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Carla Varriale-Barker Quoted in New York Law Journal As Panelist on Ethics for Sports and Entertainment Lawyers
Law.com and the New York Law Journal recently covered a panel discussion titled “Ethics in Negotiating in Sports, Entertainment and Other Universes”, which featured Segal McCambridge Shareholder and Chairperson of the Sports, Recreation and Entertainment Practice Group, Carla Varriale-Barker. She joined Moses Singer Partner, Devika Kewalramani, to discuss ethical pitfalls facing lawyers who represent clients in the sports, film and theater industries at the NYSBA annual meeting.
The session analyzed and discussed a variety of topics, including New York’s code of professional ethics obligations, ethical considerations, troubleshooting the relationship between the business side of the industries and a lawyer’s ethical duties and responsibilities.
The panel featured a lively discussion with the lawyers in attendance. In response to an audience member’s question about an attorney potentially acting as both legal representation and as a producer on a film, Carla was quoted by Law.com as saying, “Is it [taking on the other, non-lawyer role] going to interfere with your professional judgment?” She also discussed whether it was “easier” to have the business side of the industry negotiate agreements and “having experience looking at it as a businessperson is one thing, but what does the lawyer really provide” and that is “the professional judgement … the legal analysis. And you know there are many companies who do things in many different ways, and what you know we are really talking about here is that there are the risks” to taking on roles that may be better left to lawyers.”
The original article, “Moonlighting as Agents and Repping Rock Bands: NYSBA Panel Tackles Ethics for Sports and Entertainment Lawyers,” was published on Law.com on January 24, 2023. (login required)
