Douglas Stone

Partner and Chair of the Entertainment Department

Douglas R. Stone, partner and chair of the entertainment practice, represents actors, writers, directors and individual producers. In addition to the representation of talent clients, he has extensive experience working with production companies, financiers and distributors. Doug also works with entrepreneurs in the film and television industries to assist in the building of their businesses. He is frequently recognized as a leading transactional entertainment lawyer, and he has been honored by The Hollywood Reporter on its “Power Lawyers: Hollywood’s Top 100 Attorneys” list for many years.

Doug has been operating at the center of the Los Angeles entertainment scene for more than 30 years, and he has an extensive understanding of the industry and its many players. His insights, instincts and relationships result in outstanding dealmaking and offer confidence to his clients, who rely on him to further their careers.

Doug is a highly sought-after transactional entertainment attorney, particularly for his depth of experience in:

• Negotiating talent agreements
• Producing and packaging feature film projects
• Selling distribution rights
• Building new film and television ventures

Doug has represented numerous films for the sale of distribution rights, both in his capacity as attorney and on behalf of Traction Media, LLC, a film production and sales company he co-founded. Traction Media was responsible for the sale of scores of films and the production of numerous films, including the Sundance film Hard Candy and the SXSW Film Festival Grand Jury and Audience Award-winning film Short Term 12, on which Doug served as an executive producer.

Doug received a Bachelor of Science degree from the School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University and his J.D. from the Berkeley Law School, University of California, Berkeley. He was the founding partner of the boutique entertainment law firm Stone, Genow, Smelkinson, Binder & Christopher, LLP, and until 2019, he was the firm’s managing partner.

Doug is a former member of the board of directors of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival and served as president of the board for several years.

University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, J.D.

Cornell University, School of Industrial and Labor Relations, B.S.