Film & TV Crisis Update: Force Majeure, Financing, Insurance, Labor

Winnie has been an entertainment insurance broker for 22 years and specializes in independent features, television, reality, documentary and commercial films. She has long-standing relationships with the leading entertainment insurance carriers and provides broad, cost-effective insurance programs for her clients. Winnie has represented a number of prestigious accounts such as MGM Studios, Universal Studios, and countless television, commercial and documentary production companies. 

Larry Verbit has over thirty years of combined management and legal experience in the entertainment and media business.

Prior to opening his own firm, Mr. Verbit was an attorney with the firm Heenan Blaikie and its successor firms, Berkowitz Black & Zolke and Berkowitz & Black. The firm was affiliated with Heenan Blaikie, Canada, which was one of Canada’s largest law firms. Mr. Verbit has worked on numerous movies and television series shot in Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, Toronto and Montreal and is familiar with and has relationships with many of the Guilds north of the border. He has expertise as production counsel on more than 80 television series, specials, presentations and films. He also worked on numerous transactions involving talent and acquisitions related to radio networks and content libraries for Premiere Radio Networks, Jacor Communications and their subsequent acquirer, Clear Channel Communications.

Gregory Zbylut has been a tax manager with Singer Burke Zimmer, LLP since 2018. He is a Certified Public Accountant (IL) and Attorney at Law (IL & CA) with a Certification in Taxation Law (CA). He is a Martindale-Hubbell® AV-Preeminent®-rated attorney who focuses his practice on tax controversy, business transactions (including formations and dissolutions) and business litigation.

David is the Managing Member of Pierce Law Group LLP, a full-service boutique law firm established in 1996 in Beverly Hills, California serving the creative community, emerging start-up companies, and certain high net-worth individuals. with a specialty in representing indie filmmakers. David’s law practice includes entertainment law, intellectual property (copyright, trademarks, right of publicity), film finance, production counsel, and labor & employment issues affecting the entertainment industry with an emphasis on film, television and new media. Prior to starting Pierce Law Group LLP, David worked for four years as an Associate Attorney at Fisher & Phillips, where he focused on management-side labor & employment law — a focus that he now applies to the needs of those in the entertainment industry.