Neville L. Johnson
Neville L. Johnson (born 1950) is an American attorney specializing in entertainment and media law. He is the Senior Partner and co-founder of Johnson & Johnson LLP, a boutique law firm based in Beverly Hills, California. With nearly 50 years of experience, Johnson is recognized for his extensive expertise in handling high-profile cases, including the landmark privacy ruling in Sanders v. ABC.[1][2] His notable achievements include recovering substantial amounts for artists and contributing to the development of privacy law in California.[3][4][5][6]
| Neville L. Johnson | |
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| 👔 Employer | Johnson & Johnson LLP |
Early Life and Education
Johnson graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of California, Berkeley in 1971 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He went on to earn his Juris Doctor degree from Southwestern Law School in 1975, graduating near the top of his class.[3][7][8]
Career
Early Career
Johnson began his legal career working for Yoko Ono on matters related to The Beatles' catalog. His early success quickly established him as a formidable litigator in Hollywood. The Los Angeles Times described him as "one of the most feared litigators in Hollywood" who "wrangled more than $350 million for actors, writers, and other clients he contends were shortchanged their fair share of royalties and profits."[4]
Johnson & Johnson LLP
In 2007, Johnson co-founded Johnson & Johnson LLP with managing partner Doug Johnson. The firm has since grown to include partner Dan Lifschitz, senior counsel Melissa Eubanks and Jeff Miles, and Of Counsel Aleeza Marashlian and Aleksandra Hilvert. Johnson & Johnson LLP is renowned for its tenacious and cost-efficient litigation support in the entertainment industry.[9][10]
Notable Cases
Sanders v. ABC
Johnson obtained a unanimous landmark privacy ruling from the California Supreme Court in Sanders v. ABC, which is now routinely included in casebooks and taught in law schools across the country.[5][11]
Anthony Pellicano Case
He represented numerous victims of notorious wiretapper Anthony Pellicano and obtained sanctions against a law firm that utilized Pellicano's services, affirmed in Gerbosi v. Gaims.[12][13]
Class Action Lawsuits
Johnson pioneered the use of class action lawsuits against studios, record labels, and unions to recover hundreds of millions of dollars improperly withheld from artists. Recent recoveries include $15 million from the SAG-AFTRA Health Fund, $12.7 million from Sony Music, and $8 million from the AFM & SAG-AFTRA IPRD Fund.[14][15][16][17]
Representative Clients
Johnson has represented many high-profile clients in the entertainment industry, including Sylvester Stallone, John Lennon, Buddy Holly, Michelle Phillips, Jack Klugman, Richard Dreyfuss, Mike Connors, Ricky Nelson, P. F. Sloan, members of Earth, Wind & Fire, Mitch Ryder, and Lloyd Price.[18][19]
Honors and Recognitions
- Designated a "Legal Legend" by The Hollywood Reporter (2020)
- Named one of the Top 100 attorneys by Super Lawyers (2020-2024)
- Featured in the Legal Impact Report by Variety (2020, 2013)
- Alumnus of the Year, Southwestern Law School (2020)
Professional Associations
Johnson is actively involved in numerous professional organizations, including:[20]
- American Board of Trial Advocates
- Association of Business Trial Lawyers
- Los Angeles County Bar Association
- USC Entertainment Law Institute (Planning Board, 2011-Present)
- Los Angeles Copyright Society
- Consumer Attorneys Association of America (Board of Governors, 2005-Present)
- Public Justice (Board of Governors, 2011-Present)
- Loyola Productions (Co-Chair of the Board, 2009-Present)
- National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (Voting Member)
- Consumer Attorneys of California
- Beverly Hills Bar Association (Former Entertainment Section Co-Chair, 2009-2011; Former Board of Governors, 2012-2015, 2020-2022)[21][22]
Teaching
Johnson serves as an adjunct professor of entertainment and media litigation at Southwestern Law School, where he teaches an annual intersession course with his litigation partner Douglas L. Johnson. He has also moderated and taught various panels and courses for legal associations, including the Beverly Hills Bar Association and the Los Angeles County Bar Association.[23]
Admissions
- California Bar
- United States Supreme Court Bar[24]
Personal Life
Johnson is also a writer and musician, which fuels his passion for defending the rights of creators. His multifaceted career and contributions to the legal field have solidified his reputation as a staunch advocate for artists and a defender of privacy rights.[3][25]
Publications and Speaking Engagements
Johnson is a prolific writer and speaker, contributing to numerous legal journals and participating in various educational panels and courses. His notable publications include:
- “Defamation and Invasion of Privacy in the Internet Age," Southwestern Journal of International Law (2019)
- “Trouble in Tinseltown," Los Angeles Daily Journal (April 23, 2019)
- “My Big Mouth," Los Angeles Daily Journal (March 29, 2019)
- “Entertainment Contracts with Minors in New York and California," NYSBA EASL Journal (2019)
- "The Musician's Business & Legal Guide" (5th Edition, 2017)[26]
He has also appeared in courts across the United States, including Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Nevada, New York, New Jersey, Oregon, Tennessee, New Mexico, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Texas.[27]
References
- ↑ Richards, Robert D.; Calvert, Clay (2004-06-22). "Suing the media, supporting the First Amendment: the paradox of Neville Johnson and the battle for privacy". Albany Law Review. 67 (4): 1097–1137.
