Three Wayne State University Law School alumni will be part of a discussion on careers in sports and entertainment law at the next Alumni Speaker Series event Thursday, Feb. 27.
Speakers who will share their experiences and advice are Howard Hertz, class of 1976, lead attorney of Hertz Schram P.C.’s Entertainment Practice Group; Jason Hillman, class of 2001, vice president and general counsel of the Cleveland Cavaliers basketball organization; Gregory Reed, classes of 1974 (J.D.) and 1978 (LL.M.), of Gregory J. Reed & Associates.
Hertz formed his law firm with Bradley Schram in 1979. Since 1976, he has represented numerous artists and entities in the entertainment field, including authors, screenwriters, recording artists, radio personalities, producers, production companies, record labels, agents, artist managers, music publishers, songwriters and athletes. Services provided to clients range from contract negotiation and litigation to entity formation and estate planning.
His clients have included George Clinton, Sippie Wallace, The Romantics, The Bass Brothers, Eminem, Marilyn Manson, Russell Simmons, Pantera, The GO, Mike Posner, Marcus Belgrave, Elmore Leonard, Jeff Gutt, the Insane Clown Posse, Warner Tamerlane, Abkco Music Inc. and Atlantic Records.
Hertz is a member of the board of directors and president of the Detroit Music Awards Foundation. He also travels to the International Music Festival in Cannes, France, each year on behalf of clients.
Hertz is an adjunct professor at the University of Michigan Law School, teaching a course in Entertainment Law.
Hillman has primary responsibility for the Cavaliers organization’s legal matters, including marketing and sponsorship, employment, TV and radio, and arena matters at Quicken Loans Arena, as well as select basketball operations matters. He also has primary responsibility for legal matters relating to the Lake Erie Monsters, the AHL hockey team that plays at the arena; the Canton Charge of the NBA Developmental League; and the recently acquired Cleveland Gladiators of the Arena Football League.
He also serves as intermission host and rink-side reporter for select TV broadcasts of Monsters’ games. He joined the Cavaliers as company counsel in 2005, was promoted to general counsel in 2008 and added vice president to his title in 2011.
From 2001 to 2005, Hillman was an attorney in the Real Estate Transactions Group at Jaffe Raitt Heuer & Weiss PC in Southfield. Prior to law school and continuing through his days in private practice, Hillman was a sportscaster on television and radio in the Detroit area, including a two-year stint with Detroit regional sports network PASS and anchor and talk-show host for WDFN Sports Radio 1130.
Reed is an author, producer, archivist and specialist in entertainment law, intellectual property law and tax law.
He has served as attorney for civil rights icon Rosa Parks; the Detroit committee organizing a visit by South African President Nelson Mandela; Dr. Charles H. Wright, for whom the Charles H. Wright Museum of African-American History in Detroit is named; former Detroit Mayor Coleman Young; and famous sports figures including six world boxing champions. He also has helped A-list singers, including Kid Rock, Aretha Franklin and Anita Baker, with their careers.
Reed founded the nonprofit Keeper of the Word Foundation to preserve artifacts he has collected of African-American historical significance, including slave papers, Motown memorabilia and the handwritten notations of Malcolm X’s autobiography. Reed also has produced exhibits of his collection in major museums.
He is the author of 16 books, including “Obama Talks Back: Global Lessons – A Dialogue with America’s Young Leaders,” which was awarded the 2013 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Children’s Literature. His book, “Economic Empowerment through the Church,” won a 1994 American Book Award.
The event will take place from 12:15-1:15 p.m. in the Lecture Hall (Room 2242) of the Damon J. Keith Center for Civil Rights at the law school, 471 W. Palmer St. Admission is free, and lunch will be provided. Register by contacting Brianna Fritz at brianna.fritz@wayne.edu or (313) 577-2733. Parking will be available for $6.50 in Structure One across West Palmer Street from the law school.
The Alumni Speakers Series is part of Wayne Law’s efforts to link alumni with students and build professional connections.
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