Simon Pulman

Simon’s practice focuses on entertainment and media law, with significant experience in company-side business affairs and sophisticated rights transactions for television, film, podcasting, and interactive clients. As outside business affairs counsel for studios, networks, production companies, and rightsholders, he helps clients negotiate complex development, production, financing, and licensing deals.

In particular, Simon is an industry leader in rights transactions, with extensive experience negotiating deals on behalf of both rightsholders and acquiring parties in connection with the adaptation of books, articles, video games, podcasts, toy brands, and documentaries into scripted films and television productions. He has a personal interest in genre entertainment and popular culture, and his strong knowledge of and passion for gaming, podcasts, comic books, and graphic novels help him bring unique value to clients in those sectors. He is also considered a thought leader in transmedia and the convergence of gaming and entertainment, and is well-known as an authority on the applications of generative artificial intelligence in entertainment, including AI-related requirements imposed by SAG-AFTRA and the WGA and evolving issues regarding IP protection.

Previously, Simon was an entertainment partner at another major law firm.

Representative Matters

Simon has an established track record of providing innovative counsel and representing clients in key deals across entertainment industry sectors, including:

• Film and television studios, networks, and production companies in a wide range of business and legal affairs matters, including negotiating deals, and advising on business affairs processes and dealmaking policies.
• Distribution, licensing, and production services agreements on behalf of clients with buyers.
• Hundreds of film and television writer, director, producer, and cast deals.
• Structuring and acquisition of underlying intellectual property for film and television productions, including novels and book series, podcasts, life rights, articles, graphic novels and comic books, toys and brands, and video games.
• Chain-of-title for multiple established franchise properties.
• Financiers and producers in connection with financing agreements for scripted motion pictures and documentaries.
• A major video game publisher in connection with entertainment-related matters.
• Podcast producers in connection with production, finance, and distribution-related matters, in addition to derivative rights deals.
• Major Roblox game publishers in connection with animated television series deals.
• A cutting-edge documentary finance agreement on behalf of a production company client with a blockchain company.
• Content licensing deals with UK, Indian, Australian, Canadian, and LatAm buyers.