Advisory Board

David Bayer is Associate Labor Relations Counsel at the National Football League, where he advises the league and member clubs with respect to the NFL-NFLPA Collective Bargaining Agreement and other league rules and policies. David also represents the league and clubs in grievance-arbitrations and related litigation. Prior to joining the NFL, David was an associate in the Labor & Employment Department at Proskauer Rose. At Proskauer, David represented sports leagues and teams, entertainment companies, and clients in various other industries in labor relations and employment litigation and counseling matters.

Meeka Bondy is Senior Counsel in the Technology Transactions & Privacy Law Group at Perkins Coie LLP, based in their New York office. Meeka advises media companies and technology companies wherever they meet in the content life cycle. She drafts, structures, and negotiates a variety of content acquisition, licensing and distribution agreements involving film, TV, print, and digital content. Her strategic counsel draws on nearly 20 years of executive experience at global media and entertainment companies.

As SVP, Legal Affairs, for HBO, Meeka helped launch and build HBO ENTERPRISES, HBO’s global content licensing venture that helped GAME OF THRONES reach over 130 countries around the world. As VP, Legal Affairs for Time Warner Interactive Video Group, Meeka functioned as general counsel for MYSTRO TV, a start-up charged with developing and commercializing a revolutionary server-based digital video recorder and on-demand cable television service. Meeka’s first in-house role was as Associate Counsel at Time Inc. where she was the principal attorney responsible for PATHFINDER, the magazine company’s online portal to all its iconic brands.

Meeka began her legal career at Brown Raysman Millstein Felder & Steiner LLP, the world’s first computer law firm, after being recruited from Brooklyn Law School where she proudly serves as a steering member of the Women’s Leadership Circle. Meeka is also a founder of AIM (Asian Americans in Media), a faculty member of AABANY’s (Asian American Bar Association of New York) Advanced Leadership Development Program, an advisor and former board member of the FUTURE NOW Media Foundation, a former board member of WICT NY (Women in Cable Telecommunications), the 2019 recipient of WICT’s Woman to Watch – Programmer Award, and a graduate of the Betsy Magness Leadership Program and the Stanford Business School’s Advanced Leadership Program for Asian Americans.

Vernon J. Brown, CPA, chairman and CEO of V. Brown & Company, Inc., began his career in the entertainment industry representing such innovative hip-hop groups as Public Enemy and the platinum selling R&B group Surface. He has established himself as one of the entertainment industry’s leading business managers by representing such artists as the late rapper Notorious BIG, Public Enemy, urban soul singer D’Angelo, Erykah Badu, and the Cash Money Records Empire.

Brown launched V. Brown & Company, Inc., in 1992, a business/ personal financial management company located in New York City. Brown’s knowledge, experience, leadership and clients range far and wide in all areas of entertainment and sports. He has been named by Billboard Magazine to its Top Music Lawyers List for many consecutive years through the current. He is an Adjunct Professor at Brooklyn Law School, teaching the Entertainment Law course.

As Counsel in the Legal and Business Affairs department at Epic Games, Erica supports a range of Epic’s products and services, including Fortnite, Rocket League and Fall Guys. In her role, she is responsible for Epic’s philanthropic activities, handles partner content and music licensing; content production; accessibility; clearances; establishes DMCA processes for acquired companies; and negotiates and drafts agreements across these areas.

Prior to joining Epic Games in November of 2020, Erica worked as Counsel in the Legal and Business Affairs department at Sesame Workshop, Erica supported the organization by assisting with developing the business terms, strategizing, negotiating deal points, advising members of the Workshop, and drafting relevant agreements. Carter specifically handled matters related to content production, marketing, social media, communications, collaborations, special events, Speaker’s Bureau, themed entertainment and outreach in Latin America, intellectual property protection and enforcement, clearances, employment matters, policies, and licensing.

Carter serves as the New York City Chapter Co-Chair of the Copyright Society, and served as Assistant Treasurer on the board of the Copyright Society from 2018-2020. She is also an active member in PALS (Practicing Attorneys for Law Students). In March of 2019, she received the Brooklyn Law School Entertainment and Sports Law Society Alumni of the Year Award for her inspiring accomplishments in entertainment law.

