Spotlight Pictures

Steven J. Peña

Attorney at Law

STEVEN J. PEÑA practices Entertainment Law and represents Spotlight Pictures in entertainment activities (e.g., film, television, music and merchandising) as well as so-called "new media" ventures. His practice is focused on representing clients who create and/or distribute entertainment programs for use over a variety of media, including traditional means such a film and television but also using newer technologies such as the Internet. He has worked with both mature clients such as major motion picture studios as well as independent production companies and individuals. He has particular expertise in planning and structuring co-marketing deals and other strategic alliances. His extensive experience encompasses not only legal issues but also regulatory and operational matters.

Prior to opening his own office, he was a Partner in the Entertainment Department of Loeb & Loeb, LLP. He practiced out of the firm's Century City office and was a Co-Chair of the firm's iLawGroup. Loeb & Loeb formed the iLawGroup to establish a group of lawyers well versed in the interrelated industries of entertainment, technology, the Internet and venture capital.

Before joining Loeb & Loeb, Mr. Peña was General Counsel of Warner Bros. Online during it's first three years of operation. At Warner Bros. Online, Mr. Peña was responsible for all legal, business and policy matters pertaining to the development, production and distribution of online content for the Warner Bros. Online website, as well as several highly successful areas featured on America Online. He negotiated several deals with Microsoft, AOL (before the merger) and numerous other entities. While in charge of operations for the division, he expanded his knowledge and understanding of the "nuts and bolts" of building, launching and operating an Internet company.

Prior to working at Warner Bros. Online, Mr. Peña was Vice President of Legal Affairs at Twentieth Century Fox, where he oversaw all legal matters pertaining to the development, production and distribution of theatrical motion pictures, including the engagement of talent, literary property acquisition and exploitation of ancillary rights. Mr. Peña worked on a variety of theatrical motion pictures such as "Speed," "Nell," and "Nine Months." During his seven years at Fox, he was also responsible for music licensing, exhibition rights clearance, theatrical film clip licensing and merchandising activities (including the original "Simpsons" licensing campaign).

Before working at Fox, Mr. Peña practiced radio, television and telecommunications law in Washington, D.C., initially as a law school intern at the Federal Communications Commission in Commissioner Anne P. Jones' office. After finishing law school, he became a lawyer representing various broadcasting, cable and telecommunications companies, including McCaw Cellular Communications, before the FCC and the federal courts.

Mr. Peña has been a frequent speaker on Entertainment and Internet issues for Georgetown University, California Continuing Education of the Bar, PLI, the Los Angeles County Bar Association, Sundance Film Festival, Cannes Film Festival, UCLA Continuing Education and the Los Angeles Copyright Society. He is a member of the Beverly Hills Bar Association, the Los Angeles County Bar Association and the Los Angeles Copyright Society. Cyber Esq., a quarterly supplement of the Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journals recently featured Mr. Peña as one of its "Suite 16" of lawyers at the leading edge of new-media work. He also coordinated and taught an Entertainment Law class for Tulane Law School during 2002.

Mr. Peña received his B.A. in economics from the University of California at Santa Cruz. He earned his J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, D.C.

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