Michael Machat

After graduating from Duke University in 1980 with a B.A. in Philosophy, and from UCLA School of Law in 1983, Mr. Machat worked under his father, Martin J. Machat, who was a pioneer in the field of music law, having negotiated contracts for famous artists such as James Brown, Bobby Vinton, the Rolling Stones, The Who, the Kinks, Frankie Vallie and the Four Seasons, Phil Specter, Phil Collins, Genesis, Peter Gabriel, ELO, the New Edition, John Waite and many others, including the middle weight boxing champion, Sugar Ray Robinson. 

In 1985, Mr. Machat set up shop in London, England, representing numerous artists, as a manager and as an attorney.  Mr. Machat was one of the original lawyers involved in the English “Rave” Scene, having been the lawyer for the top two English House Music Acts at the start of the scene.  Mr. Machat went on to become the manager for one of those acts, Adamski, where the act and the singer, Seal, went on to have great success, reaching Number 1 on international charts.

In 1992, Mr. Machat moved back to Los Angeles, to set up his own law firm.  Mr. Machat soon began representing clients in a large number of criminal cases, in both the federal and state court systems.  Mr. Machat went on to try a large number of cases before juries and judges.

After a few years of representing defendants in criminal cases, Mr. Machat’s practice shifted toward civil litigation, bringing him again into contact with the entertainment world, though this time in litigation, in addition to drafting contracts.  Today, Mr. Machat’s practice is largely civil with an emphasis on trademarks and copyrights, propelled by his recent victory before the U.S. Supreme Court - KP Permanent Make-Up Inc. v. Lasting Impression I, Inc., 543 U.S. 111 (2004).

Mr. Machat has lectured on trademark law before the American Intellectual Property Law Association (AIPLA), the American Bar Association (ABA) and the State Bar of California.

Jeremy Friedman

As an undergraduate at Harvard College, Mr. Friedman was a co-founder of Demon, a humor magazine for which he wrote and managed business affairs.  After graduating in 1998, magna cum laude, with an A.B. in Social Studies, Mr. Friedman gained experience in media and telecommunications law, working for almost two years as a Research Analyst at a Washington, D.C. boutique law firm.

Mr. Friedman then attended Columbia University School of Law, achieving honors as a James Kent Scholar and a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar, and serving as Managing Editor of Columbia Science & Technology Law Review.   While in law school, he completed a summer internship in the Law Department at NBC.

After graduating from law school, Mr. Friedman served as a law clerk for the Honorable Eric L. Clay, on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit, in Detroit, Michigan.

While in Los Angeles, Mr. Friedman has handled matters in various areas, including trademark, copyright, contracts, criminal defense, and civil rights law.  He has appeared in federal and state courts, and has represented clients in the entertainment and beverage businesses.