Prior to working at Sesame Workshop, Carter worked in-house as an attorney for The Collective, also known as Marc Ecko or Ecko Unlimited. Carter earned her J.D. and Certificate in IP, Media, and Information Law in 2015 from Brooklyn Law School. While in law school, she was the recipient of the Gwen J. Greenberg Prize and a CALI Excellence for the Future Award in Negotiations. She received her B.A. in Communications, with a minor in Public Relations from Belmont University in December of 2010, where she was an NCAA Division I student-athlete.

Jeff Gewirtz is the General Counsel, Executive Vice President, and Chief Compliance Officer of BSE Global (BSE). In 2021 he also served as BSE’s Chief Operating Officer, where he led the efforts around re-opening Barclays Center in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and had general oversight for arena operations and its health and safety protocols. From 2010 through 2020 Gewirtz served as BSE’s EVP of Business Affairs and Chief Legal Officer. Gewirtz joined BSE in May 2007 as Senior Vice President and General Counsel.

Gewirtz advises BSE’s ownership and his executive management colleagues on key business and legal matters for BSE’s holdings, including the Brooklyn Nets, Barclays Center, the New York Liberty, the NBA G League’s Long Island Nets, the NBA 2K League’s NetsGC, and, through 2019, NYCB LIVE, home of the Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum, and Webster Hall. Gewirtz also works closely with Barclays Center management on live event programming initiatives, and he has oversight of BSE’s government relations function.

Gewirtz was named to the 2019 United States GC Powerlist by The Legal 500 and in 2015 his legal department was named one of the top 50 in-house legal departments in the United States by The Legal 500. In addition, Gewirtz was named 2014 Sports Counsel of the Year by the Association of Media & Entertainment Counsel, and in 2009 Gewirtz was selected to the prestigious “Forty Under 40” by Sports Business Journal as one of the 40 top sports executives under the age of 40 in the United States. Gewirtz sits on the Board of Directors of the Sports Lawyers Association and he is a past Sports Committee Chair of the American Bar Association’s Forum on the Entertainment and Sports Industries. In 2017 he was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Brooklyn Volunteers Lawyers Project and in 2018 he was appointed to the Board of Trustees of the Women’s Sports Foundation.

Prior to BSE, Gewirtz served as the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) General Counsel and Chief Legal & Government Affairs Officer where he was responsible for all USOC legal matters, as well as the USOC’s government relations activities with Congress and federal government agencies. Gewirtz has also held positions with: The Coca-Cola Company’s Corporate Legal Division – as Global Marketing Counsel – where he negotiated many of Coca-Cola’s most significant sports industry transactions such as its $500 million+ NCAA Corporate Champion sponsorship and media alliance with CBS Sports; IOC Television & Marketing Services SA – as Director of Legal Affairs – where he served as lead counsel for the International Olympic Committee’s global sponsorship Olympic Partner (“TOP”) Programme in connection with the 2002 Salt Lake Olympic Winter Games and 2004 Athens Olympic Games; the LPGA Tour as General Counsel; and the WTA. He began his legal career as a corporate associate at the New York City law firm of Dunnington, Bartholow & Miller LLP.

A native of Baldwin Harbor, New York, Gewirtz is a graduate of Tufts University, where he was a four-year member and Captain of the Tufts Varsity Tennis Team his senior year, as well as a member of its New England Championship team. In 2016 he was appointed to the Tufts Athletics Board of Advisors. Gewirtz received his law degree from Brooklyn Law School, where he was the recipient of a three-year merit scholarship, from which he is a two-time recipient of its Alumni Achievement Award in Sports Law, and at which he previously served as an Adjunct Professor of Sports Law.

John Maltbie has served as the Director of Intellectual Property, Civil Enforcement for Louis Vuitton North America, Inc. since October 2012. In that role, he oversees the intellectual property civil litigation and enforcement activities for some of the world’s most famous luxury brands, including, Louis Vuitton and Christian Dior. Prior to joining Louis Vuitton, John was an intellectual property associate at Arnold & Porter LLP, among others, where he represented clients, including, Gucci, Alexander McQueen, Bottega Veneta, Nike, adidas, Paramount Pictures, and Pernod Ricard, with respect to issues ranging from trademark prosecution and licensing to brand enforcement and anti-counterfeiting. John received a Bachelor of Arts degree from New York University and a Juris Doctor degree from Brooklyn Law School.

