I need a recommendation for Entertainment Attorney

What state are you in for starters?

You won't pay a % to an attorny, rather an hourly retainer schedule. If your attorney charges 200 dollars an hour, that's what you'll pay. If he works on your project for five hours that's 1000 dollars. If you don't have that kind of money contact your volunteer arts council in your state.

Many entertainment attorneys work on a % basis. However, they have to be willing to take you on as a client - much like an agent or manager would. In order for that to happen, they must believe in you, your reputation & talent, marketability and growth. Otherwise, you'll pay a flat, hourly rate.

creativexec said:

Many entertainment attorneys work on a % basis. However, they have to be willing to take you on as a client - much like an agent or manager would. In order for that to happen, they must believe in you, your reputation & talent, marketability and growth. Otherwise, you'll pay a flat, hourly rate.

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In my experience, before I got my attorney on a percentage deal (which was after I sold my six figure script), I found that entertainment attorneys who weren't working on a percentage deal normally expected a retainer.

That is, they wouldn't simply bill you for hours worked. They expected a big chunk of cash up front -- and don't expect to get it back.

We had to pay an entertainment attorney in NY a five grand retainer to negotiate our deal on that six figure sale -- and that was after we'd agreed on all the basic terms.

And that was well over ten years ago.

NMS

This guy spoke extensively on the rights and wrongs of first sales at The Screenwriters' Expo in 2008. He specializes in writers but does not shop scripts.