Top Usa Lawyers

"No envelope mix-up here! Meet the attorneys behind the 'Moonlight' Oscar winner, Melania's lawsuit, Bill O'Reilly's downturn, the year's most significant media megamergers and pretty much anything that matters in Hollywood. Extortion. Messy divorces. Nine-figure deals with Chinese media conglomerates. It's been a busy year for Hollywood's potential lawyers, who once again gather in THR's pages for the magazine's yearly Power Attorneys issue. The men and women on this listing manage a range of instances, from simple talent contracts to complex corporate mergers that take weeks to iron out, but they all have things in common. They all love working in the entertainment industry. They all play a vital part in keeping Hollywood's wheels turning. They're all at the very top of their field. And judging from THR's survey -- they all drink a lot of coffee (an average of 5.5 cups a day, even if calculations incorporate the man who promised to down 97 cups). Beneath, the Power Lawyers of 2017 discuss their biggest cases, disclose their private political beliefs (just 14 percent believe Donald Trump will get impeached) and answer the age-old question, "Which superhero would you most want to reflect? ""

David Fox

Myman Greenspan Fineman Fox Rosenberg & Light Alma mater Western State College of Law He matters Fox reps one of the busiest producers in town, Dan Lin, who this year has The Lego Batman Movie, Lego Ninjago, Death Note and an adaptation of Stephen King's It. Christopher McQuarrie is returning for a second Mission: Impossible movie, while another customer, James Wan, who's now directing Aquaman, continues to expand his Conjuring movie universe. Most dangerous thing I've accomplished in a decade "Get remarried. "

Patty Glaser

Glaser Weil Fink Howard Avchen & Shapiro Courtesy of Subject Alma mater Rutgers Law School Why she matters Glaser, one of the town's most aggressive litigators, isn't always amused by the continuing lawsuit accusing client Conan O'Brien of stealing Twitter jokes for his monologue. "It totally undermines free speech because someone else said something similar five decades back," she says. She's also representing Chris Brown's former manager Mike G in his suit from the singer also is the Hollywood lawyer for China's Bliss Media. Comfort food "Steak. Really rare. "

Michael Schenkman

Bloom Hergott Diemer Rosenthal LaViolette Feldman Schenkman & Goodman Alma mater UC Berkeley School of Law He things The Nolan brothers, Christopher and Jonathan, rely on Schenkman to handle their deals -- such as Dunkirk, which is Christopher's first directorial feature since 2014's Interstellar (for Jonathan, the year mostly has been concentrated on his HBO hit Westworld). Schenkman also reps Geoffrey Rush, who's playing Albert Einstein onscreen in National Geographic's Genius. Comfort Food "The chicken Parm at Craig's. "

Mathew Rosengart

Greenberg Traurig Alma mater Boston University Why he matters Rosengart repped Sean Penn in his high profile defamation case against Lee Daniels -- winning an official apology letter along with a generous contribution from Daniels into Penn's charity. The former federal prosecutor is representing producers of the movie London Fields at a $10 million suit against Amber Heard (she co-starred from the movie with ex-husband Johnny Depp) and the other against Terrence Howard on behalf of Howard's former supervisors regarding the actor's Empire deal. Tired of coffee a day "Three, unless I'm in a deposition or in court -- in which case, six. "

Nancy Rose

Schreck Rose Dapello Adams Berlin & Dunham Alma mater George Washington University Why she matters The New York-based TV and theatre lawyer represents Broadway's biggest celebrity, Lin-Manuel Miranda. Over the last year, she's negotiated his deals to Hamilton's Chicago, London and national runs along with his huge movie turn contrary Emily Blunt at Mary Poppins Returns. She represented Lorne Michaels in his bargain to accommodate Mean Girls for Broadway. Superhero that I 'd most want to represent "The Flash. I really like he uses speed permanently. "