Stephen Smith focuses on representing entertainment and new media companies in the motion picture, television, digital app and interactive gaming industries. He provides those companies with legal counseling related to all aspects of their businesses in litigation and transactional matters alike.
Steve’s clients have included Ubisoft Entertainment, S.A., Gameloft, S.A., Crave Entertainment, K2 Networks, Spark Unlimited, Savage Entertainment, Elite Modeling, Collision Studios, Ticketmaster, StudiVZ, Genuine Games, Papaya Studios, JANUS et Cie, Logan Media and Sugar Foods.
Daily Variety selected Steve as one of Hollywood’s “Dealmakers” in its “Impact Report ’08.” The Los Angeles Daily Journal honored Mr. Smith as one of the top 20 lawyers in Los Angeles under 40 years of age in its 2009 “20 Under 40” report.
Steve has been selected by Los Angeles Magazine as a Southern California “Super Lawyer” and has received the highest peer-review rating of “AV” by Martindale Hubbell.
Steve has a particular expertise in legal issues arising in the interactive gaming industry and is regularly quoted and featured in magazine and newspaper articles, online publications and radio broadcasts dealing with those issues. Steve also has particular expertise in probate litigation, real estate litigation, arbitrations, including international arbitrations, and employment-related matters.
Steve also sits on the board of the Epilepsy Foundation of Greater Los Angeles and provides pro bono services to the Alliance for Children’s Rights, Public Counsel and the ACLU.
EDUCATION
JD, honors, University of Texas School of Law, 1993
BA, Rice University, Economics Major, 1990
ACCOLADES
Listed, Southern California Super Lawyer, 2012-2016
Listed, Dealmakers Impact Report ’08, Daily Variety, September 24, 2008
Rated, “AV Preeminent 5.0 out of 5,” Martindale Hubbell
SPEAKING
Speaker, Litigation Roundup, Video Game Bar Association Annual Summit, UCLA School of Law, May 18, 2015
Panelist, “Video Games: The Blockbuster Industry of the 21st Century,” 38th Annual UCLA Entertainment Symposium, March 7, 2014
Panelist, “Super Brands,” Variety Business Managers Elite, November 7, 2013
Speaker, “Virtual Items,” Stanford-Peking University Conference on Internet Law and Public Policy, May 4, 2013
Principal Speaker, “Put Your Game Face On: Video Game Development, Licensing and Litigation,” May 2, 2006