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Bryan Bergman joins Nolan Heimann with nearly fifteen years’ experience in complex business transactions and civil litigation. As his career developed, he realized that the emerging cannabis industry presented both an opportunity and a challenge, as new cannabis businesses would require legal advice not only on swiftly changing cannabis legislation and regulations, but also on basic legal issues that face any entrepreneurial venture. He has developed an unmatched expertise in this growing industry, speaking regularly on cannabis industry-related topics and educating operators and other professionals, including attorneys and accountants, on this developing area of law. His client services include providing assistance in entity strategy and formation; contract negotiations and drafting on a wide variety of deals including real estate, investment, management, distribution/sales, and other business transactional issues; cannabis license application preparation; regulatory compliance; and organizational structuring and management. In addition to his legal work, Bryan maintains a substantial network of cannabis professionals from a variety of areas available to assist his clients in all aspects of establishing or expanding their businesses, such as legal, financial/accounting, labor, political consulting/lobbying, real estate, banking, business development, media, social media, and brand marketing.
During his legal studies at UC Hastings, Bryan was published in a distinguished law journal for an article on digital sampling, was president of the Association of Communications, Sports and Entertainment Law (ACSEL) , worked closely with the school administration on new admissions, organized charity concerns to benefit the First Five Foundation, and created MCLE panels that were attended by over 500 individuals. Outside of the legal profession and cannabis industry, he has a wide variety of personal interests, including adventure sports, music, and travelling.

• University of California, Hastings College of the Law, J.D.
• Tulane University, B.S., Business Management

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With nearly two decades of experience as a litigator, general counselor and over-all good guy, Michael is what every business person should have – a trusted confidant, advisor, and consigliore. Michael served as General Counsel for Baja Fresh, where he managed and directed all aspects of Baja Fresh’s legal activities, including intellectual property management and protection, contract negotiations, franchise relations, leasing and litigation. Michael also served as General Counsel for a group of companies involved in the production, advertising, marketing, and sale of educational products via long-form commercials and the Internet. In that position, Michael assisted in defending the companies against a nearly half billion dollar lawsuit filed by the Federal Trade Commission. In his private practice, Michael continues to apply his general counsel expertise by providing practical and strategic guidance to owners and key executives on a wide range of business and legal issues, including contract drafting and negotiations, intellectual property, employment/labor/HR matters, regulatory issues, advertising, and licensing. As a litigator, Michael has handled myriad complex business disputes with a particular emphasis on complex contract, business fraud, real estate, partnership, employment, bankruptcy and intellectual property litigation. Michael’s combined litigation and general counsel experience provide him a unique perspective on how to avoid disputes before they happen and, when they simply cannot be avoided, how to resolve those disputes efficiently in order to reach the best possible result for his clients.

• Loyola Law School, J.D.
• University of California at Los Angeles, B.A., History

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When you find yourself in times of trouble…Diane is the person to turn to. Seventeen years as a first chair civil litigator at the renowned Los Angeles firm Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, Diane’s litigation career has focused on representing high profile entertainment industry clients — individuals and small, mid-sized and Fortune 500 companies — in myriad complex litigation matters, including contract, copyright, trademark, privacy, unfair competition, personal, real estate and employment disputes. In addition to litigation, Diane has substantial alternative dispute resolution and neutral experience, serving as a Mediator, a superior court Temporary Judge, and an Arbitrator for the Los Angeles County Bar Association. Diane’s mediation practice focuses on intellectual property disputes, contract, real estate and employment disputes. Diane is frequently called upon to consult on or salvage cases with unusual challenges, or to provide counseling and pre-litigation advice on contract, copyright, trademark, chain of title review and analysis issues. Lest you think Diane is all work and no play, Diane spent some time as a stand-up comic – no joke.

• Harvard Law School, J.D.
• Yale University, B.A.

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Jason’s practice at Nolan Heimann LLP focuses on transactional matters, with an emphasis on entertainment, business, finance and corporate transactions. With respect to entertainment transactions, Jason concentrates on the areas of intellectual property law, music law, and motion picture and television finance, production, distribution and talent. Jason’s principal clients include music producers, music artists, music publishers and music labels, television and motion picture production companies and producers, actors, directors, writers, entertainment financiers, modeling agencies, and other entertainment-related individuals and companies. In addition to representing Grammy nominated and award-winning talent, Jason has also served as an executive producer on a number of motion picture projects. In addition to entertainment transactions, Jason represents real estate financiers, developers and funds from the initial raise through acquisition. Jason also provides legal services on a variety of litigation matters with an emphasis on intellectual property, business and commercial disputes. Jason has extensive experience in civil litigation in state and federal courts, including jury and court trials.

