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Richard Morse's 15 plus years experience includes specialized services in entertainment, arts, sports, intellectual property litigation, licensed merchandising, business development, and more. His extraordinary list of past and current clients includes multi Oscar winning director Jonathan Sanger, Milton Berle, America's Cup Champion Dennis Conner, Intrepid Securities, funk music icon Rick James, music legend Yma Sumac, Howard Hughes' widow and legendary actress Terry Moore and rock and roll art icon Stanley Mouse. Until recently, Richard Morse was General Counsel and Head of Business and Legal Affairs for Entertainment Business Group (EBG) and its production/development subsidiaries and TV division. EBG specializes in development of feature films and network television projects and business/legal affairs consulting regarding feature film development, production, finance and distribution. In this role, Richard utilized his unique experience and relationships in the entertainment industry to provide substantial benefits for the company. Richard currently serves as consulting General Counsel to Northern Arts Entertainment, a U.S. distribution/executive production company whose high profile projects have garnered substantial international acclaim and notable festival honors since 1990 along with Lumenas Animation Studios (touted in the press as the next Pixar at Sundance this year). Richard held the joint position of General Counsel/VP of Business & Legal Affairs for Mod Studios (company reformed under the current name of iMedia International) and Senior Business Affairs Counsel for Signatures Network. The venture is a cutting-edge production/distribution project, developing innovative digital emerging media including electronic licensed merchandise, ITV & VOD. They produce: "Hollywood Previews" the first monthly interactive CD/Rom Video Magazine and various electronic licensed merchandise including DVD/CD/ROM videos for many recording artists including Ozzy Osborne, Eagles, Britney Spears, Incubus, Elton John, feature films (including "Terminator 3") and sports promotions (including the Dodgers). Richard previously served as House Counsel for Gray/Goodman Literary and Talent Agency, negotiating numerous major studio production agreements for top director/screenwriters (eg Quentin Tarrentino-"Resevoir Dogs"). Over the course of the next two years, his clients included David Mirisch Entertainment and Oscar Award winning director/screenwriters Jonathon Sanger and British Academy Chairman, Arnold Schwartzman. Next, Richard was appointed Head of Entertainment Law for world famous trial attorney Melvin Belli, at his new Beverly Hills Office, where his responsibilities encompassed both transactional and litigation duties as to entertainment and sports law matters. Much of Richard's prior experience up to this juncture included high profile entertainment, sports and intellectual property litigation including the breach of contract suit for all rights to "Beverly Hills 90210" and "Melrose Place" and the "SeaQuest", "Winds of War" and "Medicine Man" copyright infringement cases. He also was Consulting Counsel in one of professional sport's biggest licensed merchandise litigations regarding the Master License for all animation rights to all NBA players, as acquired from the NBA, the NBAPA and NBA Properties, Inc. Richard was interested in pursuing more transactional matters and thus started a solo practice at MGM Plaza in Santa Monica. Four years of pure transactional practice as Outside House and Private Counsel for entertainment/sports entities and personalities followed. His clientele included Milton Berle, Intrepid Securities, Tixa Technologies, America's Cup Champion Dennis Conner, F-3 Racing Champion/Brazilian TV star Suzanne Carvello, the Emissary for China (regarding a record/concert deal with Madonna and more), living music legend Yma Sumac, the King of Funk, Rick James and Licensed Merchandise innovator Bing Broido ("Dynasty" and "Beverly Hills 90210"). Richard received a BA with Honors in Psychology (Marketing emphasis) at the University of California, Berkeley. He received his law degree from the University of California's Hastings College of Law where he was appointed to the "Hastings Communications and Entertainment Law Review". Together with his faculty advisor/mentor Roscoe Barrow, the US Presidential Special Counsel for Communications and Entertainment Law, Richard drafted weekly advisory opinions for the White House. Richard has taught Continuing Legal Education classes in Entertainment, Sports & Publishing for UC Davis and the University of Houston. His speaking engagements also include the American Trial Lawyers Association annual seminar, the USC graduating class in Communications, several TV and radio talk shows with pending requests to speak at several Southern California law schools. He has been qualified as an "expert witness" to testify as to entertainment industry Intellectual Property valuations in L.A. Superior Court. | 