James Johnston

Assisted a major public packaging company with its transformation to a consumer-focused business by helping it enter the realm of sports sponsorship. Negotiated a 10-year naming rights and sponsorship agreement, which included naming rights for an NBA, NHL and NLL arena, as well as interrelated sports sponsorship deals involving teams and venues in the major American sports leagues and English Premier League.

Advised a leading children's publisher on the development and production of a 3D CGI television series based on a best-selling children's book series. Advised and negotiated production agreements, writer agreements, producer agreements, and voiceover talent agreements and helped navigate the demands of both the Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and the Writers Guild of America.

Serving as media and technology counsel to a global sports streaming platform. Advising on advertising, product and privacy issues, including the launch of its platform in the US, the structure of its subscription programs and adtech/privacy compliance.

Representing a podcast content producer as it prepares for launch. This has involved complex equity and incentive compensation structures for performers, financing arrangements to fund the new network, as well as the third parties to build the technological infrastructure that will drive its growth.

Advising a professional sports league labor union as it evolved into a full-fledged events company, merchandise licensor and year-round resource for players to create and distribute content to audiences around the world, growing from a player representative to a multimedia powerhouse.

Counseling an American professional league as it emerges from a season disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic to a period of renewed growth and expansion. Guiding our client in its expansion into storytelling and content production that charts the rise of this red-hot sport.

Advising a tennis legend in a new business venture to license name, image and likeness rights to ensure the preservation of a ground-breaking legacy.

Counseled a preeminent Minor League Baseball club as it navigated the complete restructuring of its industry by Major League Baseball and the transformation of its relationship with the organization. Negotiated agreements for the first-ever music festival at the club’s stadium and helped create new uses, revenue streams and opportunities for off-season fan engagement.