Represent Bethenny Frankel and her “Skinnygirl” lifestyle brand in licensing and branding matters, including licenses in multiple product categories in the food and beverage industry. 

• Represent Mike Tyson in licensing matters, including the formation of a joint venture to launch a boxing promotion business.

• Represented Adam Levine in his direct-to-retail license with Kmart.

• Represented Beyonce’s clothing joint venture “House of Dereon” in the launch of Beyonce’s fashion business including licenses in multiple product categories.

• Represent Aerin Lauder in licensing and branding matters in connection with the launch of her new “Aerin” lifestyle brand.

• Represent musicians and songwriters, such as Natalie Cole and Leonard Cohen, in entertainment matters, including management, recording and music publishing agreements.

• Represented Thalia in various matters, including license agreements with Kmart, Macy’s and Kenmark Optical, fragrance and beauty licenses for Latin America with House of Fuller, endorsements with Procter & Gamble, and in connection with the development and launch of her radio program, “Connexion Thalia”.

• Represent clients in a variety of related matters including, website and e-commerce development and operation, book publishing, agency and consulting agreements, and executive employment and severance agreements.

Education

• B.A., Rutgers College, Rutgers University, 1985
• J.D., Cum Laude, New York University School of Law, 1991