Stanton “Larry” Stein, Ashley R. Yeargan, and Diana A. Sanders Named Among Billboard’s ‘2022 Top Music Lawyers’ March 2022
Stanton “Larry” Stein, Ashley R. Yeargan, and Diana A. Sanders were selected for inclusion in Billboard’s ‘2022 Top Music Lawyers’ list, which was published on March 28, 2022. This issue of Billboard recognizes the biggest names and most prominent legal minds in the world of music and entertainment law. Click here to view Billboard’s ‘2022 Top Music Lawyers’ List.
Stanton (“Larry”) Stein is a partner and the head of Russ August & Kabat’s Media & Entertainment group. Larry’s clients include actors, writers, directors, producers, music artists, high-net-worth individuals, entertainment guilds, talent agencies, personal and business management companies, independent production companies, and video game companies. Larry is widely known in the entertainment industry for his work taking on Hollywood studios. Throughout the last decades, Larry created legal theories for challenging the film and television accounting practices of vertically integrated studios and media conglomerates through litigation. He is literally the father of vertical integration accounting lawsuits. His efforts have changed the face of talent and rights holders’ contract negotiations with studios, networks, and their affiliated production companies, seeking to more evenly allocate revenue to profit participants including actors, directors, writers and producers. Larry has brought countless lawsuits on behalf of his clients against companies that were self-dealing on licensing fees and a variety of other revenue streams. In addition to his groundbreaking litigation in the profit participation space, Larry has also fought to establish copyright protection for formats in reality television, bringing the seminal lawsuit in that area of law.
Throughout his career, Larry has been recognized by leading legal, business, and entertainment industry publications and organizations for the successes he has achieved on behalf of his clients. He is ranked as a “Top Media and Entertainment Litigator” by Chambers USA, regularly recognized as a “Power Lawyer” by The Hollywood Reporter and recently recognized as a Legal Legend, named to Billboard’s “Top Music Lawyers” since 2020, rated AV-Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell, and has been named a “Southern California Super Lawyer” from 2004-2009 and 2011-2022 by the publishers of Los Angeles Magazine. Larry was also recognized as a Southern California Top 100 Super Lawyer. The Daily Journal named Larry one of the “100 Most Influential Lawyers in California,” while the Los Angeles Business Journal profiled him in “Who’s Who in LA Law,” and California Lawyer featured him as a top-five “A-list Entertainment Lawyers.” Nationally, Larry has been recognized as a “Best Lawyer” by The Best Lawyers in America and in “Lawdragon 500: Leading Lawyers in America.” Larry has received the “Entertainment Lawyer of the Year” awards from both the Beverly Hills and Century City Bar Associations, as well as the ACLU Foundation’s “Pro Bono Civil Liberties Award.” For additional information, https://www.raklaw.com/attorney/stanton-larry-stein/.
Ashley R. Yeargan is a partner at Russ August & Kabat and a member of its Media & Entertainment and Litigation & Trial groups. She has represented a variety of clients in the media and entertainment industry, including actors, directors, writers, producers, musical artists, managers, small studios, production companies, and video game companies. Ashley focuses her practice on matters involving defamation, rights of privacy and publicity, copyright and trademark infringement, and breach of contract. She has litigated in federal and state courts as well as before various arbitral tribunals in California.
Billboard recognized Ashley in its 2022 “Top Music Lawyers” list. The Hollywood Reporter recognized Ashley on its “2021 Power Lawyers” list and on its “2016 Top 35 Under 35” list of executives in the entertainment industry. Also in 2016, Ashley was named in Variety‘s Legal Impact Report as “Up Next” in Entertainment Litigation. Los Angeles Business Journal recognized Ashley as one of LA’s most influential attorneys on its 2020 “Top Women Lawyers” list. She has been recognized as a Rising Star by Southern California Super Lawyers from 2012-2020, as well as selected by her peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in 2021 and 2022. For additional information, https://www.raklaw.com/attorney/ashley-yeargan.
Diana Sanders is a partner at Russ August & Kabat and a member of its Media & Entertainment and Litigation & Trial groups. Diana represents a variety of clients in the entertainment industry, including recording artists, writers, producers, managers, influencers, actors, production companies, and other high-profile individuals. Diana’s practice ranges from advising her clients on diverse music and media-related transactions to litigating disputes involving copyrights, trademarks, contracts, rights of privacy and publicity.
Variety recognized Diana in its 2021 ‘Hollywood’s New Leaders’ list. Billboard recognized Diana in its 2021 and 2022 “Top Music Lawyers” list as well as its 2020 and 2022 “Women in Music” Executives List. From 2018-2021, Diana has been selected as a SuperLawyer Rising Star by the publishers of Los Angeles Magazine. She has also been selected by her peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch (2021 and 2022 Edition) for Entertainment and Sports Law. For additional information, https://www.raklaw.com/attorney/diana-sanders/.
Russ August & Kabat Partner, 
Russ August & Kabat is pleased to announce that
Jacob M. Agi is a member of Russ August & Kabat’s corporate and M&A group. He has acted as lead counsel to both sell-side and buy-side clients across a diverse range of industries, including technology, video gaming, media content, real estate, entertainment and aerospace.
Minna Y. Chan is a member of Russ August & Kabat’s general, patent and intellectual property litigation groups. She is a skillful trial advocate beyond her years and has provided invaluable advice to ensure the efficient, creative and successful enforcement and defense of intellectual property.
Lauren H. Geisser is a member of Russ August & Kabat’s corporate and M&A group. Her diverse practice ranges across emerging company/VC financings, private equity acquisitions and sell-side representation in middle market M&A, including clients active in areas such as cannabis, healthcare, logistics and cosmetics.
James N. Pickens is an expert at trial advocacy and a member of Russ August & Kabat’s patent and intellectual property litigation groups. He has performed incredible direct and rebuttal examinations of expert witnesses in patent infringement trials that have resulted in tremendous victories for our clients.
Russ August & Kabat is proud of 
Russ August & Kabat is proud of