Alex Akhavan is an associate in the Entertainment, Technology and Advertising Practice Group in the firm's Century City office.
Over the course of Alex's career, he has nurtured a passion for international business and the entertainment industry. Today, he represents producers, studios, media companies and networks in connection with entertainment productions throughout the United States and around the world (including in Mexico, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Australia, Nigeria, South Korea, New Zealand, U.A.E., the U.K., Spain, Italy and France) and was recognized in Variety's Legal Impact Report "Up Next" list of top entertainment attorneys.
Alex's practice focuses on film and television transactions, with an emphasis on animation and visual effects. Alex serves as outside counsel and the main point of contact for Disney Television Animation and also managed all visual effects agreements for Amazon Studios' production of The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power. He has also advised Nickelodeon and TelevisaUnivision on various issues regarding their animated projects.
Alex also has extensive experience as a production attorney having served as lead outside production counsel on the Amazon's series, Swarm, which involved negotiating agreements with show creators Donald Glover and Janine Nabers along with cast members such as Dominique Fishback and Billie Eilish. Alex was also production counsel for Campanario Entertainment on Netflix's Selena: The Series and for MGM on season 10 of Vanderpump Rules.
Alex has also managed many unscripted projects for Amazon Studios, especially sports-related content. Alex negotiated Amazon's deals with Springhill for the series Top Class and Reborn: JR Smith as well as with Skydance Sports for Good Rivals, a documentary about the USA-Mexico international soccer rivalry.
Alex also regularly conducts chain-of-title review and negotiates rights and services agreements for both domestic and international productions. He advised Gaumont USA on clearance matters regarding the series El Presidente and also serves as the point of contact for the firm's pro bono client, the Los Angeles Opera.
Alex received his law degree from the UCLA School of Law where he was a board member of the UCLA Law Review and specialized in Entertainment, Media and Intellectual Property law. He received his B.A. from Tufts University where he double majored in international relations and philosophy. He is a member of Sheppard's French and Latin America teams.
A history buff, Alex produces and hosts a podcast about constitutional law called "May It Please the Court," which tells stories about the Supreme Court of the United States in a narrative episodic format.
When not working, Alex can be found cooking up a storm, playing fetch with his dog, and watching documentaries (usually at the same time).