Mr Zia Modabber > Katten > Los Angeles, United States > Lawyer Profile

Katten Offices

Katten
515 SOUTH FLOWER STREET
SUITE 1000
LOS ANGELES, CA 90071
CALIFORNIA
United States
Visit website 1 213 788 7445 1 213 788 7380

Mr Zia Modabber

Zia Modabber photo
+1.310.788.4627 zia.modabber@katten.com View profile

Work Department

Managing Partner (Los Angeles); Chair Entertainment and Media Litigation

Position

Time and again, major recording artists, their key advisors and core industry companies trust Zia Modabber, the managing partner of the Los Angeles offices, to handle legal issues they face in the creation and protection of their assets. With decades of experience in the music and entertainment industry, he has an ability to not only address his clients’ pressing legal issues, but also their long-term artistic and business interests. Zia is a sought-after litigator of intellectual property, First Amendment and other entertainment-related issues. And his ability to maintain a career-long perspective — along with his integrity and discretion — cements the trust between Zia and his clients that make him an invaluable counselor even outside of actual litigation.

In a high-stress, high-reward industry, some of the biggest musical artists have relied on his experience, judgment and skill: Michael Jackson (and now his estate), Trent Reznor, Stevie Wonder, Celine Dion, Usher, Chris Brown, Slash and Jeff Lynne/Electric Light Orchestra among them. Zia also represents industry powerhouses Live Nation, The Recording Academy and MusiCares, as well as personal managers, agents, business managers and record and publishing companies.

Zia’s industry relationships and reputation are tools that he brings to bear for his clients’ advantage. He has deep experience in all forms of dispute resolution, from private mediations to high-profile jury trials and appeals and everything in between. His matters include cutting-edge issues, as in his representation of the former spouse of an R&B legend in a case involving the tension between state community property laws and the federal Copyright Act. And for Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails), Zia won a multimillion-dollar jury verdict and the return from a former personal manager of all of Nine Inch Nails’ trademarks and other intellectual property.

Education

  • Loyola Law School Los Angeles, JD
  • University of California, Berkeley, BA

Lawyer Rankings

United States > Media, technology and telecoms > Media and entertainment: litigation

Conducting its work in Los Angeles, Katten‘s bench of skilled attorneys receives praise for its trial experience and resolution of legal and business disputes.  Zia Modabber heads the practice and is a talented litigator and assists with complex, nuanced points of law. David Halberstadter assists a network of TV clients with corporate disputes, including matters relating to financing, production, and distribution of entertainment content. Joel Weiner has amassed considerable experience in copyright, contract, and business torts which he uses to bring the the firm numerous anti-SLAPP successes, high-profile dismissals, and impressive victories in arbitrations.

 

 

 

United States > Intellectual property > Copyright

The intellectual property group at Katten utilizes the deep bench strength of offices in the US and in Shanghai and London to advise on high-profile copyright claims involving household names in media, entertainment, tech and fashion. The team is headed in New York by global chair Deepro Mukerjee and Karen Artz Ash, a fashion sector specialist, who represents luxury brand designers, retailers, and apparel manufacturers; Floyd Mandell in Chicago, who draws on over 20 years of IP litigation experience; and music industry expert Zia Modabber, the managing partner entertainment and media litigation chair at the Los Angeles office, whose clients have included Stevie Wonder and Trent Reznor (also known his work as Nine Inch Nails). Also in LA, David Halberstadter and Joel Weiner (whose clients include Will Smith and Sony Pictures) bring expertise to copyright disputes in film and television. Tami Kameda Sims departed the practice for a role at Warner Bros. Discovery in June 2023.

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