Bio

Jerry is a partner in Leavens, Strand, Glover & Adler, LLC.  He has represented individuals and companies in various entertainment industries for over 30 years.  His areas of concentration also include copyright, trademark, publishing, promotions (including sweepstakes and other contests), sponsorships, web sites and related internet law matters.  He is listed as a “Notable Practitioner” in Chambers USA in the field of media and entertainment law/Illinois.

Jerry represents a variety of clients in the entertainment industry including motion picture studios, independent television and film producers, television and film production companies, Broadway producers, choreographers, talk show hosts, directors, musicians and writers.  He has counseled film producers regarding film production issues and investor matters, corporate tie-ins, product placements as well as web development agreements for film-related web sites.  He also represents television producers in connection with series-related promotions, and serves as production and compliance counsel for various nationally-broadcast reality television series.

Prior to joining Leavens, Strand, Glover & Adler, LLC, Jerry was Senior Counsel for The Entertainment and Intellectual Property Group, LLC, a law firm concentrating in entertainment, copyright and trademark matters.  He has also served as Senior Vice President and General Counsel to Chicago’s public television station, WTTW, as well as that company’s commercial radio station, WFMT.   In addition to entertainment and intellectual property matters, His work as the station’s General Counsel included FCC issues (e.g., station licensing, tower licensing negotiations, non-commercial television station underwriting), personnel and talent union issues, First Amendment rights, contest and other promotion regulations, production and talent contracts, home video licensing, cable broadcast licensing, video on demand licensing and Internet licenses; and corporate matters.  Jerry continues to serve as outside counsel to both stations.

Jerry received a BA in Journalism from the University of Arkansas and an MA in Journalism from the University of Oklahoma.  He received his law degree from the University of Arkansas where he served as Notes Editor for The University of Arkansas Law Review.  He has taught at several law schools including the University of Arkansas, George Washington University in Washington, D.C. and The John Marshall Law School in Chicago.   He currently is an adjunct profession at John Marshall where he teaches entertainment law.  He has served as Chair of the Chicago Bar Association Committee on Intellectual Property, on the Governing Board of the Midwest Chapter of the Federal Communications Bar Association and as a member of the Board of Directors of Lawyers for the Creative Arts, a Chicago-based not-for-profit corporation that provides free legal services to artists.

Practice Areas

Entertainment Law
Film Production Contracts
Television Production Contracts
Theatre Production Contracts
Publishing Agreements
Theatre Investor Agreements
Film Investor Agreements
Home Video Distribution Licenses
Cable Television Distribution Licenses
Digital Media Distribution Licenses
Music Licenses
Talent Agreements
Sweepstakes/Contest Matters
Promotion/Marketing Agreements
Copyright Matters
Trademark Matters

Education

University of Arkansas, JD
University of Oklahoma, MA, Journalism
University of Arkansas, BA, Journalism

Bar Admissions

Arkansas
Illinois

Court Admissions

Illinois Supreme Court
Arkansas Supreme Court
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois

Teaching Positions

Name of School: The John Marshall Law School
Name of Course: Entertainment Law
Semester (Summer, Fall, etc.): Summer since 2006
Course Description: The course is a concentrated review of the areas of law most often involved in entertainment litigation, including: copyright law, defamation, privacy, publicity and unfair competition. The course includes synopses of the practical workings of the principal entertainment media, including: music, broadcasting, theater, motion pictures and publishing.