The following is an excerpt from Practice Perspectives: Vault's Guide to Legal Practice Areas.
Amy L. Siegel, Co-head of O’Melveny & Myers’ entertainment, sports, and media industry group, represents key stakeholders in the entertainment, sports, and media industries.
Amy focuses her practice primarily on complex commercial licensing arrangements, with expertise in the use of intellectual property (IP) rights in connection with traditional and digital means of content exploitation, theme parks and other location-based entertainment venues, and sports and other live events, as well as marketing campaigns and unique branding initiatives. She also has broad experience advising U.S. and international clients on industry-specific M&A, the creation of strategic alliances, and the launch of innovative products and services.
Amy’s clients include the industry’s leading studios, networks, and streamers, as well as production companies and strategic investors, in all business and legal aspects relating to the acquisition, financing, exploitation, and management of media-related assets. She also counsels clients throughout the sports ecosystem on the distribution of complex media and data rights and helps corporate sponsors and organizations leverage valuable IP to grow audiences via sponsorships, endorsements, partnerships, and fan engagement platforms. Amy’s work is at the forefront of complex deals involving augmented reality, virtual reality, non-fungible tokens, the metaverse, and other media-related technologies.
Describe your practice area and what it entails.
I advise clients on the business and legal aspects of acquiring, financing, exploiting, and managing film, television, and other media assets. My practice also extends across the sports ecosystem, where I counsel clients on the distribution of complex media and data rights and help corporate sponsors, leagues, and organizations leverage IP to expand their reach through sponsorships, endorsements, strategic partnerships, and fan engagement initiatives.
What types of clients do you represent?
My clients include many of the industry’s leading studios, networks, and streaming platforms, as well as production companies and strategic investors. I also represent major participants across the sports landscape—including governing bodies, leagues, teams, owners, venues, and corporate sponsors—spanning both the professional and collegiate levels.
What types of cases/deals do you work on?
My work centers on complex commercial licensing arrangements, with particular experience in the use and monetization of IP across traditional and digital content platforms, theme parks and other location-based entertainment venues, sports, and live events, as well as marketing campaigns and distinctive brand initiatives. I also advise U.S. and international clients on industry-specific M&A, strategic joint ventures and alliances, and the development and launch of innovative products and services.
How did you choose this practice area?
Early in my career, my practice was evenly split between corporate transactions in the entertainment and sports industries and broader M&A, corporate finance, and general corporate matters. That broad foundation was invaluable to my development as a lawyer, but I found myself especially drawn to the complexity and creativity of deals in the entertainment and sports sectors—industries that were, and continue to be, in the midst of remarkable transformation.
What is a “typical” day like and/or what are some common tasks you perform?
I typically manage several deals at various stages of negotiation or execution. Much of my day is spent strategizing how to advance each transaction—whether by reviewing agreements, analyzing and summarizing key issues for the client, or discussing those issues with them on a call. No two days are the same, but every day involves thoughtful problem-solving, collaboration with my teams, and keeping deals moving toward completion.
What training, classes, experience, or skills development would you recommend to someone who wishes to enter your practice area?
For my practice area, the most valuable foundation is experience with general corporate transactions. Learning how to take a deal from start to finish—understanding the process, pacing, and problem-solving involved—is the best preparation. Industry-specific expertise develops naturally over time, but cultivating curiosity about the business side of entertainment and sports is key. Reading industry trades and staying current on major trends and developments are excellent habits to build early.
What do you like best about your practice area?
What I enjoy most about my practice is the opportunity to counsel clients throughout the entire life cycle of their business—from formation and financing to acquisitions, joint ventures, daily operations, and ultimately, exit strategies. I value being a long-term strategic partner, helping clients anticipate challenges, identify opportunities, and stay ahead of the many market shifts that shape the media and sports industries.
What is unique about your practice area at your firm?
One unique—and particularly exciting—aspect of our entertainment, sports, and media practice is that it bridges both corporate and litigation work. This structure allows us to collaborate closely with colleagues from transactional and litigation teams, bringing diverse perspectives and experience to each matter and creating a dynamic, multidimensional approach to solving clients’ challenges.
What kinds of experiences can summer associates gain in this practice area at your firm?
Summer associates in our practice gain hands-on experience across a range of entertainment, sports, and media matters. They may help draft and review agreements for film or television projects, conduct research on IP or rights issues, or summarize key points in the negotiation of sports sponsorships and other commercial deals. Each summer associate is typically assigned to a deal team, with opportunities to join calls and meetings for a behind-the-scenes perspective on how transactions and projects come together from start to finish.
What are some typical career paths for lawyers in this practice area?
I have spent my entire career—20 years—at O’Melveny in the entertainment, sports, and media practice, and it has been incredibly rewarding. Many of our colleagues, however, have taken different paths, moving in-house at major studios, networks, streaming platforms, or sports organizations. These roles let them take the skills and insights they developed here and apply them directly to shaping deals and strategy from the inside.