Teaching

Yes, I was a lawyer before I was a filmmaker.

Don’t hold it against me! My clients included an array of individuals and companies, including musicians, actors, writers, filmmakers, web designers, app developers, theaters, doctors, universities, restaurants, manufacturers, start-ups, Fortune 500 companies, and many more. I have assisted clients in all aspects of trademark and copyright prosecution, licensing and enforcement and in intellectual property litigation. It has been a career rife with interesting people doing interesting things.

You might think it a strange transition from lawyer to screenwriter, but in fact the practice of law and the craft of screenwriting share core similarities. Lawsuits and movies are both, in essence, complex stories told from different perspectives. Stories about people that want something badly and are having a hard time getting it. Stories with conflict and obstacles. The writing skills necessary to be an effective lawyer – preparation, organization, structure, persuasion and revision – are transferrable to screenwriting.

My legal experience allows me to bring a unique perspective to my classroom at DePaul University's School of Cinematic Arts, as I understand both the right brain and left brain challenges that screenwriters face. I love helping my students dig deep to find and develop fresh, entertaining, meaningful stories, teaching them how to lasso and craft their stories effectively with preparation, organization and structure, and assisting them in developing a repeatable process that can lead to success in the industry. I have also developed an Entertainment Law for Film Producers class, which allows me to combine my skill sets in the classroom and teach creatives how to be business savvy in their filmmaking endeavors.

Check out my classes here.

Featured in The Hollywood Reporter here.