Honors & Awards

  • “Rising Star” in Media & Entertainment, Law360, 2021
  • “The Best Lawyers in America,” 2020-Present
  • “Rising Star,” Southern California Super Lawyers Magazine, 2016-Present
  • “Top 40 Under 40,” Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journal, 2019
  • “Top 100: Southern California Rising Stars,” Southern California Super Lawyers Magazine, 2018

Education

  • Amherst College (Anthropology; French, magna cum laude; Phi Beta Kappa; Publisher, The Amherst Student) B.A., 2006
  • University of Chicago Law School (with honors; Joseph Henry Beale Prize for outstanding performance in Legal Research and Writing; Bell, Boyd & Lloyd Prize for outstanding appellate brief writing; Comment Editor, University of Chicago Law Review; Exoneration Project), J.D., 2010

Nick Soltman is an experienced litigator who specializes in complex entertainment industry disputes in the areas of contract, profit participation, and “vertical integration” (including streaming), and business and intellectual property litigation raising copyright, trademark, partnership, fraud, rights of privacy, and defamation issues. He represents actors, producers, directors, writers, showrunners, professional athletes, fashion designers, production and distribution companies, personal and business managers, and talent agencies. In those cases, as well as personal injury matters, Nick has conducted direct and cross examinations of expert and fact witnesses in a jury trial, multiple arbitrations, and numerous depositions. He has also briefed and argued case dispositive motions in the trial courts and the appellate courts. In 2021, Nick was named one of Law360‘s Rising Stars in Media & Entertainment. He has also been a Super Lawyer “Rising Star” in Southern California for the last six years, including one of the “Up-and-Coming 100” since 2018. He appeared in Variety’s 2019 “Legal Impact Report,” The Daily Journal’s 2019 “Top 40 Under 40” list in California, and the 2020 and 2021 editions of “Best Lawyers in America.”

Nick graduated, with honors, from the University of Chicago Law School in 2010, where he served as a comment editor on the Law Review and represented the wrongfully convicted in post-conviction proceedings as part of the school’s Exoneration Project. He graduated magna cum laude from Amherst College in 2006 with a BA in Anthropology and French, and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. Between college and law school, he spent a year as one of 47 full-time, live-in tutors at the MATCH Charter School in Boston.

Before entering into private practice, Nick served as a law clerk to the Honorable Sandra Ikuta of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He is also active in the community: in addition to six years as a volunteer big brother for Big Brothers, Big Sisters, he is involved in various local children’s non-profits with his wife Megan, an attorney at the Children’s Law Center in Monterey Park.

  • California State Bar (member)
  • U.S. District Court, Central District of California; Southern District of California
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
  • Clerk to the Honorable Sandra Ikuta of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (2010–2011)
  • Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Los Angeles
  • “What About Me (Too)?” The Case for Admitting Evidence of Discrimination Against Non-Parties,” University of Chicago Law Review (76 U. Chi. L. Rev. 1875 (2009))

Representative Matters

Film & Television Profit Participants Litigation

Nick represents a wide swath of clients in the entertainment, media, digital, and technologies businesses, including motion picture and television talent, creators of television and streaming series, reality and unscripted television stars and producers, and rights holders in the entertainment and media businesses. He:

  • Obtained $179 million arbitration award, the largest arbitration award ever issued in a profit participation dispute, representing the executive producer of the hit television series Bones in a lawsuit against 20th Century Fox Television, the Fox network and affiliated companies. The plaintiff alleged that 20th Century Fox Television cheated him out of his share of profits from the show, and that network executives threatened to cancel the series if he did not accept a lower licensing fee from Fox. The case settled pending appeal of the award.
  • Represents the screenwriter of the box office smash Bohemian Rhapsody in a profit participation suit against the producer.
  • Represents the lead of the television show Leverage against the studio in a lawsuit against the studio over the reboot.
  • Represents the showrunner of a hit cable drama in a self-dealing lawsuit against the studio. The case is pending in arbitration.
  • Represented a director/producer whose film was released on a studio’s affiliated streaming service rather than theatrically, as contemplated by the parties. The case settled on favorable terms shortly after the filing of the arbitration demand.
  • Represents the producer of the television miniseries It in lawsuit against Warner Brothers arising out of the record breaking two-part film adaptation.
  • Represented the creator, writer, and executive producer of the worldwide hit television series The Walking Dead, and leading talent agency CAA, in a suit against the AMC television network. The plaintiffs alleged that AMC produced the show and licensed it for broadcast to itself for license fees well below market rates, resulting in diminished profits for the show and its participants. The suit settled for $200 million.
  • Represented the producer of a hit action film in post-audit arbitration against a mini-major distributor. The parties resolved their dispute amicably thereafter.
  • Represented the creator, writer, and star of a long-running basic cable drama in an arbitration against the indie studio. The case settled on favorable terms at the outset of arbitration.
  • Advises the producers and creators of numerous past and still-running hit television series in connection with the ongoing audits of their respective studios.

