Sara Jasper Epstein Email & Phone Number

Santa Monica, California

The following representative matters reflect the breadth of our services and capabilities:• Represent heir of world-renowned author in mediation and arbitration concerning the enforcement of intellectual property rights in scores of published and unpublished works.• Advise publishing industry entrepreneur in connection with a contentious partnership dispute involving ownership and control of dozens of literary titles.• Represent Grammy Award-winning songwriter and… Show more The following representative matters reflect the breadth of our services and capabilities:• Represent heir of world-renowned author in mediation and arbitration concerning the enforcement of intellectual property rights in scores of published and unpublished works.• Advise publishing industry entrepreneur in connection with a contentious partnership dispute involving ownership and control of dozens of literary titles.• Represent Grammy Award-winning songwriter and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee in connection with termination of copyright transfer for Grammy-winning song.• Serve as production counsel in connection with film and television projects (scripted and unscripted).• Prepare trademark applications and provide general business advice to start-up shoe retailer.• Act as ongoing outside general counsel to start-up consulting company in the biotech industry, advising in connection with the drafting and negotiation of master services agreements, employment agreements, strategic partnerships and licensing of intellectual property. • Provide strategic counsel to actress/producer in connection with development of scripted television series.• Negotiated talent agreement on behalf of social media influencer for popular reality television series.• Negotiated executive employment agreement for V.P. of Television at well-established international film and television production company.• Represented producer of feature-length motion picture in connection with negotiation of talent agreement.• Advised executives in fashion and financial industries in connection with miscellaneous employment matters. Show less

Los Angeles, California

• Served as production counsel for live-action and animated feature-length films, scripted and unscripted television programs. Spearheaded production legal in connection with large-scale miniseries event broadcast on the History Channel.• Represented actors, producers, writers, directors, reality stars and above-the-line crew in connection with the drafting, negotiation and enforcement of talent agreements in film and television.• Enforced and protected celebrities' valuable… Show more • Served as production counsel for live-action and animated feature-length films, scripted and unscripted television programs. Spearheaded production legal in connection with large-scale miniseries event broadcast on the History Channel.• Represented actors, producers, writers, directors, reality stars and above-the-line crew in connection with the drafting, negotiation and enforcement of talent agreements in film and television.• Enforced and protected celebrities' valuable rights in their names, photographs and likenesses against infringement -- including actresses, authors, athletes and lifestyle gurus.• Drafted and negotiated development agreements governing the acquisition and exploitation of written material on behalf of writers and rightsholders.• Represented Japanese animation company in connection with employment of artists and other talent in connection with various motion picture projects in development.• Negotiated and documented settlements of profit participation audits for Academy Award-winning actor.• Handled negotiation and resolution of various pre-litigation and litigation matters on behalf of film and television production companies and media agencies.• Represented celebrity stylist in connection with drafting and negotiation of various agreements. Show less

Santa Monica, California

General business litigator, specializing in Entertainment, Media and Communications. My broad experience spanned contract and business tort disputes, intellectual property, privacy, false advertising and unfair competition, corporate governance, professional liability defense, partnership and employment, among other areas. I also handled numerous internal cases on behalf of firm’s General Counsel and participated in virtually every aspect of trial preparation and trial. I second-chaired an… Show more General business litigator, specializing in Entertainment, Media and Communications. My broad experience spanned contract and business tort disputes, intellectual property, privacy, false advertising and unfair competition, corporate governance, professional liability defense, partnership and employment, among other areas. I also handled numerous internal cases on behalf of firm’s General Counsel and participated in virtually every aspect of trial preparation and trial. I second-chaired an arbitration, drafted pleadings, appellate briefs, mediation briefs, dispositive pre-trial motions and written discovery, took and defended depositions, examined trial witnesses and made numerous court appearances, and negotiated and drafted hard-fought settlement agreements. Some of my representative litigation matters are listed below:• Represented heirs of prolific author and took leading role in complex settlement negotiations regarding allocation of valuable intellectual property assets.• Won dismissal of Morgan Stanley subsidiary from a putative federal class action lawsuit for alleged unlawful call recording in violation of California's Invasion of Privacy Act.• Obtained summary judgment in legal malpractice case and secured the dismissal of more than $20 million in claims arising out of a disputed asset purchase transaction -- a decision recently affirmed by the Court of Appeal.• Successfully represented The Estée Lauder Companies, Inc. in connection with various internal and employment-related matters; managed large-scale forensic investigation.• Second-chaired arbitration on behalf of international law firm in legal malpractice dispute arising out of the purchase of stock in high-profile fashion company; took and defended all depositions in the case, argued motions in limine and examined witnesses at trial.• Successfully represented University of Southern California in high-stakes real estate dispute. Show less

• Served as trial counsel for international real estate developer in three-week jury trial involving over $1 billion in residential real estate. Participated in virtually every aspect of trial preparation and trial proceedings; drafted dozens of dispositive pre-trial motions; obtained extraordinary reversal of $65 million jury verdict on grounds of juror misconduct, which was affirmed on appeal. • Successfully represented the Screen Actors Guild in both trial and appellate courts… Show more • Served as trial counsel for international real estate developer in three-week jury trial involving over $1 billion in residential real estate. Participated in virtually every aspect of trial preparation and trial proceedings; drafted dozens of dispositive pre-trial motions; obtained extraordinary reversal of $65 million jury verdict on grounds of juror misconduct, which was affirmed on appeal. • Successfully represented the Screen Actors Guild in both trial and appellate courts, in an action brought by the union’s president and three board members against the union and 41 other members of its national board. The trial court denied the plaintiffs’ application for a temporary restraining order that would have derailed the union’s contract negotiations. The Court of Appeal dismissed the plaintiffs’ appeal from the trial court’s decision as moot. • Prosecuted contract and business tort claims in private arbitration arising out of independent film distribution agreements. Obtained default judgment in California court and assisted local counsel with enforcement of same in Canton of Lugano, Switzerland. Handled related transactional issues involving copyright, chain of title and licensing. • Managed defense of breach of contract matter arising out of sponsorship agreement for premiere international athletic event. Took deposition of key witness; supervised junior associate; conducted witness interviews; coordinated e-discovery efforts.• Successfully represented several environmental law firms in high-profile attorney fee dispute with the city of Santa Monica, which resulted in the recovery of $55 million in attorneys’ fees owed to the environmental lawyers.• Successfully defended medical product company in product labeling and trademark dispute involving claims for false advertising, false designation of origin and false patent marking.• Member of Southern California hiring committee. Show less

Los Angeles, California, United States

Performed legal research, composed bench memoranda, and drafted court orders regarding civil and criminal matters. Advised judge and clerks regarding parties’ motions and arguments. Observed trials and hearings.

Palo Alto, California, United States

Designed user interface and developed content for website promoting software product. Researched user groups to inform design choices. Collaborated with team to produce conference in Las Vegas.

Doctor Of Law (J.D.)

B.S., Symbolic Systems, Departmental Honors