Overview
Dana Newman is a transactional attorney concentrating on publishing and media law, with an extensive background as in-house legal counsel at companies involved in entertainment and communications technologies. She focuses on business and legal advising, contracts (particularly book publishing, collaboration and ghostwriting agreements, options and shopping agreements, literary agency agreements and subsidiary rights), intellectual property (copyright and trademark), and corporate law (business transactions). Her specialties are publishing law and literary agent representation; contract drafting, review and negotiation; legal vetting of manuscripts; and technology transactions (licensing, development, and distribution).
Dana conducts pre-publication legal reviews of book manuscripts and advises writers and publishers on defamation, fair use, and privacy issues. She’s negotiated and drafted complex, sophisticated contracts involving technology licensing, joint ventures, development, and publication, as well as asset purchases and real estate leases. She’s also managed an intellectual property portfolio and handled software licensing and copyright and trademark registrations.
Dana is a frequent speaker at publishing and writers’ conferences and organizations, including the American Society of Journalists and Authors, Santa Barbara Writers Conference, Kauai Writers Conference, San Francisco Writers Conference, Writers Digest, Women’s National Book Association – LA, Independent Writers of Southern California, 805 Writers Conference, and SDSU Writers Conference.
Education
- J.D., University of San Francisco School of Law
- B.A., University of California at Berkeley (Comparative Literature)
Admissions
- State Bar of California
Professional Affiliations
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- Member, Association of American Literary Agents.
- Chair, Santa Monica Public Library Board.
Publications, Recognitions & Speaking Engagements
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- Co-Author, Technology and Intellectual Property Rights chapter, Emerging Companies Guide: A Resource for Professionals and Entrepreneurs, 2nd Edition (American Bar Association, 2011)
- Greening the Corporation: Advising Companies on Compliance with Corporate Sustainability Requirements, International In-house Counsel Journal (April 2010)
- Co-Author, Copyright Grants: as Powerful as Kryptonite?, Los Angeles Daily Journal (September 2009)
- Dana is a frequent speaker at publishing and writers’ conferences and organizations, including the American Society of Journalists and Authors, PubWest, BinderCon, San Francisco Writers Conference, Writers Digest, Women’s National Book Association – LA, Independent Writers of Southern California, 805 Writers Conference, and SDSU Writers’ Conference.
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