The Kardashian and Jenner Sisters, and Kris Jenner

Nick has represented Kim Kardashian West, Kourtney and Khloe Kardashian, Kendall and Kylie Jenner, and their manager and mother, Kris Jenner, in a variety of public and confidential matters, including litigation in state and federal court, and arbitration. He:

  • Represents Kourtney, Kim and Khloe in three related state and federal actions and an arbitration filed in Los Angeles involving a hedge fund and its beauty company subsidiary concerning the operation of a cosmetics company to whom the Kardashians licensed their names and images. After two weeks of live testimony, the three-member arbitration panel entered their Final Award, which (i) awarded the Kardashians approximately $12 million in damages and pre- and post-judgment interest; and (ii) held that the hedge fund should take nothing on its $180 million in damages claims. The Los Angeles Superior Court confirmed the arbitration award, and the Court of Appeal affirmed the confirmation.
  • Represented Kim and her company Kimsaprincess, Inc. in an action filed in federal court in Los Angeles for copyright and trademark infringement, and violation of her right of publicity, against an Alabama doctor and his trade association for using her name and likeness without authorization in order to promote the so-called “Vampire Facial” procedure. The action was favorably resolved, including the entry of a stipulated Judgment and permanent injunction against defendants. (Kimsaprincess, Inc. and Kim Kardashian West v. Charles Runels, et al, USDC Case No. 2:19-cv-10415-CBM.)
  • Represented Kendall in an adversary action filed by the Fyre Festival Bankruptcy Trustee, which sought to recover the promotional fee earned by and paid to Kendall. The matter was resolved and the action dismissed. (In re: Fyre Festival LLC, USBK Case No. 1:19-ap-01347.)
  • Represented Kendall in an action filed in federal court in Los Angeles against the creator and distributor of a laser treatment product for trademark infringement and violation of Kendall’s right of publicity, arising out of defendant’s unauthorized use of Kendall’s name and likeness to advertise defendant’s laser products. (Kendall Jenner, Inc., et al v. Cutera, Inc., USDC Case No. 2:16-cv-00936-JAK.) The defendant paid a substantial settlement before discovery.

Personal Injury

  • Represented a well-known actress in connection with a pedestrian accident. In just a few months, he obtained the full policy limits from both the driver of the vehicle that struck her and her underinsured motorist carrier.
  • Represented former NFL running back Reggie Bush in his lawsuit against the St. Louis Rams over a knee injury that he suffered in the team’s stadium. After the team removed the case to federal court and moved to compel the case to arbitration, Nick won a motion to remand the case to state court. In the jury trial, along with colleague Shawn Holley and local counsel, he briefed and argued numerous motions in limine, put on Mr. Bush’s damages expert, cross-examined the Rams’ only fact witness, and successfully moved to exclude the Rams’ so-called “football contracts expert.” Ultimately, Mr. Bush was awarded $12.5 million in trial, including $7.5 million in punitives. The case settled on favorable terms shortly thereafter. In response to this case, the most recent NFL collective bargaining agreement added a provision (Art. 39, section 11) specifically requiring non-injury grievances (i.e., arbitration) of claims that an NFL Stadium is not in compliance with the Wall Padding and Non-Slip Surfaces Policy adopted after Mr. Bush’s injury.

Additional Representative Media, Entertainment and Intellectual Property Matters

  • Represents Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex, in a federal court defamation lawsuit filed by her stepsister. (Markle v. Markle, USDC Case No. 8:22-CV-00511.)
  • Represented comedian Daniel Tosh in negotiations with Viacom related to the winding up of his long-running hit comedy series Tosh.0. In the series finale, Mr. Tosh thanked the firm (among others) for making him a “wealthy comedian.”
  • Represented Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex, in a lawsuit filed in state court in July 2020 concerning illegal photographs taken by the paparazzi of their son playing in their private yard. Because the party responsible for the photographs was unknown, the lawsuit was filed against “John Doe” defendants and subpoenas were sent to the three biggest celebrity news agencies, which revealed the agency that was responsible. In a settlement announced on October 8, 2020, the news agency apologized to the family, agreed to pay a portion of their legal fees, and agreed to turn over all photos and destroy all copies, and never traffic in any photos of the couple or their son taken by similar means. The case and settlement received world-wide coverage, including in The New York Times, BBC News, Le Figaro and Der Spiegel. (Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex, and Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex vs. John Does 1, et al, Los Angeles Superior Court case no. 20SMCV00975).

Honors & Awards

  • “Rising Star” in Media & Entertainment, Law360, 2021
  • “The Best Lawyers in America,” 2020-Present
  • “Rising Star,” Southern California Super Lawyers Magazine, 2016-Present
  • “Top 40 Under 40,” Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journal, 2019
  • “Top 100: Southern California Rising Stars,” Southern California Super Lawyers Magazine, 2018

Education

  • Amherst College (Anthropology; French, magna cum laude; Phi Beta Kappa; Publisher, The Amherst Student) B.A., 2006
  • University of Chicago Law School (with honors; Joseph Henry Beale Prize for outstanding performance in Legal Research and Writing; Bell, Boyd & Lloyd Prize for outstanding appellate brief writing; Comment Editor, University of Chicago Law Review; Exoneration Project), J.D., 2010

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Six from KHIKS named Super Lawyer “Rising Stars,” Four make Top 100 list for 2018

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Super Lawyers Magazine: Six from KHIKS named Rising Stars for 2016

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District Court awards KHIKS’s fees for defense of William Morris Endeavor (WME) Entertainment

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KHIKS wins three for SeaWorld

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