CM Law PLLC, the largest, national, woman-owned and managed, full-service law firm in the country, welcomed the six members of the Friedman Law Group to its Chicago office.

“We are honored that the members of Friedman Law Group made the decision to bring their attorneys and practices to CM Law,” says Kelly Rittenberry Culhane, a co-founder and managing partner. “They are a valued addition to our already robust bench of Chicagoland partners, and we are delighted to add both their Marketing Law Practice and their Intellectual Property law experience to our client-focused service offerings.”

“CM Law provides our attorneys with the perfect home for our practices and our clients,” agrees Andrea Friedman, Friedman’s managing partner. “Their client-service focus mirrors our own. And their expansive service offerings ensure our clients will continue to receive world-class counsel in virtually all aspects of their businesses and geographies.”

The new partners’ practice supports the Marketing Law needs of their clients’ advertising, publicity, and promotional programs and brand objectives, including:

• Sponsorship Agreements in connection with entertainment and sports properties, product placement, and festivals/concerts;

• Promotions such as sweepstakes, contests, and giveaways; affiliate, loyalty, and incentive programs; social media promotions; coupons; and BOGO sales;

• Experiential Activations handling contracts and releases needed for live events and pop-ups, mobile/tours, interactive art installations, sampling, venue agreements/leases, and liability/publicity releases for event attendees;

• Agency/Client and Production Agreements by drafting, negotiating, and finalizing agency/client agreements, production contracts, agreements with subcontractors and vendors, agreements with market research providers, and scope-of-work documentation;

• Ad Review, including drafting and review of disclosures involving regulated industries and retail trade practices, rightsholder clearance (e.g., drafting publicity releases, conducting searches on trademarks/tag lines), review of product claims and substantiation, and counseling on compliance with FTC regulations and guidelines; and

• Rightsholder Contracts and Licensing Agreements, by working with clients to draft, negotiate, and finalize contracts with music publishers/master recording labels, artists, performers/musicians, freelancers, talent (union and non-union), influencers, and collaborations with other brands.

Joining CM Law are:

Andrea E. Friedman’s principal practice is marketing and advertising law encompassing advertising, claim substantiation, public relations, trade practice, as well as sweepstakes and promotions across a variety of platforms, as well as event sponsorship, and other entertainment marketing matters, and compliance with FTC regulations and guidelines.

Tracey L. Fletcher focuses her practice on cause marketing, corporate philanthropy, corporate foundations, and nonprofit organizations, helping them achieve their business, marketing, and social goals. She also regularly advises corporate clients on activities benefiting charities, provides counsel on all aspects of commercial co-ventures, negotiates and documents commercial co-venture agreements, and oversees state regulatory filings.

Joni Richman counsels clients with respect to marketing campaigns that typically include influencers, talent, or other spokespersons and their performance on various social media platforms. She assists clients in all aspects of agreement negotiation and drafting for marketing campaigns, such as client-agency agreements, talent/influencer agreements, event hosting and sponsorships, and sampling programs.

Kimberly W. Alcantara focuses her practice in the areas of marketing and advertising, trademarks, and brand protection. She counsels clients in all aspects of marketing and advertising, including negotiating and drafting advertiser-agency agreements, music contracts, joint promotion and sponsorship contracts, brand alliance deals involving entertainment and sports properties, artist agreements, and talent, athlete, and influencer engagements. She also advises clients on publicity events, social media campaigns, digital content and media, advertising review, claim substantiation, trademark clearance, copyright issues, and brand licensing.

Debra L. Hutchings focuses her practice in the areas of marketing and advertising law, trademarks, brand protection, and e-commerce. She advises clients on advertising and promotions in traditional, digital, and emerging media, and reviews advertising and marketing materials for legal compliance. Debra also negotiates and drafts domestic and international marketing agreements, including client-agency agreements and those involving spokespersons, celebrity talent, music licensing, trademark and copyright licensing, sponsorship, joint marketing, co-promotions, and brand licensing. Additionally, she reviews and negotiates general commercial contracts for software licenses, consulting services, and purchase and sale transactions.

Marlo Trocchio Serritella focuses her practice in the areas of advertising and marketing law and influencer marketing. She counsels clients and drafts and negotiates contracts in support of a host of advertising and marketing initiatives, including spokesperson and celebrity agreements, co-promotion agreements, sponsorship agreements, influencer engagements, social media campaigns, and related licensing. She also advises on sweepstakes and contests to support clients’ promotional initiatives across a variety of platforms.