Darren Richard’s practice involves a broad array of transactions and matters on behalf of start-ups, small to mid-size companies, creative individuals and entrepreneurs in the entertainment, technology, professional services, and retail industries. Darren prides himself on his ability to provide timely and cost-effective services to achieve favorable outcomes to clients’ immediate needs as well as their long-term strategic goals.
Much of Darren’s transactional practice involves the drafting, analysis, and negotiation of the agreements that form the foundation of his clients’ business relationships, including joint venture and strategic alliance agreements; services agreements; rights clearance and acquisition agreements; internet and e-commerce agreements; consulting agreements; agreements for the creation and distribution of digital content; film and television production, talent, and finance agreements; music publishing agreements; synchronization, mechanical, and master use music licensing agreements; talent agreements; literary publishing agreements; shopping and attachment agreements; confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements; agreements for web site design, development, and operational matters; employment and independent contractor agreements; merchandising agreements; artist management agreements; endorsement and product placement agreements; recording contracts; royalty participation agreements; touring and personal appearance agreements (including technical and hospitality riders); and album and soundtrack agreements.
Darren has extensive transactional experience in the film, television, music, and new media industries, having served as entertainment counsel for closely held private enterprises and Fortune 500 media conglomerates alike, including Procter & Gamble Productions, Inc., TeleNext Media, Inc., and Maker Studios, Inc., among others. Darren regularly advises production companies and studios, artists and musicians, new media companies, publishers, record labels, promoters, actors, writers, producers, music supervisors, and other content creators on the development, analysis, negotiation, and execution of complex transactions, solutions, and strategies; intellectual property strategies; the distribution and monetization of digital content across media platforms; developments in e-commerce and internet law; the registration and protection of copyrights, trademarks, and service marks; and the clearance and licensing of music, literary, and multimedia properties in multiple contexts and across media platforms.
As a veteran of the music industry, Darren brings to his law practice more than a decade’s experience as a writer, producer, and owner of a small record label. In addition, he has handled logistics for North American and European performance tours and promotional and marketing campaigns.
Darren began his law practice handling various corporate and real estate transactions, and he regularly advises start-ups and emerging companies on the organization, financing, and operation of new enterprises, including 501(c)(3) non-profits, and prepares the operating agreements, codes of regulation, buy-sell, and shareholder agreements that govern such enterprises; drafts and negotiates commercial leases and lease amendments for retail, office, and industrial space on behalf of landlords and tenants; and handles purchase and financing agreements involving commercial and residential real estate and other assets.
In his free time, Darren enjoys reading (novels and historical fiction), films, discovering new bands and attending shows, and coaching his daughters’ soccer team. As a Chicago transplant, Darren is a die-hard Bears fan.