Wein Law Group was founded by Steve Weinberg. Steve is a 30 year veteran trial attorney specializing in representing music, film and television entertainment industry clients in a variety of intellectual property and complex business related disputes and transactions. Among other engagements, Steve recently served as music copyright legal consultant to Associated Press and CBS television during their coverage of the Led Zeppelin/Stairway to Heaven trial and represented a high-profile celebrity in a defamation action against the Daily Mail, winning a decisive legal victory in a reported decision in the Ninth Circuit. Steve is admitted to practice before all trial and appellate courts within the State of California, including the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, as well as the U.S. Court of Federal Claims and the United States Supreme Court.
Prior to founding Wein Law Group, Steve served as Senior Counsel for CBS Television in its syndicated television division. At CBS, Steve handled licensing for legendary CBS/Paramount television programming including, CSI, Star Trek, I Love Lucy, Frasier, Happy Days, The Twilight Zone, Cheers, among many others. Steve also served as counsel for on-set production clearance for shows such as Entertainment Tonight, The Insider and Judge Judy. Prior to his post at CBS Television, Steve was of counsel to the entertainment law firm Christensen Miller Fink Jacobs Glaser Weil & Shapiro (now Glaser Weil Fink Howard & Shapiro). At the Christensen Miller firm, Steve closely assisted Patty Glaser and built an impressive track-record of successes representing high profile clients in complex litigation and disputes. By way of a few examples:
EDUCATION
Steve received his law degree from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles where he graduated in the top 15% of his class and earned multiple American Jurisprudence awards for academic excellence. He received his Bachelors of Arts degree from the prestigious Communications School at UCLA where he graduated magna cum laude (top 7% of the class) and earning departmental honors.
HISTORY
Before becoming a practicing lawyer, Steve worked as a professional studio musician (guitar) and BMI songwriter, achieving numerous recorded credits. Steve has also previously worked as a commercial studio photographer (with national magazine credits) and worked as the director of location photography for a syndicated television series in worldwide in distribution.
DEPTH
Steve currently spends some of his spare time recording music, managing local musicians and songwriters and playing the roles of "Brad Whitford" in an Aerosmith tribute and "Elliot Easton" in a Cars tribute. To satisfy his passion for both rock music and the technology that created it, Steve collects and restores vintage vacuum tube guitar amplifiers.
HUMOR
Steve is infamous for his somewhat odd eating habits and rules. Steve's whacky preferences are vividly described in perhaps his greatest published work: www.StevesFoodRules.com Enjoy.
Prior to founding Wein Law Group, Steve served as Senior Counsel for CBS Television in its syndicated television division. At CBS, Steve handled licensing for legendary CBS/Paramount television programming including, CSI, Star Trek, I Love Lucy, Frasier, Happy Days, The Twilight Zone, Cheers, among many others. Steve also served as counsel for on-set production clearance for shows such as Entertainment Tonight, The Insider and Judge Judy. Prior to his post at CBS Television, Steve was of counsel to the entertainment law firm Christensen Miller Fink Jacobs Glaser Weil & Shapiro (now Glaser Weil Fink Howard & Shapiro). At the Christensen Miller firm, Steve closely assisted Patty Glaser and built an impressive track-record of successes representing high profile clients in complex litigation and disputes. By way of a few examples:
- Steve defended Death Row Records and its founder Marion “Suge” Knight in post-trial proceedings after a jury awarded a verdict in excess of $14 million following a three-week trial handled by another firm. In this matter, Steve authored a series of post trial motions which successfully reduced the jury verdict by $10 million dollars and later defeated the plaintiffs’ attempts to reinstate the jury award on appeal. See, Brumfield v. Death Row Records, Inc., 2003 WL 21966294 (Cal. App. 2 Dist.).
- Steve worked on the litigation team representing Capitol Records/EMI on a variety of commercial and intellectual property matters including, a royalty accounting dispute involving multi-platinum artists and producers Dr. Dre and Eminem and a potential acquisition of the Grammy Award winning group The Dixie Chicks, from Sony.
- Steve played a key role representing MGM in an action against its insurance carrier AIG, for bad faith denial of insurance coverage related to claims brought against MGM for copyright infringement of the James Bond franchise. At Steve’s direction, the Firm won several key motions, posturing the case for a very favorable settlement before trial.
- Steve was a pivotal member the litigation team representing Don Felder, the former lead guitarist of “The Eagles” and co-author of the song "Hotel California" in his disputes with the band and its manager, Irving Azoff. Among other leadership roles, Steve directed the discovery team and led a series of dispositive court actions which successfully defeated Mr. Azoff's attempts to obtain a pre-trial dismissal.
- Steve played a key role on the litigation team representing MGA Entertainment which achieved a complete defense verdict in a copyright and trademark infringement action arising out of the Company's worldwide success of its "Bratz" line of dolls. Steve supervised trial preparation and authored a series of motions which helped successfully terminate the case in the client’s favor.
- Steve was the senior litigator representing Yari Film Group in connection with disputes arising out of the production and distribution of the Academy Award winning film “Crash.” In that role, Steve supervised all aspects of investigation and discovery and authored a series of successful motions which dramatically limited the client’s exposure.
EDUCATION
Steve received his law degree from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles where he graduated in the top 15% of his class and earned multiple American Jurisprudence awards for academic excellence. He received his Bachelors of Arts degree from the prestigious Communications School at UCLA where he graduated magna cum laude (top 7% of the class) and earning departmental honors.
HISTORY
Before becoming a practicing lawyer, Steve worked as a professional studio musician (guitar) and BMI songwriter, achieving numerous recorded credits. Steve has also previously worked as a commercial studio photographer (with national magazine credits) and worked as the director of location photography for a syndicated television series in worldwide in distribution.
DEPTH
Steve currently spends some of his spare time recording music, managing local musicians and songwriters and playing the roles of "Brad Whitford" in an Aerosmith tribute and "Elliot Easton" in a Cars tribute. To satisfy his passion for both rock music and the technology that created it, Steve collects and restores vintage vacuum tube guitar amplifiers.
HUMOR
Steve is infamous for his somewhat odd eating habits and rules. Steve's whacky preferences are vividly described in perhaps his greatest published work: www.StevesFoodRules.com Enjoy.
