David H. Chidekel

Partner | Corporate

david.chidekel@pierferd.com
+1.646.386.8369 office
New York | Los Angeles

About

David Chidekel represents a diverse range of clients in the media and entertainment industries, including music, television, film, digital marketing, and digital advertising, with respect to complex commercial transactions. David also counsels and advises emerging growth companies developing innovative technologies for the decentralized online distribution and exploitation of music and other content.

  • Having served as the former CCO of BitTorrent, David particularly enjoys connecting technology entrepreneurs with legacy entertainment companies, and structuring and negotiating the resulting deals. David is recognized for his established network of key relationships in the entertainment/tech ecosystem. In performing such services, he often advises founders, senior executives, boards of directors and managers, and investors with respect to legal issues and business strategy.

    ENTERTAINMENT

    Music: Throughout his career, David has been outside counsel for various major label and independent record companies and music publishers, negotiating joint venture, acquisition, funding/distribution, and other complex agreements. He has also represented high-profile recording artists, producers, writers/composers, musicians, DJs, and management companies, including handling all aspects of recording, publishing, distribution, agency, management, production, mixing, master use, synchronization and other licensing, live touring, branding, endorsement, band member, and rights acquisition agreements.

    Film/TV: David has acted as finance counsel and production counsel for television networks, film distributors, and television and film producers, as well as negotiating and documenting agreements for directors, actors, screenwriters, agents, sales agents, and composers. He is also recognized as the advisor for high-profile documentary film makers.

    Literary Publishing: David has represented best-selling authors, as well as graphic novel creators, with respect to a variety of agreements, including publishing, distribution, talent agency, collaboration, and film and TV option and shopping and attachment agreements.

    Name, Image & Likeness Rights: In addition, David has handled advertising, branding, sponsorship, and other agreements concerning the licensing and other exploitation of name, image, and likeness rights, for recording artists, actors, influencers, podcasters, high net worth individuals, action sports and other athletes, as well as representing merchandising, branding, modeling, and fashion companies.

    DIGITAL MEDIA/TECHNOLOGY/GAMING

    As an adjunct to David’s entertainment practice, he has worked with many of the key entrepreneurs and technologists behind the growth of digital music and decentralized P2P networking. He has also represented digital media companies working with interactive content on large screen environments, AR/MR/VR, as well as video game developers and distributors. In 2016 and 2017 David served as the Chief Commercial Officer of BitTorrent, Inc., where he oversaw all commercial transactions of the company, as well as legal, business affairs, and corporate and business development. Most recently, David has advised fintech companies that are using new technologies to transform the nature of sponsorship arrangements for sports, music, corporate, and other live events.

    David has been selected several times for Billboard’s annual “Top Music Attorneys” and for Variety’s Legal Impact Report. David has also been featured and quoted in numerous publications (e.g., Forbes, Billboard Magazine, Variety, New York Times, Hollywood Reporter, Los Angeles Times, etc.). He has also served as a moderator for and a panelist at the New Music Seminar, the South by Southwest Music Conference, the Philadelphia Music Conference and NEMO, as well as participating on digital music panels for Billboard Magazine, Digital Music Forum East and the New York State Bar Association. David was also an Adjunct Professor of Entertainment Law at Hofstra University School of Law, and a Featured Guest Lecturer at Pace University School of Law and the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.


Practices

  • Communications & Media

  • Emerging Companies

  • Entertainment & Sports

  • FinTech and Blockchain

  • Mergers and Acquisitions

  • Technology

Admissions

  • New York

  • *Not licensed in California


Education

  • J.D., Hofstra University School of Law, 1984

  • B.A. (History/Philosophy), University of Connecticut, 1980; Graduated Magna Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa, and Phi Alpha Theta


Professional Honors

David has been selected several times for Billboard’s annual “Top Music Attorneys” and for Variety’s Legal Impact Report. David has also been featured and quoted in numerous publications (e.g., Forbes, Billboard Magazine, Variety, New York Times, Hollywood Reporter, Los Angeles Times, etc.). He has also served as a moderator for and a panelist at the New Music Seminar, the South by Southwest Music Conference, the Philadelphia Music Conference and NEMO, as well as participating on digital music panels for Billboard Magazine, Digital Music Forum East and the New York State Bar Association. David was also an Adjunct Professor of Entertainment Law at Hofstra University School of Law, and a Featured Guest Lecturer at Pace University School of Law and the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law.

Experience

  • Early Sullivan (Partner)

  • Fish & Richardson (Principal)

  • Phillips Nizer (Partner)


Representative Transactions

  • Acclaimed ABC news producer, best-selling author, documentary film maker, and political commentator with respect to his agreements with book publishers, agents, streaming platforms and broadcast and premium cable networks.

  • An up-and-coming comedian and film writer and director in connection with a national comedy tour sponsored by a leading online mortgage company.

  • High-profile documentary film makers in connection with production, director, hosting, and other agreements with various major streaming platforms and broadcast and premium cable networks.

  • World renowned drummer for an iconic punk rock band with respect to the sale of master recording, merchandising, and publishing rights to a large independent music publisher and marketing company, together with negotiating the agreements for a TV series based on the history or punk rock and various NIL rights agreements.

  • The co-founding and sole surviving member of a legendary R&B group with respect to the production of a live stage musical based on his life story rights, a collaboration agreement to exploit a new alcoholic beverage, and various internal corporate clean-up matters.

  • An international custom guitar pedal and amplifier designer, developer, and marketer with respect to an transaction related to the acquisition of the company and related agreements.

  • A music/tech startup bringing to market a blockchain supported/AI enhanced technology platform monetizing the virality of music.

  • A celebrity pop/R&B/hip hop recording artist with respect to all music recording, publishing, endorsement, and NIL rights agreements, including agreements with a broadcast network for a popular music-related TV show and with a major sports broadcast and streaming network.

  • The fintech company that pioneered product-based digital offers and rewards with real-time payments and data transfer with respect to various SaaS, platform usage, IT service, software development and licensing, and other advertising, marketing, and technology agreements with various companies.

  • An independent film and TV production company with respect to “first look” production/distribution agreements with major streaming platforms and broadcast and premium cable networks, as well a agreements related to their annual film festival and comedy festival featuring BIPOC talent.

  • Film and TV producers with respect to various music-related agreements for composer and soundtrack and soundtrack album co-production and distribution agreements with major label record and publishing companies and celebrity musicians.

  • Various independent rock, hip hop and R&B record labels and publishing companies with respect to all matters related to recorded music, music publishing, and merchandising, together with distribution and financing agreements with major distributors.

  • A high net worth individual in connection with all entertainment-related transactions, including video game licensing, film and TV development, production, and distribution agreements, as well as the formation and marketing of a quantitative hybrid equity/hedge fund for independent films.

  • A well-known film and TV producer and director with respect to all entertainment-related transactions, including the acquisition of global rights to a popular TV series, and production, distribution, and music administration agreements for a global children’s film and TV production company.

  • Various internationally renowned major record labels and publishing companies with respect to all matters related to recorded music and music publishing, as well as forming and acting as general counsel for several of these companies.