Prior to joining Nolan Heimann LLP, Jason served as General Counsel and business advisor for a group of entities under the same umbrella, including Intego Capital, DryWired, Verite Cartel, Renoveau International, Endeavor International, and Anteris International. In his capacity as an advisor and General Counsel, Jason oversaw all capital investments, business development, content acquisition and licensing, operations, and legal and business affairs.

Jason founded and currently serves as a Managing Member of Lampshade Music (music branding company for hospitality and retail), Sandbox (technology company specializing in the development and implementation of mobile applications), Eleven Investment & Hospitality Group (real estate fund and hospitality operations), and, prior to its dispositions, as Managing Member of Aoide (e-card and music delivery platform) and Driven Entertainment Experience (virtual concierge technology and entertainment platform). At these companies, Jason oversees all capital investments, business development, content acquisition and licensing, operations, and legal and business affairs. As an attorney specializing in entertainment and intellectual property law, Jason provides clients and consumers of these companies with peace of mind by negotiating and securing all rights to the entertainment content and technology acquired and distributed through these companies’ products and services. Prior to serving as Managing Member of these entities, Jason served as an attorney specializing in entertainment, finance, and corporate transactions and litigation at a Raskin, Peter, Rubin & Simon, LLP in Century City, California. Jason has served as a panelist and juror for film festivals and as a speaker at conferences discussing intellectual property rights management in music and film. Jason has one child, Hayden Asher. Jason enjoys coaching his son’s soccer and baseball teams and serving as a PTA board member.

• Villanova University School of Law, J.D.
• Denison University, B.A., Philosophy

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Wendy Heimann-Nunes is a founding and managing partner of Nolan Heimann LLP, the only law firm featuring a practice area dedicated to location-based and immersive entertainment. Wendy’s clients run the gamut in this specialized industry and include owners, operators, developers, studios, licensors, licensees, designers, consultants, technology providers, and more. In addition to providing traditional legal counsel, Wendy provides strategic business counsel to assist her clients in the growth, monetization, and maximization of opportunities for intellectual properties, content, brands, developments, and technologies. Entertainment and business united for Wendy right from the start in her early role as Executive Director of the renowned landmark, The Chicago Theatre, and her associated work in assisting the city’s efforts to revitalize its North Loop. And, it was in the windy city where the former talent agent began her legal career with the international law firm Mayer Brown after graduating from The University of Chicago Law School. Wendy went on to serve as an executive at Universal Studios, heading up Business and Legal Affairs for Universal Creative, the division responsible for the concept, design and development of all domestic and international theme parks, resorts and attractions. Prior to co-founding Nolan Heimann, Wendy chaired the immersive and location-based entertainment department of the law firm Zuber, Lawler & Del Duca. She is an active member and pro-bono counsel of the Themed Entertainment Association and has sat on several advisory boards, including the Board of Advisors of Immersive Tech, a nonprofit committed to supporting the development and adoption of immersive experiential technology. In addition to her dedication to immersive entertainment, Wendy is a passionate drummer. Her LA-based band, Crinoline, plays throughout Southern California with an occasional jaunt to Vegas. A Doors fan, Wendy often quotes Jim Morrison: “The most important kind of freedom is to be what you really are.” She applies that philosophy to all aspects of her professional and personal life and always encourages her clients to do the same.

• University of Chicago Law School, J.D.
• Northwestern University, B.S., Communications
• City of London Polytechnic, Television and Film

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Mishawn is passionate about helping innovators and entrepreneurs strategically leverage their assets. Having been a dancer and choreographer before becoming an attorney, she has a particular affinity for creatives. Even then her leadership and problem solving skills were evident and she was called upon to produce live events. Her ability to understand the needs and concerns of both the creative and business sides of the equation has led to effective deals being struck and projects moving forward. Mishawn believes that makers need the freedom to do what they do best and should have a strong, dynamic team to support their growth. She excels at leading that team. Mishawn has extensive experience working with the complex blending of corporate, entertainment, technology, and intellectual property challenges that exist where Hollywood, Madison Avenue and Silicon Valley converge. Mishawn was the co-chair of the Entertainment, Intellectual Property and New Media section of the San Fernando Valley Bar Association from 2005 – 2011.

