M. Graham Coleman

Gray Coleman has more than 25 years of experience in intellectual property and general business law. He handles entertainment and media transactions including theater, film and television financing and production, and music and publishing matters. Gray acts as production counsel for a number of independent films, television series and specials, and theatrical productions on Broadway and elsewhere; guides clients in trademark selection, registration, licensing and protection; copyright registration; ownership and licensing issues; manuscript/script review for protection in all media; and a wide variety of contractual arrangements for parties working in the above industries and other businesses utilizing intellectual property. He also assists in the licensing of name/likeness rights, famous trademarks and character rights; and in enforcement, litigation and dispute resolution support in intellectual property infringement cases.

Practice Highlights

• Counsel to numerous theatrical/live attractions producers and production companies, including the Broadway and touring productions of "The Color Purple," "Shrek the Musical," "Dirty Dancing," "God of Carnage" (2009 Tony Award – Best Play), "Fences" (2010 Tony Award – Best Play Revival), "Venus In Fur" and "Ghost the Musical," and the long-running Off-Broadway productions of "Sleep No More" and "Old Jews Telling Jokes."
• Intellectual property counsel to a leading producer and distributor of licensed sports merchandise, and primary outside counsel to a privately held company that is the leading print and online publisher of monthly sports collectibles magazines
• Counsel to a number of authors/owners of distinguished plays and musicals, including "Annie," "Anything Goes," "Arsenic and Old Lace," and others throughout the alphabet
• Intellectual property counsel to a leading owner/operator of trade shows and related exhibitions
• Counsel to several independent film producers whose productions include several Sundance Film Festival and other festival award-winning productions in the last 15 years
• Counsel to the award-winning television series "Inside the Actors Studio" since its inception in 1994, as well as numerous other television programs including game shows, talk shows, and other reality/documentary television programming
• Counsel to the American Theatre Wing, founder and co-administrator of the Tony Awards honoring excellence in the American theater
• Trademark and licensing activity for a variety of clients, including book and magazine publishers, film and video producers, online retailers and information service providers, and designers and manufacturers of consumer goods