Montgomery McCracken's multi-disciplinary Sports, Entertainment and Amusement Law practice calls upon the vast array of skill and experience within the firm to provide comprehensive legal services to athletes, entertainers, authors, event organizers, promoters, facility owners and operators, hospitality centers, product manufacturers and other individuals, entities and organizations involved in the sports, entertainment and amusement industries. Our legal services include advice in such matters as business, commercial or artistic relationships; intellectual property, including patent, trademark and copyright advice, application prosecution and litigation; product liability, personal injury and commercial litigation; employment; contracts; leases; First Amendment and media relations; and dispute resolution. In addition, Montgomery McCracken can provide tax, environmental, real estate and immigration legal services to such clients. The following is a representative list of Montgomery McCracken's sports, entertainment and amusement clients:
Montgomery McCracken's people draw on their real life experiences to better serve their sports, entertainment and amusement clients. Montgomery McCracken's partners and employees include a former professional baseball player, a former Emmy winning television broadcaster, a former talent agent and a number of current musicians, entertainers, actors, authors and artists. Montgomery McCracken personnel also serve on a variety of organizations pertaining to the sports, entertainment and amusement fields. Our board appointments and organization memberships include:
While every attorney at Montgomery McCracken is available to serve the multi-faceted needs of the firm's sports, entertainment and amusement industry clients, the attorneys most involved in the Sports, Entertainment and Amusement practice group are:
Ronald E. Hurst (Chair)
Ronald E. Hurst is a partner in the Litigation Department whose practice concentrates on product liability, catastrophic personal injury and complex commercial litigation. Mr. Hurst has served as national products liability coordinating counsel for a sporting goods manufacturer, has defended clients in connection with personal injury matters arising from sports and entertainment venues, counsels athlete agents, advises clients regarding athlete eligibility issues and has served as an arbitrator for a number of cases involving sports related injuries. Mr. Hurst is currently counsel to Cash is King Racing Stables, LLC which is the owner of the 2005 Preakness and Belmont Stakes winner Afleet Alex. Mr. Hurst is also counsel to Digital Home Authority Corp. and represents other clients, such as B.J.'s Solid Gold, Inc., Diva's Entertainment, Inc. and InnSite Hospitality, Inc. Mr. Hurst is a member of the board of the Adam Taliaferro Foundation.
Christopher S. D'Angelo (Vice Chair)
Christopher S. D'Angelo is a partner in the Litigation Department whose practice concentrates on product liability, business and intellectual property litigation. Mr. D'Angelo has represented a number of product manufacturers, such as Mattel, Fisher Price and Sega. Mr. D'Angelo has also represented numerous authors and musicians in connection with copyright, contract negotiations and general business advice.
Michael K. Twersky
Michael K. Twersky is a partner in the Litigation Department whose practice concentrates on First Amendment law, complex commercial litigation and entertainment law. Mr. Twersky is a former entertainment talent agent. Mr. Twersky represents such clients as Ropeadope Records, Baby Loves Disco LLC, DJ Logic and B. J.'s Solid Gold, Inc.
William L. Kingsbury
William Kingsbury is a partner in the Business Department. Mr. Kingsbury is a former collegiate and professional baseball player and he represents a number of former professional athletes, such as former Philadelphia Phillies Larry R. Christenson, in connection with their business interests. Mr. Kingsbury is a member of the Advisory Board of the Villanova University School of Law's Sports and Entertainment Law Journal.
Joseph T. Stapleton
Joseph T. Stapleton is a partner in the Corporate Section of the Business Department and is an active participant in the firm's Intellectual Property practice group. Mr. Stapleton represents a number of authors and entertainment clients, and oversees the firm's trademark portfolio where he is attorney of record in the U. S. Patent Office for numerous entertainment clients, including the registration of marks for The Roots, Jaguar Wright, Silvertide, Peppersghost and the Jazzyfatnastees.
David S. Blum
David S. Blum is a partner in the Real Estate Department. Mr. Blum has provided legal advice to the City of Philadelphia concerning the real estate and finance issues relating to the development of Lincoln Financial Field and Citizen's Bank Park. Mr. Blum has also represented clients in connection with the development of the golf courses and leasing of sports venues. Mr. Blum is a Trustee of the Walnut Street Theatre.
Mary E. Cavallaro
Mary E. Cavallaro is Of Counsel in the Employment Department and her practice emphasis involves the representation of local and national radio and television broadcasters and employment law. Ms. Cavallaro is the former staff counsel for the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA) where she represented and was available to provide legal advice to AFTRA members. Ms. Cavallaro is a member of the Villanova Law School Sports and Entertainment Law Journal Advisory Board.
Christina D. Frangiosa
Christina D. Frangiosa is an associate in the Litigation Department. Her intellectual property litigation practice focuses on pursuing or defending copyright and trademark infringement claims, and claims of cybersquatting. She also counsels business and entertainment clients pursuing trademark and copyright applications and advises them on issues relating to protecting their valuable trade names. Some of her sports and entertainment clients include Baby Loves Disco, LLC and Team America Rugby, Inc. Charles J. Leamy
Charles J. Leamy is an associate in the Business Department. Mr. Leamy helps oversee the firm's nationwide Immigration and Nationality practice which includes the provision of immigration advice and representations of clients involved in the sports and entertainment industries.
Dave Frankel
Dave Frankel joined the Litigation Department in September, 2006. Mr. Frankel is a former television weatherman, news anchor and investigative reporter. He was also a contributor to the ESPN newsmagazine Outside the Lines. Mr. Frankel will focus on representing television and radio journalists as well as other broadcasters. Mr. Frankel co-founded and serves on the Advisory Board for the Villanova School of Law Sports and Entertainment Law Journal. He also serves as the host of the annual Alex's Lemonade Stand For Pediatric Cancer Research in Wynnewood, PA.
For more information, please contact Ronald E. Hurst, Chair, Sports, Entertainment & Amusement practice at 215 772-7242 or email rhurst@mmwr.com.