• Pepperdine Law School, J.D.
• UCLA, B.A., Political Science
• Oxford University, International Politics

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Brian is a corporate transactions lawyer and former business owner with over 13 years’ experience. Throughout his career, he’s specialized in mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, venture capital, private equity, and debt and securities offerings, as well as demonstrating a proven track record for nurturing startups and early-stage companies. After 8 years as an attorney in the L.A. office of Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP, representing public companies, private equity funds, and investment banks, Brian founded and ran an e-commerce apparel company, sourcing goods from local factories in Los Angeles. His experience with the day-to-day realities of running a business himself has given him pragmatic insights into the ways in which knowledgeable legal counsel can enable companies to grow and thrive. He returned to the law to work with both emerging and established companies, offering practical, business-minded legal solutions to his clients. In addition to his passion for helping companies of all sizes flourish, Brian is also an avid endurance athlete. He has completed two Ironman-distance triathlons. When he’s not working or devoting his attention to family life, he tries to spend as much time in the local mountains, on the trails, or in the parks as he can.

• Boston University School of Law, J.D.
• Dartmouth College, B.A. English Literature

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Christine Lawton has 15+ years’ executive experience launching and monetizing businesses at the convergence of entertainment, technology and retail, helping Fox, Universal, DreamWorks and Disney innovate consumer experiences. With business, creative, financial and legal expertise across all aspects of the complex structural transactions necessary to launch and support B2B and B2C businesses, Christine applies rare combined perspective and oversight capabilities to digital, entertainment, media, retail, consumer tech, branded merchandising, and traditional licensing and distribution businesses.

Christine has guided home entertainment, television, video game, mobile, digital distribution platform, music, toy, and retail relationships, and has structured, negotiated and drafted financing, acquisition, marketing, promotion, distribution, publishing, hardware, software and consumer products agreements. At Fox, Christine led a 20-person, global, home entertainment legal and business advisory team, including a digital legal licensing unit. Also at Fox, she structured and negotiated partner relationships necessary to launch Fox’s Innovation Lab for immersive technologies. At Universal Studios Home Entertainment, she ran a 13-person Business & Legal Affairs department. In that role she structured and negotiated partnerships valued up to $100M, manufacturing and distribution relationships valued annually at $10M-$50M, and multi-year alliances with Lionsgate, Summit and DreamWorks that shepherded the home entertainment releases of The Hunger Games, Twilight, and Shrek franchises. At DreamWorks, Christine was head of Business Affairs for worldwide home entertainment, domestic syndicated television, and worldwide pay and free television. At Disney, Christine was Director of Business & Legal Affairs at Buena Vista Home Video, responsible for video licensing, acquisition, manufacturing and distribution, and promotional partnerships.

Christine doesn’t like being bored or the possibility of boring herself or people around her. From early classical ballet, flute and piano training, she moved into modern dance and waterskiing, and then became the lead singer in a couple garage bands. Logically, she became an amateur chocolatier and began to take improv and salsa classes from time to time. If time were more forgiving, she’d travel and read way more than she does. Her two daughters are better at everything they touch than she and her husband could be at anything they do, which they’re both learning to deal with. Outside of family, work and play, Christine’s committed to organizations that support women and families and people of color, and to legal and industry initiatives that advance intellectual property and consumer technologies. She’s Vice Chair, Board of Directors, of the I Have a Dream Foundation – Los Angeles, and Faculty Advisor to the Women’s In-House Counsel Leadership Institute. She served as Moderator, Digital Hollywood, Women in the Industry: Developing Film, Television & OTT About Women – A Golden Age in Hollywood and Indie Production (May 2018) and for the Women’s In-House Counsel Leadership Institute Financial Acumen Webinar (March 2017), and was Co-Host and Moderator for the Women’s In-House Counsel Leadership Institute Project 20/35, Disruptive Technologies Workshop (September 2017). She’s also a Co-Author of “Harmonize Your Trade Secret Protection to Protect Your Assets”, ACC Docket (December 2017). She was Presenting Speaker, USC Law Black Law Students Association Annual Alumni Banquet (2017); Chairperson, USC Law Reunion Committee (2010), is a member of the USC Law Intellectual Property Institute Planning Committee (2016 – Present) and the USC Law African American Admitted Students Committee (2016 – Present), and was a Curriculum Advisor and Lecturer for the USC Law Entertainment Law Program (2009 – 2013). She’s a member of the 2020 Women on Boards Los Angeles Planning Committee (2016 – Present) and the Association of Corporate Counsel Diversity and IP Committees (2016 – Present). At NBCU she was Hub Co-Leader, Women’s Network @ NBCUniversal Los Angeles (2010) and Co-Chair, West Coast Regional Legal Conference on Women & Diversity )2009).

