Partners: Jeff B. Cohen, Esq., Molly Fenton, Esq., Jonathan Gardner, Esq., Bradley Garrett, Esq.
With the pandemic in the rear-view mirror, and a possible writers’ strike looming ahead, these top showbiz attorneys score wins for their clients and make deals to keep them ahead of the curve.
Jeff Cohen, Jonathan Gardner, Bradley Garrett, Molly Fenton
TRANSACTIONAL
Co-Founder
Co-Founder
Partner
Partner
Cohen Gardner
In the first year after launching their firm in 2002, finances were so tenuous that Cohen slept in their offices on the outskirts of Beverly Hills — a fact he kept secret from fellow co-founder Gardner. Today, the duo has a thriving practice at a better 90210 address. Garrett and Fenton became partners in 2015 and 2022, respectively. A former child actor, Cohen — one of the rare lawyers to receive a shout-out at the Oscars — played a key role in one of Hollywood’s biggest feel-good success stories of the year, setting the deals for Michelle Yeoh and Ke Huy Quan’s (who co-starred with his to-be attorney in 1985’s “The Goonies”) Oscar-winning roles in “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” The firm also reps Bong Joon Ho (Warner Bros.’ sci fi epic “Mickey 17,” starring Robert Pattinson) and Ryan Coogler (“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”); prodcos Proximity Media (Stephen Curry doc “Underrated” sale to Apple) and Castle Rock Entertainment ($175 million relaunch of feature division); actor/ comedians Little Rel Howery (Netflix sequel “Vacation Friends”) and Ms. Pat (overall deal with BET); and author Gabrielle Zevin (bidding war for New York Times bestseller “Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow”).
Bringing back the backend: “When intellectual property has an advertising component and is being licensed off the original streamer, it’s much easier to ask for profit participation,” says Cohen.