- ↑ Peters, Jonathan. "What the lawyers who sue the press think of the press, and media law". Columbia Journalism Review. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 "'Go-to' L.A. lawyer says Hollywood studios are shortchanging his clients". Los Angeles Times. 2015-06-23. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Staff, T. H. R. (2020-03-27). "Power Lawyers 2020: 7 of Hollywood's Legal Legends". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "Sanders v. American Broadcasting Companies - 20 Cal.4th 907 S059692 - Thu, 06/24/1999 | California Supreme Court Resources". scocal.stanford.edu. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
- ↑ staff-author (2019-09-06). "Lawyer Up". Los Angeles Business Journal. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
- ↑ https://www.superlawyers.com/articles/california/discovery-with-neville-l-johnson/
- ↑ "044: The Pyramid of Success: Hollywood Power Lawyer, Neville Johnson - Betsy Pake". 2017-05-31. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
- ↑ "Neville Johnson: Writing Melodies Of Justice | Attorney at Law Magazine". 2016-06-11. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
- ↑ . Archived from the original
|archive-url=requires|url=(help) on|archive-url=requires|archive-date=(help). Missing or empty|title=(help); Missing or empty|url=(help) - ↑ "Sanders v. American Broadcasting Companies, Inc., 20 Cal.4th 907 | Casetext Search + Citator". casetext.com. Archived from the original on 2024-05-26. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
- ↑ "Gerbosi v. Gaims, 193 Cal.App.4th 435 | Casetext Search + Citator". casetext.com. Archived from the original on 2024-05-26. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
- ↑ Craig, Brenda (2015-07-12). "Meet the Lawyer Who's Fighting for Your Online Reputation". www.lawyersandsettlements.com. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
- ↑ Maddaus, Gene (2023-04-10). "SAG-AFTRA Health Plan to Pay $15 Million to Resolve Ed Asner's Class Action Lawsuit". Variety. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
- ↑ "Sony Music reaches $12.7m settlement in artist royalties suit brought by Rick Nelson estate". Music Business Worldwide. 2020-09-09. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
- ↑ Donahue, Bill (2021-11-09). "Session Musicians Win Greenlight for $8M Royalty Fee Settlement With AFM, SAG-AFTRA". Billboard. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
- ↑ "Headline Legal News – Neville Johnson & Sag". insiderexclusive.com. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
- ↑ Dillon, Nancy (2023-01-25). "Bad Bunny Reaches Preliminary Settlement Over Reggaeton Hit 'Safaera'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
- ↑ Maddaus, Gene (2019-05-08). "Sylvester Stallone Settles 'Demolition Man' Profits Dispute". Variety. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
- ↑ "Top Attorney - Neville L. Johnson". 2017-12-14. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
- ↑ "Neville L. Johnson". Beverly Hills Bar Association. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
- ↑ Oviedo de Valeria, Jenny (1994-08-02). "chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/http://www.revista-educacion-matematica.org.mx/descargas/vol6/vol6-2/vol6-2-5.pdf". Educación matemática. 6 (2): 73–86. doi:10.24844/em0602.06. ISSN 2448-8089.
- ↑ "Neville Johnson | Southwestern Law School". www.swlaw.edu. 2017-10-10. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
- ↑ "Neville L. Johnson". www.advocatemagazine.com. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
- ↑ Beautiful, Family (2016-05-02). "The Art of Living Well". Family Beautiful. Retrieved 2024-05-26.
- ↑ https://www.alibris.com/search/books/author/Neville-L-Johnson?aid=2512698
- ↑ Richards, Robert D.; Calvert, Clay (2003–2004). "Suing the Media, Supporting the First Amendment: The Paradox of Neville Johnson and the Battle for Privacy". Albany Law Review. 67: 1097.
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