John J. Tormey III, Esq. is
a veteran film, entertainment, art, and media lawyer. He
handles transactional matters, as well as certain claims and
litigation matters as they pertain to the entertainment
business.
He is in his fourth decade in the legal profession and the
practice of law. In 2019, he celebrates his 20th Anniversary
of his Martindale-Hubbell™ Peer Review rating as “AV
Preeminent®” for twenty consecutive years. This is the
highest possible Peer Review Rating in legal ability &
ethical standards accorded by Martindale-Hubbell™, an
organization which has facilitated Peer Review Ratings™ for
more than 130 years. As stated by Martindale-Hubbell™,
“The AV Rating is the pinnacle of professional excellence
earned through a strenuous Peer Review Rating process that
is managed and monitored by the world's most trusted legal
resource, Martindale-Hubbell™”.
Additionally, John J. Tormey III, Esq. was selected as a
“2014 Top Rated Lawyer In Intellectual Property” by American
Lawyer Media and Martindale-Hubbell™. American Lawyer
Media is a leading provider of news and information to the
legal services industry, and affiliated with Martindale-Hubbell™
to highlight “Top Rated Lawyers” in the March 2014 issue of The
American Lawyer & Corporate Counsel magazine.
In 1996 John J. Tormey III, Esq. finished a tour of duty as
Senior Litigation Counsel and Senior Counsel to Miramax
Films. He thereafter announced the commencement of his own
law practice, now known as “John J. Tormey III, PLLC”.
Thankfully, this law practice has since been very active.
The key elements have been hard work, and a firm commitment
to timely and responsive representation of his clients. In
this electronic age he has been fortunate to receive some
additional exposure given a presence on the Internet, and
appearances as a guest commentator on New York’s COURT TV
including its “Hollywood Heat” program, Q104.3-FM Ken
Dashow’s “Beatles Revolution” on the iHeartRadio app,
BronxNet’s “Today’s Verdict”, Colorado Public Radio,
London’s BBC “Liquid News”, Bogota, Colombia’s “NTN24 News”
including its “La Noche” program, “Backstage”
Magazine, “Slate” Magazine, and Big Meteor Publishing’s
“Indie Bible”.
The law practice is a general commercial one, with a focus
on contractual and corporate matters, entertainment law, and
intellectual property. He draws upon past experience with
motion pictures, television, music, art, merchandising,
licensing, publishing, advertising, marketing, computers,
interactive media, litigation, and wills and estates. A
large number of his friends are in the arts, entertainment,
media, and other creative fields. His father is a working
film and TV actor in Manhattan. John III has played music
professionally. A significant component of his law practice
is the legal representation of talent, as well as media and
entertainment entities - including both start-up and
existing businesses.
He continues to play a positive role in helping businesses
grow, and in helping individuals succeed. Much of his work
also exists outside the bounds of the entertainment field.
His clients are diverse and extend beyond the realm of
entertainment. He represents doctors, other lawyers,
computer and on-line entrepreneurs, sports figures, talent
representatives, designers, photographers, and others in
various fields. He handles employment agreements,
shareholder agreements, agency agreements, and many other
different types of contractual matters and transactions. His
goal is to maintain his solid client base, and maintain a
mutuality of respect with those clients. In terms of sheer
numbers, he tends to have more numerous clients than many
other lawyers because of, among other things, this populist
approach.
He is admitted to practice law in New York, California, and
the District of Columbia. His past affiliations have been
with Collegiate School, Harvard University, UCLA School of
Law, the law firm of Pryor, Cashman, Sherman & Flynn, The
Walt Disney Company, and Miramax Films. He has posted his
résumé below which illustrates his career path in greater
detail.
In addition to his presence on the Internet, another way he
prefers to generate new work is through quality referrals
from past and existing clients, and from his other friends.
Please keep him in mind in situations wherein your friends
and colleagues are seeking representation. You are welcome
to forward his contact-information and credentials to them.
