Presented by the Fowler School of Law Entertainment and Sports Law Society, this year's Entertainment & Sports Law Symposium will be held entirely online.

Symposium Schedule

Panel 1: Navigating the Emerging Screen Industry Landscape: Negotiation and Business Strategies (10:45 - 11:45 a.m.)

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The emergence of streaming companies as dominant players in the distribution of content has reshaped dealmaking in Hollywood. In this panel, entertainment experts will discuss how streaming has changed the landscape for negotiations and what business strategies are being adopted. The panel will feature a specific lens into how the growth of distribution platforms presents opportunities for emerging and diverse content creators.

Panelists

-- Amy Baer, president and owner, Gidden Media; board president, Women in Film

-- Rebecca Brakeman, partner, McKuin, Frankel, Whitehead LLP

-- Jeremy Evans, CEO, California Sports Lawyer®

-- Amanda Kruse, co-founder and partner, Allnighter; former VP of Film & Television, Lionsgate

-- Quincy Newell, producer and founder, TwentyOne14 Media

Moderated by Kathy Heller, Executive Director, Entertainment Law Program, Fowler School of Law

Keynote Address - DeMaurice Smith (12 - 1 p.m.)

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DeMaurice F. Smith is the Executive Director of the National Football League Players' Association (NFLPA). He was elected unanimously by a board of active player representatives on March 16, 2009 and re-elected unanimously to a second term on March 29, 2012. Prior to his post at the NFLPA, Smith was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the District of Columbia and was Counsel to then Deputy Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr. Smith served as a Partner in firms of Latham & Watkins, LLP, and Patton Boggs, LLP, in Washington, D.C. where he represented corporations, boards of directors and senior executives in civil and criminal matters.

Moderated by Matt Parlow, Dean and Donald P. Kennedy Chair in Law, Fowler School of Law

Panel 2: Athlete Social Justice: Continuing the Conversation and Effectuating Change (1:15 - 2:15 p.m.)

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In 2020, athletes stood up to lead a social justice movement. Now, how can athletes utilize their star power and platforms to continue leading the movement forward? This panel will consider how social change can be measured, best practices for driving impact and the decision making factors athletes utilize in considering how to engage in social justice initiatives.

Panelists

-- Josh Childress, NBA veteran; CEO, LandSpire Group

-- Chelsea Gray, WNBA player, Las Vegas Aces

-- Kenneth L. Shropshire, adidas Distinguished Professor of Global Sport at Arizona State University

-- Michael Thomas, NFL player, Houston Texans 

-- Elizabeth Williams, WNBA player, Atlanta Dream

Moderated by Alicia Jessop (JD '09), Associate Professor, Pepperdine University Seaver College