Robert I. Freedman

Robert Freedman has been a partner in the New York entertainment law firm of Cowan DeBaets Abrahams & Sheppard LLP since January, 2000 and managing partner since January 2001. Prior to that he was a founding partner of Leavy Rosensweig and Hyman, a law firm with a large entertainment practice in New York City, from 1987-1999. Mr. Freedman was in private practice from 1978 to1987. From 1973 to 1978 he was general counsel of WNET, Channel 13, the public television station in New York City.

Mr. Freedman has represented such producers as the National Geographic Society, MacNeil Lehrer Productions, Tony Brown Productions, Learning in Focus, Austin City Limits, American Playhouse and Great Chefs.

Mr. Freedman presently represents many award winning producers, writers, directors and composers. He is counsel to the National Interfaith Cable Coalition, a major programmer of the Hallmark Channel. He represents for television Marc Brown, the creator of "Arthur", public television's most viewed children's series; Muse Film and Television, a major producer of arts programming; and WMHT-TV, the producer of several "how-to" series of programs. He has been counsel to many independent producers of documentaries, children's programs and performance programming.

Mr. Freedman has recently represented William Greaves, Aviva Kempner; Danny Anker, Barak Goodman, Rob Gardner and Ric Burns and many other leading documentary film makers.

Mr. Freedman was the co-chair of the Communication and Entertainment Committee of the New York County Lawyer's Association and founding Treasurer of the Association of Independent Music Publishers.

He is the author of the television volumes of "Entertainment Industry Contracts" published by Mathew Bender and is a contributing editor to "Entertainment Law and Finance" and "Broadcast Report". He lectures at Columbia Law School and Hofstra Law School.