UCLA Entertainment Symposium

Bringing entertainment leaders and professionals together each year.

The 50th

June 18, 2026 (Thursday) | Schoenberg Hall, UCLA School of Music

2026 UCLA Entertainment Symposium speakers: (Ron Howard (left) and brian grazer (right)

The Annual Entertainment Symposium is a flagship event for the entertainment industry, bringing leading lawyers, executives, agents, managers and producers, together with students for candid discussions on subjects at the forefront of the industry. Conversations during this conference have ranged from lively debate over the changing landscape of the entertainment business, to shared insights on planning for the success of original content in a vast digital landscape, and perspectives on filmmaking in newly developing markets. Panelists regularly include top entertainment lawyers and key executives from studios and production companies, along with leaders from digital and independent companies.

For any questions or further inquiries please email ziffreninstitute@law.ucla.edu.

Ticketing

Tickets to the 50th UCLA Entertainment Symposium are now available.

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Program

 

The 50th

50th Annual Entertainment Symposium
Thurs June 18, 2026 | Schoenberg Hall, UCLA

Ron Howard (left) and Brian Grazer (right)

 

9:25 to 9:35 AM (PDT)
Welcome & Dean's Remarks

Presenter:

  • Dean Michael Waterstone, Dean and Professor of Law, UCLA School of Law

 

9:35 to 10:25 AM (PDT)
50 Years in 50 Minutes

Tom Wolzien returns with a high-velocity look at five decades of industry inflection points. A longtime Symposium anchor, Wolzien will distill the legislative, business, legal and technological decisions that shaped the modern entertainment landscape—highlighting what worked, what failed, and what never should have happened. With characteristic clarity, Wolzien will connect past turning points to current dynamics and will offer a forward view on where today’s decisions are likely to lead.

Presenter:

  • Tom Wolzien, Chairman, Wolzien LLC

 

10:30 to 11:25 AM (PDT)
The AI Content Revolution

Panelists:

  • Tammy Brandt, Deputy Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer, CAA (Creative Artist Agency)
  • Jamie Byrne, Co-Founder, President and COO, Promise
  • Suzy Wilson, Copyright Specialist

Moderator:

  • Ian Krietzberg, AI Correspondent, Puck News

 

11:30 AM to 12:25 PM (PDT)
The Dealmakers

Panelists:

  • Linda Lichtner, Founder, Lichtner, Grossman, Nicols, Feldman, Rogal, Shikora & Clark, Inc.
  • Donald S. Passman, Partner, Gang, Tyre, Ramer, Brown & Passman
  • Ken Ziffren, Co-Founder and Partner, Ziffren Brittenham LLP

Moderator:

  • Todd Longwell, Independent Entertainment Journalist

 

12:30 to 1:45 PM (PDT)
Lunch & Networking Break

 

1:45 to 1:55 PM (PDT)
Celebrating 50 Years

 

2:00 to 2:55 PM (PDT)
John H. Mitchell Panel on Ethics and Entertainment, sponsored by the Patricia W. Mitchell Trust
Reel Justice: Ethics On Screen

Through iconic film clips spanning decades, Professor Bergman probes the ethical fault lines where legal judgment is tested. When does winning go too far? What if a client insists on a strategy you believe is wrong? And when, if ever, must a lawyer act to prevent future harm?

Presenter:

  • Paul Bergman, Professor of Law Emeritus, UCLA School of Law

 

3:00 to 3:55 PM (PDT)
The Attention Economy: Where Content Meets Community

In today’s fragmented media landscape, distribution is no longer a downstream step but a central force shaping what gets made, how it is structured, and whether it breaks through. Success is increasingly determined before release, as creators and companies align content strategy, community engagement, and platform distribution as a unified system. This panel brings together leaders across content, platforms, and distribution to examine how new audience pathways are being built across film, television, digital video, live experiences, and fandom-driven ecosystems. The conversation will explore how early audience development, platform-native strategies, and aligned creative and commercial decision-making are reshaping how attention is earned, sustained, and scaled.

