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Game::Business::Law 2011

Top 30 game law firms revealed.

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“The results of our recent survey show there are 530 attorneys practicing law in the area of video games, new media and interactive entertainment,” said N. Evan Van Zelfden, editorial director for Interactive Age.

Solo-practitioners have been known experts in the field for years, but the numbers indicate that big firms are staking a claim and operating significant video game practices.  “The appeal for these big firms,” explained Van Zelfden, “is that this sector lets them leverage all of their expertise across the board for a single client.”

Top firms include:

1              Perkins Coie LLP

2              Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP

3              Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

4              Jones Day LLP

5              Kenyon & Kenyon LLP

Those surveyed reported sustained growth of the sector, citing a highly stratified client-base.

“This phenomenon is much like the history and development of SportsLaw,” says Dr. Peter Raad, founder and executive director of The Guildhall at Southern Methodist University, the top graduate level video game development program in the United States.  “Legal issues that were sports-related went from being handled by individual attorneys and small firms to now being part of large firms.  Today, the Sports Law Association has more than a 1,000 members.”

According to Van Zelfden, these findings further signify the need for lawyers to stay engaged with an ever-changing video game industry.  “The première forum is SMU's annual Game Business Law summit,” stated Van Zelfden.  “The event gives attorneys the chance to interact with industry executives and the general counsels from firms they might represent on future actions.”

The third annual Game::Business::Law Summit, hosted by SMU’s Dedman School of Law, The Guildhall at SMU and the Center for American and International Law, takes place Wednesday, Jan. 26 – Thursday, Jan. 27, in Dallas, TX. 

Conference details, scheduled speakers and additional information can be found at: www.game-business-law.com.

Interactive Age Top 30 Game Law Firms List Continuation

6              Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

7              Thompson & Knight LLP

8              SNR Denton LLP

9              Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP

10           Loeb & Loeb LLP

11           Irell & Manella LLP

12           Bryan Cave LLP

13           Fish & Richardson P.C

14           Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP

15           Fenwick & West LLP

16           Greenberg Glusker Fields Claman & Machtinger LLP

17           Davis & Gilbert LLP

18           Baker & McKenzie SCP

19           Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

20           Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP

21           Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

22           Winston & Strawn LLP

23           Harbottle & Lewis LLP

24           Nixon Peabody LLP

25           Davis LLP

26           Morrison & Foerster, LLP

27           Munck Carter, LLP

28           Haynes and Boone, LLP

29           Howrey LLP

30           Jenner & Block LLP

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Contact:

Ron Jenkins

Deputy Director

The Guildhall at SMU

jenkinsr@smu.edu

 

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