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Karen M. Robson

Partner Karen Robson has worked primarily in the Film Finance and Production practice of the Entertainment Group since 1986 and heads the Los Angeles office of Pryor Cashman LLP. Karen represents a variety of financiers, banks, equity investors, high-profile independent producers and production companies for which she structures film finance transactions and also provides production legal representation. She also represents individual writers, directors and producers in the motion picture and television areas.

For over twenty years, Karen has handled financing on multiple picture deals and single pictures, television mini-series and major documentaries. In recent years, Karen has represented both producers and lenders with respect to film financings which include senior and mezzanine debt and/or equity, international co-productions and U.S. tax incentivized financings. Recent deals include:

• Represented a major U.S. charitable foundation in its art and film projects
• Represented a Latin American film fund
• Negotiated a 30 picture slate deal on behalf of a studio
• Structured finance transactions including complex capital structures involving equity, sub-debt and senior debt including hedge-fund investors
• Represented lenders in connection with bridge loans and collateralization of multi-picture transactions
• Represented producer/equity investors in a major international co-production produced in Latin America and the UK based on a literary masterwork by a Nobel prize winning author.
• Represented lenders in connection with library acquisitions and collateralization of library assets
• Various joint ventures between distributors and investors for both live action and animated films
• Represented the financiers of James Cameron’s large format films Ghosts of the Abyss and Aliens of the Deep, the first HD large-format 3D films (released by Disney)

Karen also specializes in representing properties in the film, video, television and merchandising areas including properties in the family entertainment arena, including The Berenstain Bears, I Spy and a children’s television series featuring music artist Dan Zanes.

Prior to her career as an attorney, Karen had a brief career as a film actress in Australia, including a major role in Peter Weir’s cult favorite, Picnic at Hanging Rock.

Previous Positions

• Paul Weiss Rifkind Wharton & Garrison, Associate (1984-85)
• Mallesons Stephen Jacques (Sydney, Australia), Associate (1981-84)

Teaching Positions

• Tutor, Media Business School, Spain (1999) and Brazil (2000)

Speaking Engagements

• Panelist,  IFTA Conference, New Australian and NZ Tax incentives in the Film Industry, Los Angeles (2008)
• Next Gen Los Angeles, featured speaker with producer Lynda Obst on Women in the Film Industry, Los Angeles (2007) 
• Panelist, International Film and Television Financing Summit, Los Angeles (2004)
• Panelist, International Film & TV Finance Summit, Sources of Film Capital: What Are The Alternatives To The Disappearing Capital Markets?, New York (2003)
• Lecturer, Practising Law Institute (PLI): Counseling Clients in the Entertainment Industry, New York (2001, 2002, 2003)
• Panelist, Lake Placid Film Forum, Agents and Lawyers, New York (2002)
• Panelist, IFFM/IF, Representation in the Film Business, New York (1996)
• Panelist, Australian Film Commission, Low Budget Filmmaking, Sydney, Australia (1996)

Professional Affiliations

• Beverly Hills Bar Association

Other Activities

• British Academy of Film and Television (BAFTA), Member
• Australians In Film, Member
• Women in Film, Member