This law practice is conscientious and hard-driving, with
only reasonable overhead expended along the way. Through
this approach, John J. Tormey III, Esq. expects to continue
to keep the clients that he represents. He has been a client
himself, and has retained outside counsel on a number of
matters. His clients will receive the same quality and
timely response, and courtesy, that he would fully expect if
he were the client.
John J. Tormey III, PLLC
John J. Tormey III, Esq.
EDUCATION:
UCLA SCHOOL OF LAW,
J.D. 1987
UCLA Law Review
UCLA Law Moot Court Honors Program
American Jurisprudence Award, Labor Law
HARVARD UNIVERSITY,
B.A., Psychology, cum laude, 1984
Dean’s List & Harvard College Scholarship
Harvard Club of New York Scholarship
John Dales Scholarship (awarded by Screen Actors
Guild)
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ADMITTED:
New York, California, and District of Columbia.
In 2014, John J. Tormey III, Esq. Celebrated His
15th Anniversary Of His Achievement,
Recognition, And Martindale-Hubbell™ Peer
Review Rating As “AV Preeminent®” For Fifteen
Consecutive Years (1998-2014). This Is The
Highest Possible Peer Review Rating In Legal
Ability & Ethical Standards Given By Martindale-Hubbell™,
Which Has Facilitated Peer Review Ratings™ For
More Than 130 Years: “The AV Rating Is The
Pinnacle Of Professional Excellence Earned
Through A Strenuous Peer Review Rating Process
That Is Managed And Monitored By The World's
Most Trusted Legal Resource, Martindale-Hubbell™”.
Additionally, In 2014, John J. Tormey III, Esq.
Was Selected As A “2014 Top Rated Lawyer In
Intellectual Property” By American Lawyer Media
And Martindale-Hubbell™. American Lawyer
Media Is A Leading Provider Of News And
Information To The Legal Industry, And
Affiliated With Martindale-Hubbell™ To
Highlight “Top Rated Lawyers” In The March 2014
Issue Of The American Lawyer & Corporate
Counsel Magazine. |
EXPERIENCE:
JOHN J. TORMEY III, PLLC -
New York, NY
Solo Law Practice, 1997 - Present
MIRAMAX FILMS -
New York, NY
Senior Counsel, Business and Legal Affairs; and
Senior Counsel, Litigation: 1994 - 1996
Handled in-house litigation and claims matters,
including necessary coordination with outside
counsel, and review of attorney billings.
Served as lead attorney on arbitrations and
other matters requiring appearances of counsel.
Drafted and negotiated agreements,
correspondence, and memoranda relating to the
corporation’s business of motion picture
distribution, and film production matters of its
affiliates.
Rendered day-to-day legal advice with respect to
the following eclectic variety of matters:
anti-trust matters, interactive and computer
affairs, guilds and residuals, intellectual
property, chain-of-title, piracy, merchandising,
marketing and publicity, exhibitor collections,
photographic rights, bankruptcy, and direct
marketing.
THE WALT DISNEY COMPANY, INC. -
New York, NY
Counsel: 1990 - 1994
Drafted and negotiated character merchandise
license agreements.
Advised corporation regarding its licensing
endeavors and various intellectual property,
transactional, litigation, product safety,
management and licensee audit, accounting, and
credit issues, including those relating to the
theme parks and Disney Stores.
Coordinated legal and investigative aspects of a
nationwide character merchandise anti-piracy
program.
Participated in all phases of the civil pursuit
and criminal prosecution of copyright and
trademark infringers.
Managed the legal affairs of the company’s
direct marketing catalogue subsidiaries.
Served as representative on the Classification
and Ratings Appeals (CARA) Board of the Motion
Picture Association of America (MPAA), for the
rating of motion pictures.
PRYOR, CASHMAN, SHERMAN & FLYNN -
New York, NY
Litigation Associate: 1987 - 1990
Represented plaintiffs and defendants in
litigation matters.
Concentrated in the area of intellectual
property: copyright and entertainment
litigation.
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