• University of Southern California Gould School of Law, J.D.
• University of Delaware, B.A., Communications; Minor in French

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Cindy has close to 20 years of experience as a general corporate transactional attorney, specializing in licensing, entertainment, and technology. Her clients have included production companies, fashion designers, restaurants, entertainment entities, a consumer products division of a multi-billion dollar entertainment company, and a sports management firm. Cindy has a keen business sense – senior level executives trust her with myriad business and legal issues. Among other things, Cindy has drafted and negotiated countless complex licensing, production, distribution, technology, consulting, development, rights acquisition, marketing, promotional, termination, settlement, product placement, domestic and international merchandise, promotional, home video, and publishing agreements. She has worked at or for major players in their respective fields, including companies such as The Walt Disney Company, Fox Family (now ABC Family), American Golf Corporation, DIRECTV, California Pizza Kitchen, and Pinkberry. In addition to practicing law, Cindy is passionate about travel and hiking. She has visited over 30 countries, having climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, trekked from Mollepata to Machu Picchu, and trekked from Lukla to Mt. Everest Base Camp. She also has been involved in politics for over 20 years – including working as an Advance Associate for the White House and as an Advance Associate for five Presidential campaigns.

• Southwestern Law School, J.D. (Cum Laude)
• University of Pittsburgh, B.A. Political Science and English Writing (dual)

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David is a lawyer and business executive with over 15 years of experience specializing in intellectual property, licensing, and contract negotiations. With a proven track record of developing creative and pragmatic solutions that align business needs with legal and regulatory requirements, he helps his clients protect and monetize their copyrights and trademarks and efficiently resolve day-to-day legal issues. David has filed over 300 trademark registrations in the U.S. and overseas and has negotiated and drafted hundreds of business agreements with service providers, manufacturers, distributors, vendors, and other business partners. David’s clients include, among others, software developers, consumer products companies, creative artists, fashion designers, and manufacturers. Recognizing the increasing need for companies in the cannabis industry to protect their brands, David has worked with growers, distributors, and service providers to understand the complicated federal and state registration system and to obtain registrations for their trademarks. David has also helped Amazon sellers through the complicated process of protecting their trademarks on the Amazon marketplace and successfully gating their brand from unauthorized sellers. In addition to legal work, David understands the nuances of business development and strategy, having developed a multi-million-dollar licensed apparel division from scratch. David spent the first 10 years of his career at Sedgwick LLP before resigning his partnership to join a $100 million-a-year apparel company as General Counsel. In that role, he managed the company’s global intellectual property portfolio, combated counterfeiting and discounters, negotiated and drafted leases, software service agreements, and other contracts, and advised on employment issues, while also working with the executive team to plan and implement the company’s strategy. David is a passionate soccer fan and L.A. Galaxy supporter. In fact, he is the Regional Commissioner for Region 58 of the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO) in the Van Nuys Sherman Oaks Park. He is also the former Chair of the Editorial Board of Los Angeles Lawyer Magazine.

• University of California Hastings College of the Law, J.D.
• University of California, Berkeley, B.A. Rhetoric

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Clark Siegel brings over 30 years of experience as a transactional attorney to Nolan Heimann’s team. He started his career as an associate at Cooley LLP and then as an associate and partner at Loeb & Loeb, serving in their intellectual property transactional groups. He then served as a partner at Irell & Manella, where he was co-chair of the firm’s intellectual property group and a member of their entertainment department. From there, he moved to partnership at Hughes Hubbard, chairing the firm’s entertainment and new media group.

Throughout his career, his primary focus has been on successfully executing deals in the entertainment, technology, and media industries, supporting transactions including acquisition, development, production, distribution, licensing, merchandising, and studio and network agreements. In addition to handling the day-to-day work involved in entertainment, technology, and intellectual property transactions, Clark also handled complex business matters such as corporate financing, domestic and international mergers and acquisitions, and work-outs of troubled companies. His experience at the intersection of entertainment, technology, and intellectual property has given him a unique ability to structure business relationships, models, and transactions that protect his clients’ interests while taking advantage of the opportunities presented by new platforms and evolving technology. His professional skill is guided not only by his informed grasp of the big picture, but also by his eye for the critical details. In addition to his myriad professional accomplishments, Clark has shared his expertise in numerous publications and talks on topics relating to film, television, privacy issues, intellectual property, and new media law.

• University of Chicago Law School, J.D.
• Stanford University, B.A. Philosophy

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