Panelists:

  • Jeff Clanagan, President and Chief Distribution Officer, Hartbeat
  • Elizabeth Cohen, General Counsel, Crunchyroll
  • Jeffrey Harmon, Co-Founder and Chief Content Officer, Angel Studios
  • Paul Snow, Head of Top Media Company Partnerships, YouTube

Moderator:

  • Marci Wiseman, CEO, The Wise Group

 

3:55 to 4:15 PM (PDT)
Networking Break

 

4:20 to 5:05 PM (PDT)
Keynote (45 min)

  • Ron Howard, Founder and Chairman, Imagine Entertainment
  • Brian Grazer, Founder and Chairman, Imagine Entertainment
  • Interviewed by Maer Roshan, Editor-in-Chief, The Hollywood Reporter

 

5:05 to 5:10 PM (PDT)
Closing Remarks

 

UCLA School of Law is a State Bar of California approved MCLE provider. By attending all six (6) sessions, you may earn Minimum Continuing Legal Education credit in the amount of up to 5.5 total credits (4.5 hours of general credit and 1 hour of legal ethics credit).

Guest Information

  • Badges are required for entry and can be picked up at the check in tables near the entrance of Schoenberg Hall. Check-in begins at 8:55 AM, and the event will start promptly at 9:25 AM. Refreshments and beverages will be available during this time.

    Schoenberg Hall is located in the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music.

    Schoenberg Hall Address: 445 Charles E. Young Dr. E, Los Angeles, CA 90095

    Exterior of UCLA's Schoenberg Hall

  • We recommend parking in UCLA Parking Structure 2 in the designated visitor parking areas. Daily permits are available for $17 at the Self-Service Pay Stations located near the visitor parking sections. Schoenberg Hall is approximately a six-minute walk from Parking Structure 2.

    Apple Maps | Google Maps | Waze

    Structure 2 Address: 602 Charles E. Young Drive East, Los Angeles, CA 90095

    UCLA Parking Structure 2

  • To receive MCLE credit for the in-person session, forms must be submitted by July 19, 2026. We are unable to issue credit for submissions received after this deadline.

    QR codes linking to the MCLE attendance forms will be printed on the back of attendee badges and posted throughout the venue.

    FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

    • When will I receive my MCLE certificate?
      • Certificates will be emailed a few weeks after we verify your attendance and code word submissions. Please ensure your email address is correct on the form.
    • What if I missed a code word during a panel I attended?
      • You can review the on-demand video recordings to retrieve any missed code words.
    • What if I forgot to scan the QR code and didn’t complete the MCLE attendance form?
      • A follow-up email will be sent to all in-person attendees after the event with a link to the MCLE Attendance Form.
    • How many MCLE credits may I receive for attending?
      • CA MCLE: You may earn up to 5.75 total MCLE credits (4.75 hours of General credit & 1 hour of Legal Ethics credit).
        NY MCLE: You may earn up to 5.50 total MCLE credits (4.5 hours of Areas of Professional Practice credit & 1 hour of Ethics and Professionalism credit).

    Still have questions? Please contact the MCLE Team at mcle@law.ucla.edu.

  • A recorded version of the Symposium will be available for on-demand viewing (not live) from approximately July 15 through September 31, 2026.

    FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

    • If I purchase an in-person ticket, will I have access to the on-demand recordings?
      • Yes. All in-person attendees will also receive access to the recorded sessions.
    • How do I access the recordings?
    • Can I receive MCLE credit for watching the on-demand recordings?
      • Yes. A separate MCLE attendance form will be sent to all attendees with on-demand access. The deadline to submit the On-Demand MCLE attendance form will be October 31, 2026.

    Need additional assistance? Please contact our team at Ziffreninstitute@law.ucla.edu.

