As a partner in Reed Smith’s Entertainment and Media Industry Group, Jess is known for his creative deal-making skills and is a trusted advisor in many cutting-edge deals in the entertainment and media space, including those involving artificial intelligence.
Jess represents entertainment, media, and tech companies in mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, licensing, distribution, venture capital, and private equity transactions. Through this work, Jess has developed a significant practice representing leading artists in the music business, film and television talent and producers, as well as fashion designers, celebrities, authors, and athletes, in licensing, endorsement, production, content, and publishing deals.
Experience
Representative matters
Representative matters
Advised LiveXLive Media, Inc. (NASDAQ: LIVX), a global digital media company focused on music and live entertainment, on its acquisition of Courtside Group, Inc., the owner and operator of PodcastOne, in an all-stock transaction.
Representation of record companies, music publishing companies, production music companies and management companies in connection with their sale to major media and entertainment companies
Representation of chief executive officers and other leading executives of cable television, media, publishing, fashion, real estate, music and video game companies in connection with their employment arrangements, with a particular emphasis on complex equity and incentive compensation arrangements
Advised LiveXLive Media, Inc. (NASDAQ: LIVX), a global digital media company focused on music and live entertainment, on its acquisition of Courtside Group, Inc., the owner and operator of PodcastOne, in an all-stock transaction.
Representation of record companies, music publishing companies, production music companies and management companies in connection with their sale to major media and entertainment companies
Representation of chief executive officers and other leading executives of cable television, media, publishing, fashion, real estate, music and video game companies in connection with their employment arrangements, with a particular emphasis on complex equity and incentive compensation arrangements
Representation of superstar artists and celebrities in joint venture, licensing, branding and endorsement transactions, including 360 deals for superstar artists with Live Nation
Representation of film, television and publishing companies in connection with the license and distribution of their content
Representation of senior executives and companies in connection with private equity financings and restructurings, including music, international fashion and international theatrical performance companies
Counseling early stage companies in the media, entertainment, digital and consumer products fields with respect to fund-raising and rights exploitation
Credentials
Education
Education
- Harvard Law School, J.D.
- Columbia College, A.B.
Professional admissions & qualifications
Professional admissions & qualifications
- New York
Professional affiliations
Professional affiliations
- American Bar Association
- New York Bar Association