Expert Witness/ Opinion Engagements

Client: Mimosa Jones, plaintiff.

Brief Synopsis: The Writers Guild of America had awarded the created-by credit to Steindorf for the television series, "Las Vegas". Jones alleged that Steindorf had mis-appropriated Jones’ work in Steindorf’s creation of the series and that Jones should at least have shared the created-by credit. Plaintiff engaged me to opine as to the monetary damages that Jones had sustained as a result of not having been awarded a piece of the created-by credit. I testified at the arbitration in March 2006.

Disposition: Out-of-court settlement shortly after my testimony.

Clients: David Kohan & Max Mutchnick (creators of the television series, “Will & Grace”), plaintiffs.

Brief Synopsis: The creators of the “Will & Grace” television series were entitled to a participation in the modified adjusted gross receipts derived by the studio from the series. The studio was NBC Studios, which had licensed the initial broadcast of the series to the NBC television network. Plaintiffs alleged that NBC had negotiated a license fee with itself that was below the fair market value of the series, and plaintiffs engaged me to opine on the fair market value of the series for its 5th, 6th and 7th production years. Defendant's counsel took my deposition in July 2006 and March 2007. I testified over a period of several days at the jury trial in March 2007.

Disposition: Out of court settlement of $49,500,000 to Plaintiffs. Immediately after the presiding judge read the jury's findings and before the jury announced those findings, the judge ordered that the court reconvene the next morning and that NBC bring its corporate financial statements. The parties settled before court reconvened that next morning.

Client: Endeavor Agency, defendant.

Brief Synopsis: Diana Locke alleged that the Endeavor Agency and one of its clients (ABC Studios) had misappropriated Locke’s work, “Extreme Makeover”, in the creation of the television series entitled “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”. I was engaged by the defendant to opine as to the monetary damages that plaintiff would have sustained if she were to prevail in each of her causes of action. Plaintiff's counsel took my deposition in June 2007.

Disposition: Out-of-court settlement shortly after my deposition.

Clients: David Chase (creator of “The Sopranos”) and Home Box Office (which had indemnified Chase), defendants.

Brief Synopsis: After numerous proceedings, the court had whittled down the many allegations which Robert Baer, the plaintiff, had alleged of Chase to a matter of quantum meruit, and I was engaged by Home Box Office to opine on the monetary value of the services that the court had determined that plaintiff had provided to Chase during pre-production for "The Sopranos" television series. I testified at the jury trial in December 2007.

Disposition: The jury denied all of plaintiff’s claims.

Client: Denise Richards, plaintiff

Brief Synopsis: A provision in Sheen’s player agreement with Warner Bros. for the _"2½ Men"_ television series provided for Sheen’s participation in the profits derived by Warner Bros. from the series. The player agreement was entered into during Sheen’s marriage to Richards, but the profits did not vest until after the marriage had ended. I was engaged by counsel for Richards to opine as to whether Sheen's profit participation was community property.

Disposition: Negotiated settlement.

Client: Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc., defendant

Synopsis: Defendant had produced a television series in the 1970's entitled "The Dukes of Hazzard", as well as a feature motion picture of the same name in 2005 . The television series was the subject of two settlement agreements with writers of an earlier feature motion picture upon which both the television series and the 2005 feature motion picture had been based. The applicable settlement agreement was from 1987. I was engaged by defendant to opine as to whether the 1987 settlement agreement applied to revenue derived from the 2005 feature motion picture. Plaintiff's counsel took my deposition in April 2011.

Disposition: Negotiated settlement.

Client: Michael Poryes Productions, plaintiff

Synopsis: Plaintiff had entered into an agreement in March 2004 with Bigwood Films, under which plaintiff produced a television series for Bigwood Films that was exhibited on The Disney Channel entitled “Hannah Montana”. Under such agreement, plaintiff was entitled to a participation in the profits derived from the television series. The definition of profits was defendants’ standard definition, subject to such changes as the parties might agree after good faith negotiations. By March 2008, it had appeared to plaintiff that the series had become very successful on The Disney Channel, and counsel for plaintiff attempted to engage defendants in such good faith negotiations. Defendants refused to do so, alleging that plaintiff had waited too long after conclusion of the agreement to initiate such negotiations. I was engaged by plaintiff to opine on the customs and practices in the entertainment industry regarding the timing of good faith negotiations for profit definitions. I testified at the arbitration in April 2014.

Disposition: Negotiated settlement.

Client: CBS Studios, Inc., defendant

Synopsis: Under an agreement in 1984 with Paramount Pictures, plaintiff had been entitled to an agency package commission in connection with the “MacGyver” television series that was initially produced by Paramount Pictures and exhibited by ABC from 1985 to 1992. CBS Studios is the successor in interest to the rights and obligations of the network television division of Paramount Pictures. Under the 1984 agreement with Paramount Pictures, Plaintiff claims to be entitled to an agency package commission in connection with the new version of “MacGyver” that CBS has been producing and exhibiting since 2016.

Disposition: The case is currently in the discovery phase.