Michael Bayer Email & Phone Number

Los Angeles, CA, US

Calabasas, California, United States

General Counsel at Yamaha Guitar Group, which includes Yamaha, Guild, Cordoba, Line 6 and Ampeg product lines. Head of Business Development for new strategic partnerships and business opportunities.Also General Counsel and Business Development for Yamaha Music Connect (Yamaha Corporation of Japan)

Los Angeles, California, United States

External General Counsel, Business/Legal Affairs & Business Development services for film, television, music, musical instrument, XR and new media industries.See: https://BayerGC.com/Representative Clients include:Brown Derby Films (General Counsel)Loma Media (External General Counsel) Edge Tech Labs (Chief Strategic Officer and External General Counsel).

Hollywood, CA

• Managed all business and legal affairs aspects of company, supporting corporate, product development, sales and marketing, manufacturing, operations, HR, intellectual property, licensing, litigation and compliance.
• Handled deals with all artists, music publishers, record labels and performance rights organizations, negotiating and papering all talent deals, music licenses, signature guitars, artist endorsements, product.
• Concluded artist deals with Eddie Van Halen, Chris Stapleton, Billie Eilish, Jimmy Page, Brad Paisley, Jason Isbell, David Gilmour, Tom Morello, Shawn Mendes, Grace VanderWaal, Brian Setzer, Kenny Wayne Shepard and.
• Oversaw Fender’s worldwide compliance efforts, such as anti-trust, Prop 65 training, GDPR and CCPA compliance, and CITES lobbying and reform (international legislation for importing and exporting endangered species).
• Quarterbacked several major corporate transactions, including acquisitions, bank re-financing, tender offers, and Stock Purchase Agreement involving multiple private equity owners.
• Founder of Musical Instrument Legal Alliance.

Santa Monica, CA

NOT DURING WEINSTEIN ERA. Managed all business and legal affairs for company. Supervised a department of 15 people and reported directly to Chief Executive Officer. Key member of Executive Management Team with regular reporting to parent company, beIN Media Group.Oversaw all business and legal aspects of film and television acquisitions, distribution.

Century City, CA

Managed and oversaw all business and legal affairs for company. Supervised a department of 10 people and reported directly to President. Key member of Executive Management Team with regular reporting to parent company, Saban Capital Group.Re-organized entire legal department into content production and distribution, consumer products, corporate and.

• Ran business and legal affairs department for publicly-traded entertainment company with 125 employees and over 5,000 titles.
• Negotiated and drafted domestic and worldwide acquisition, production, distribution and sublicensing agreements for feature film, television, audio and digital exploitation. Oversaw department’s delivery.
• Oversaw all aspects of litigation for company, including hiring, management and supervision of outside law firms.
• Served as Corporate Secretary for company, acting as interface between executive management, Board of Directors, shareholders, investment bank and outside SEC counsel.
• Worked closely with Chairman, President, CFO and COO to cultivate strategic business development opportunities for the company (e.g., library acquisitions, output deals, financing sources and P&A funding).
• Key member of team that negotiated the sale of Image Entertainment to private equity fund in 2010.

• Negotiated and drafted domestic and worldwide acquisitions and distribution agreements (e.g., 9-Picture deal with John Wayne estate).
• Structured and managed “first-look” production-financing and development deals for newly-formed DVD Premiere Group (e.g., the high-profile “Blue Collar Comedy Tour” motion pictures).
• Negotiated acquisition and output deals with international licensees and foreign producers; department’s “specialist” in complex Article 3 Ancine Fund tax deals for Brazilian co-productions.
• Structured licensing deals for Paramount library product with subdistributors and new media sublicensees.
• Key member of team handling integration of Dreamworks/Paramount Home Entertainment deal.
• Provided legal and business affairs services to marketing, sales, finance, production, digital and operations divisions.

• Oversaw all legal and business affairs issues for film, television and video projects from concept to completion, including development, physical production, post-production, marketing, foreign pre-sales, domestic and.
• Managed company’s intellectual property rights, including all copyright, trademark and licensing issues.
• Served as General Legal Counsel for 30-person company (including Entertainment, Broadcast, Corporate, Internet and Live Presentations Divisions). Handled general contract preparation and review, talent negotiations.
• Responsible for securing financing, packaging talent, and negotiating foreign and domestic distribution deals for theatrical motion pictures, large format IMAX films, television programming, Internet properties, and.
• Headed up re-launch of Killer Tomato Entertainment, a 25-year-old brand spawning five feature films, a cartoon show on FOX, Nintendo and Gameboy toys and several other products. Responsible for overseeing the reversion.

• Designed, created and launched company’s online Music Licensing Program, an automated search and licensing tool for use by film and television music supervisors. Directed and coordinated efforts of 50 team members in.
• Structured and negotiated $3 million exclusivity deal with high-profile “Licensing Services Partner.”
• Cultivated and handled legal and business affairs issues for high-profile film and television collaborations (e.g. with Turner Broadcasting, Pearson TV, Warren Miller Films, Blockbuster Entertainment, NBC, and J..
• Facilitated high-volume master and synch license deals between Artists and Music Supervisors.

• Created Entertainment Law Department at 20-person firm. Brought in and developed base of clients in film, theater, music and television industries. Provided legal representation for actors, directors, producers and.
• Put together production deals, drafted and reviewed contracts, handled copyright and trademark work, and provided general legal advice, transactional services and dispute resolution.

B.A 1988, Public Policy Studies/Film Production

Activities and Societies: B.A 1988 in Public Policy Studies/Film Production; -Producer/Director, Duke Cable 13; Freewater Productions.

J.D

J.D. 1991 -Holderness Moot Court Bench, Negotiation Team, 1990 1991; -Client Counseling Team Finalist, 1989 -American Jurisprudence Award.

Education record