At Fisher Legal Arts, we champion creativity through legal expertise — protecting artists, innovators, and storytellers with tailored legal solutions that empower their work and safeguard their rights
At Fisher Legal Arts, we champion creativity through legal expertise — protecting artists, innovators, and storytellers with tailored legal solutions that empower their work and safeguard their rights
Founded by Jonathan Fisher, an experienced entertainment attorney, our law practice is built on a deep understanding of the legal and business challenges creators face and is dedicated to securing and safeguarding the rights and interests of those who bring stories to life.
Services
Services
Fisher Legal Arts is a media and entertainment law practice which handles all transactional and business aspects of creatives. With deep experience across entertainment deals, we know what's standard, what's emerging, and how to negotiate with creativity and strategy.
Types of Work:
- Option and purchase agreements
- Collaboration agreements
- Development and shopping agreements
- NDAs
- Life rights
Types of Work:
- LLC formation
- Investment and grant agreements
- Talent and crew agreements
- Chain of title review
- Union and guild compliance
- Advise on delivery needs, including rights and restrictions for ad/promo
Types of Work:
- Draft and negotiate above and below the line agreements
- Types of contracts include independent contractor, location, equipment, writer, director, editor, and producer
- Review and redline third-party forms
- Clarify and summarize contractual obligations
Types of Work:
- Script clearances
- Personal rights clearances, including right of publicity, defamation, and right of privacy concerns
- Fair use clearance of unlicensed material
- Title clearances
- Review and revise license agreements
- Help secure and review insurance policies, including Errors and Omissions
- Provide clearance memos that distributors, networks, and insurers require before taking on a project
Types of Work:
- Assist with copyright registration
- Ownership and purchase agreements
- Licensing and assignment agreements
- Infringement counseling
Types of Work:
- Paper sales agency agreements and collection accountant agreements (CAMA)
- Negotiate and redline distribution deals
- Counsel on rights being granted and rights to be reserved, including derivative and subsidiary rights
- Advise on revenue participation for back-end participants
- Assist clients with delivery for distribution
Types of Work:
- Identify and provide legal guidance on potential transactional risks
- Recommend steps to mitigate and avoid potential vendor misalignment
- Advise on deal structures, company formation, project financing, and long-term career or brand development
- Leverage knowledge of entertainment industry norms, trends, and contacts to provide valuable perspective beyond just legal terms
Types of Work:
- Help clients resolve conflicts without litigation whenever possible
- Protect the client’s interests, preserve business relationships, and avoid costly legal battles
- Advise clients on their legal position, risks, and potential outcomes to make informed decisions before escalating a conflict
Types of Work:
- Negotiate deals, review contracts, and advise on career strategy—ensuring clients are treated fairly and positioned for long-term success
- Advise on pay, residuals, royalties, backend participation, and on-screen credit
- Guide clients on the legal aspects of career moves, partnerships, and brand development opportunities
- Ensure the client’s name, likeness, and intellectual property are properly licensed or protected
When securing rights to finalizing distribution deals, every step of your creative journey requires strategic legal protection.
That's where we come in.
About
Jonathan Fisher is an accomplished entertainment attorney who brings experience from all sides of the industry, including practice as a studio attorney, in-house counsel, and law firm practitioner. Jonathan obtained his Juris Doctorate from Quinnipiac University School of Law, where he earned honors in his Intellectual Property Law concentration. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from Florida State University and is a proud former member of the Marching Chiefs collegiate marching band.
Prior to founding Fisher Legal Arts, he worked as a Senior Associate for over six years at Donaldson Callif Perez, LLP, where he advised independent filmmakers and creatives through all stages of production -- from development and rights acquisition to clearance and distribution. The posters seen throughout this website represent a sampling of his over 100 production and clearance projects, detailed further on his IMDB page. His additional legal experience includes servicing ESPN’s legal department, as well as in-house counsel at Beachbody (BODi), overseeing legal aspects of their premium digital content.
Admitted to the California State Bar, Jonathan is a member of both the Los Angeles County Bar Association and the Beverly Hills Bar Association. Beyond his legal practice, he is deeply committed to community service, supporting organizations like Habitat for Humanity, Upward Bound House, People Assisting the Homeless (PATH), and Kids in Need of Defense (KIND).

Entertainment Law Backed by Real Industry Experience
Jonathan has provided legal guidance on a diverse slate of acclaimed projects, spanning narrative films, documentaries, and music features. His narrative work includes films like The Kissing Booth, It’s What’s Inside, Luce, and Spree, as well as groundbreaking documentaries such as Endurance, Mayor Pete, Another Body, The Dissident, Spermworld, and Plan C.
Jonathan has also contributed legal expertise to award-winning documentary series, including the Jerrod Carmichael Reality Show, Ren Faire, The Vow, The Lincoln Project, McMillions, Starting 5, The Imagineering Story, Muhammad Ali, and Q: Into the Storm.
His experience also extends to unique and complex music documentaries, having worked on the Beastie Boys Story, Willie Nelson & Family, Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band, and Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me.
Before starting his own law practice, Jonathan’s previous clients won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Film, The Last Repair Shop (2023) and The Only Girl in the Orchestra (2024), further solidifying his expertise in handling high-profile and impactful storytelling.

Contact Us
Ready to discuss your project or legal needs? Get in touch using this form below or reach out directly. We look forward to learning how we can support your creative work.
Disclaimer:
Reaching out does not establish an attorney-client relationship. Please avoid sharing confidential information at this stage.
727-251-7332
12400 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 1291
Studio City, CA 91604