Olivera Medenica CIPP/CIPM is an equity partner at Dunnington Bartholow & Miller LLP, serves as a member of its Executive Committee and Diversity Committee, and chairs the firm’s Trademark Practice Group and Privacy & Cybersecurity Practice Groups. She has co-authored five books in the field of fashion law: Navigating Fashion Law, Aspatore’s Inside the Minds Series, Thomson Reuters (2015 Edition); The American Bar Association’s Legal Guide to Fashion Design (2013); The Business and Law of Fashion and Retail, Carolina Academic Press (2020); The Routledge Companion to Copyright and Creativity in the 21st Century, Taylor & Francis Group (2020); The Fashion Designer Survival Guide (chapter covering IP) (2020). Olivera currently teaches Fashion Law at her alma mater, Brooklyn Law School, and teaches Advertising Law at Cardozo Law School. Olivera co-founded the FBA/FABA Paris Fashion Law Conference in 2017 and the FBA New York Fashion Law Conference in 2013.

Mark A. Merriman is a partner at Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz in the firm’s entertainment group where he practices in all aspects of entertainment law with an emphasis on theatre and book publishing. Mark is also an Adjunct Professor of Clinical Law at Brooklyn Law School where he teaches the Arts and Entertainment seminar. He is recognized in the 2022 edition of Best Lawyers in America for Entertainment Law – Theatre. Additionally, he is listed as a “Super Lawyer” by Super Lawyers magazine, and has received praise in Chambers USA for his work in media and entertainment.

Brittany Rubino currently works as Associate Principal Counsel for the Walt Disney Company, where she works closely on the production of non-scripted programs, series, and feature documentaries for various platforms, including Hulu, Disney+, National Geographic Channel and the ABC Television Network. In addition to advising production clients on IP matters, Brittany’s primary responsibility is drafting and negotiating various agreements, including, but not limited to, talent, production services, program license, license, distribution, releases, vendors, equipment leases, venue/location agreements, third party materials licenses, and non-disclosure/confidentiality. Prior to this role, Brittany served as Counsel for the Legal & Business Affairs Department at ViacomCBS, where she mainly supported the company’s Sports Division (CBS Sports and CBS Sports Network). Brittany received her J.D. from Brooklyn Law School in 2017, during which time she was a National Team Member on the Moot Court Honor Society, VP of LELA, and Secretary for BESLS.

Marshall M. Silverman is an Adjunct Professor of Entertainment Law at Brooklyn Law School (“BLS”). He has worked on the production of over 40 feature-length, theatrical motion pictures with several movie companies in New York, Los Angeles, and London, in various capacities such as production counsel, business affairs executive, and production executive. Born and raised in Brooklyn, where he attended BLS, he started working for motion picture companies in Manhattan and was then relocated by Twentieth Century Fox to Los Angeles to work in its Studio Legal Affairs Department. Later, Marshall served as Vice President and Senior Motion Picture Production Counsel at Warner Bros. Pictures (“WB”). Among his many accomplishments during 23 years at WB, he was the legal/business part of the teams which created the BATMAN franchise, the LETHAL WEAPON franchise, and the OCEANS ELEVEN franchise. He originated the WONDER WOMAN project, supervised the contract negotiations to acquire the motion picture rights to the HARRY POTTER books, and was the attorney for the executive group which established and grew Warner Home Entertainment as a start-up and during its first 10-years of operations. Recently, Marshall crafted the MEDIA Act, a tax credit program signed into law to support filmed entertainment production in the State of Montana. While continuing to counsel high-level producer-clients on various aspects of their businesses, Marshall is also CEO of new movie companies in Montana and North Carolina which are developing motion picture projects for production in those States.

Lexi is a 2016 graduate of Brooklyn Law School and a member of the inaugural BSEL Blog Advisory Board. As a lifelong musician and songwriter, Lexi has the unique advantage of understanding the industry from both the artist and business perspectives. As Director of Business & Legal Affairs at Primary Wave Music, Lexi is an integral part of the acquisitions team, helping to solidify Primary Wave’s place at the frontline of high-profile music acquisitions for iconic and legendary musical acts. After joining the company as a legal intern in her third year of law school, she quickly rose to the position of Director and now runs point on a number of complex music transactions. She also handles contract drafting and negotiation and other legal matters for Primary Wave’s music publishing, artist management, film/TV/theatrical development, and marketing and branding divisions. Lexi is a member of the Recording Academy and the Copyright Society of the USA, and was recently included on Billboard magazine’s “40 Under 40: List of Trailblazing Young Music Executives” for 2021.