Do I need a lawyer?

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  • Do I need a lawyer?

    UK writer here. Just been commissioned to write my first assignment (WGA signatory studio). Waiting on deal to come through. I have a US manager and a UK agent. No US agent.

    I've heard I need a layer to do this deal. I've also heard I don't need a lawyer to do this deal, and managers can now take care of it.

    If anyone can shed any light I'd be grateful.

  • #2
    Re: Do I need a lawyer?

    Originally posted by MickShrimpton View Post
    UK writer here. Just been commissioned to write my first assignment (WGA signatory studio). Waiting on deal to come through. I have a US manager and a UK agent. No US agent.

    I've heard I need a layer to do this deal. I've also heard I don't need a lawyer to do this deal, and managers can now take care of it.

    If anyone can shed any light I'd be grateful.
    I wouldn't recommend having your manager negotiate the ins and outs of your deal. In my experience the person that can get you the most out of a negotiation is a lawyer. Sure an agent can get some nice things but just to make sure you're covered I'd recommend using a lawyer.

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    • #3
      Re: Do I need a lawyer?

      You definitely want a lawyer.

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      • #4
        Re: Do I need a lawyer?

        Great, thank you.

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        • #5
          Re: Do I need a lawyer?

          Lawyer up.
          "Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy b/c you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say." -- Edward Snowden

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          • #6
            Re: Do I need a lawyer?

            Usually a manager will refer you to a lawyer they use to review clients' deals, they don't want any gotchas in the contracts either. Has your manager brought this up at all?

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            • #7
              Re: Do I need a lawyer?

              If it helps, I’m a UK writer too with Brit agents and a US manager & agents. In the past my UK agency have often done the legal side of my American deals through their in-house solicitors. They’ve never even raised the lawyer issue with me. That said, my US reps recently insisted I get a lawyer for future deals and have since set me up with one. Might be worth a conversation with your manager and see if he/she can set you up with one. Alternatively, talk to your UK agents and see what they can do/ recommend. Are you with one of the bigger ones like ITG, United Agents, Curtis Brown, Casarotto Ramsay etc? If so, they do tend to have it all set up in-house if you need it.

              Ps Congrats on the gig, Mick!

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              • #8
                Re: Do I need a lawyer?

                What Mintclub said. A manager may be fine for your price negotiation, but unless that manager is also a UK Lawyer, you probably want a UK lawyer to go over the contract.

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                • #9
                  Re: Do I need a lawyer?

                  Congrats, BTW.

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                  • #10
                    Re: Do I need a lawyer?

                    Thanks for all the replies.

                    Lostfootage, the manager didn't bring it up, and seemed surprised when I did. They offered to have a lawyer look over the deal pro bono in anticipation of a future relationship if I really wanted. They also suggested my UK agent's legal team could look at it (see below).

                    Mintclub, that's really useful to hear, thank you. The US manager did indeed suggest this as a first step, and the UK agent has confirmed their solicitors will look at it. I am with one of the bigger UK agencies you listed.

                    Interested to hear you have a US agent as well. I don't currently as I didn't feel the need and didn't want to breach the spirit (or the letter) of the WGA dispute (about which I understand very little). I had an offer to sign with an agent at one of the "big four" but didn't take it up. Should I be seeking a rep at one of the COC signatory agencies? I'm happy with the manager so don't really see the need but am I missing something?

                    And thanks for the congrats!

                    And Pardack, likewise, thanks for the advice. I had thought I'd need an American lawyer as the legal systems are different, but it seems in a relatively straightforward development deal like this that's not necessarily the case. Thanks also for the congrats!
                    Last edited by MickShrimpton; 05-26-2020, 03:11 AM.

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                    • #11
                      Re: Do I need a lawyer?

                      Originally posted by MickShrimpton View Post
                      Thanks for all the replies.
                      Mintclub, that's really useful to hear, thank you. The US manager did indeed suggest this as a first step, and the UK agent has confirmed their solicitors will look at it. I am with one of the bigger UK agencies you listed.

                      Interested to hear you have a US agent as well. I don't currently as I didn't feel the need and didn't want to breach the spirit (or the letter) of the WGA dispute (about which I understand very little). I had an offer to sign with an agent at one of the "big four" but didn't take it up. Should I be seeking a rep at one of the COC signatory agencies? I'm happy with the manager so don't really see the need but am I missing something?
                      If your manager/s are working hard for you, getting you meetings, putting your work under the noses of execs and introducing you to new fans in the US then I wouldn't worry about bringing an agent into the fold, unless it's something the rest of your team feel will help.
                      Last edited by Mintclub; 05-26-2020, 04:06 PM.

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                      • #12
                        Re: Do I need a lawyer?

                        Excellent, thank you.

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