Sponsors

Entertainment Symposium Advisory Committee

  • Elsa Ramo
    RAMO

    Craig Wagner
    Paradigm Talent Agency 

    Christa Workman

  • Tom K. Ara
    Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP

    Barry Babok
    Babok & Robinson, LLP

    Hillary S. Bibicoff
    FEIG / FINKEL

    David Boyle
    David Boyle, APC

    Nancy A. Bruington
    Latham & Watkins, LLP

    Ann Brigid Clark
    Greenberg Traurig LLP

    Nick Coffman
    Creative Artists Agency

    Loan T. Dang ’00
    Del Shaw Moonves Tanaka Finkelstein Lezcano Bobb & Dang

    Michael A. Helfant ’83
    Loeb & Loeb, LLP

    Erik Hyman
    Paul Hastings, LLP

    Sally C. James ’08
    Greenberg Glusker LLP

    Robb Klein
    Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP

    Amy Lucas ’08
    O’Melveny & Myers LLP

    Howard Meyers
    Focus Features

    Jamice Oxley
    Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush, Kaller, Gellman, Meigs & Fox, LLP

    Robyn R. Polashuk ’94
    Covington & Burling LLP

    Elsa Ramo
    RAMO

    Benyamin S. Ross
    Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

    Michael S. Sherman
    Eisner LLP

    Christopher S. Spicer
    Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, LLP

    Craig Wagner
    Paradigm Talent Agency 

    Michael Waterstone (ex officio)
    Dean and Professor of Law, UCLA School of Law

    Christa Workman

    Sophia K. Yen
    Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP

    Kenneth Ziffren ’65
    Co-Founder and Partner, Ziffren Brittenham LLP
    Adjunct Faculty

  • Matthew C. Thompson
    Sidley Austin LLP

    Lawrence J. Ulman
    Retired, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher LLP

     

  • Roger Arar
    Loeb & Loeb LLP

    Jeffrey A. Barker ’93
    O’Melveny & Myers LLP

    Barbara Boyle ’60
    UCLA Department of Film, Television and Digital Media

    Leigh Brecheen
    Brecheen Feldman Breimer Silver & Thompson, LLP

    Pamela Brockie ’75
    ICM Partners

    P. John Burke
    Retired / Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, LLP

    Jay Cooper
    Greenberg Traurig LLP

    Robert A. Darwell
    Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton LLP

    David C. Eisman ’93
    Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

    Bonnie Eskenazi
    Greenberg Glusker LLP

    Ruth E. Fisher
    Retired / Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP

    Keith G. Fleer
    Keith G. Fleer, A Professional Corporation

    John T. Frankenheimer ’73
    Loeb & Loeb LLP

    Jeffrey M. Freedman ’93
    Creative Artists Agency

    David R. Ginsburg
    Retired / Executive Director, Entertainment, Media, and Intellectual Property Law Program, UCLA School of Law

    Susan A. Grode

    Kenneth Kleinberg
    Kleinberg Lange Cuddy & Carlo LLP 

    Nicholas La Terza
    The Point Media

    Michael H. Lauer

    Douglas Mark
    Mark Music & Media Law, P.C.

    Laurence M. Marks ’78
    Manatt, Phelps & Phillips LLP

    Charles Moore
    Wiggin LLP

    Lawrence P. Mortorff
    Trilogy Productions LLC

    Matthew H. Saver ’78
    Law Offices of Matthew H. Saver

    Lois Scali ’86

    Steven Sills
    Green Hasson Janks LLP

    Shelly Sroloff ’76
    Creative Artists Agency

    Donald W. Steele
    Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren, Richman, Rush, Kaller, Gellman, Meigs & Fox, LLP

    Todd M. Stern
    Weintraub Tobin Chediak Coleman Grodin Law Corporation

    Gary Stiffelman
    D’Amelio Brands LLC

    Robert M. Szymanski
    Eclipse Law Corporation

    Dirk van de Bunt ’82
    Executive Service Corps of Southern California

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