News/Events/Blogs

Weintraub Tobin is pleased to announce that 39 of its attorneys have been included on the 2021 Super Lawyers and Rising Star lists for outstanding attorneys in Northern California.  In addition, 4 Weintraub Tobin attorneys received special recognition on Northern California and Sacramento “Top” lists. Weintraub attorneys represent 16 percent of the 2021 Sacramento Top 25 Super Lawyers, achieving the region’s highest percentage again this year.

Attorneys selected to the 2021 Northern California Super Lawyers list include Brendan J.

Strange Planet creator Nathan Pyle is teaming with Dan Harmon to adapt his webcomic and graphic novels for Apple TV+.  Pyle and Harmon will executive produce along with Steve Levy and Taylor Alexy Pyle. Amalia Levari is set as showrunner. The series is produced by Apple Studios and ShadowMachine, the animation studio and production house that produced Bojack Horseman. Alex Bulkley and Corey Campodonico executive produce for ShadowMachine.

Nathan Pyle &

In this June 16, 2021 article Sam Boykin, managing editor of the Sacramento Business Journal, interviews Weintraub CFO Karen Wilhelmi, a 2021 CFO of the Year honoree.

When asked What challenges have you or your company faced in the past year or two, and how did you respond to them, she responded:

COVID is at the forefront. A big challenge was how to get 130‐135 employees productively working from home in about a 24‐48 hours notice.

In a June 8, 2021 article in the Sacramento Business Journal, Sonya Sorich writes that Mattone Ristorante has been sued by Biba Restaurant, Inc. for creating “a false designation of association between their new venture and Biba Restaurant.”  The complaint states that “Defendants have also stolen Biba Restaurant’s trade secrets, such as her trade-secret recipes, including her treasured Lasagne Verdi alla Bolognese. In fact, Mattone Ristorante’s menu is nearly identical to Biba Restaurant’s menu.” 

Thomas Schlamme is set to produce the limited series “Levittown” based on David Kushner’s bestselling book Levittown: Two Families, One Tycoon, and the Fight for Civil Rights in America’s Legendary Suburb.  The book was optioned by independent studio wiip, which partnered with The Gotham Group to develop the limited series. BAFTA-winning screenwriter and director Amma Asante is attached to write the series adaptation and direct the pilot.

Thomas Schlamme is represented by Stan Coleman and CAA.

Filmmaker Siân Heder is set to direct and write a feature of the upcoming novel Impossible by Sarah Lotz.

Patrick Wachsberger and Ashley Stern with Picture Perfect Federation, Molly Smith, Trent Luckinbill, and Thad Luckinbill with Black Label Media, and Sherry Marsh of Marsh Entertainment are producing.  Weintraub Attorney Alan Grodin represented the deal on behalf of Picture Perfect Federation.

Alan also represented the producers of Heder’s previous film,

In January 2021, Weintraub attorney Jessica Corpuz won a total defense verdict for a real estate development client, including an award of attorney’s fees against the plaintiff.

The Firm’s client hoped to develop a vacant lot into a successful commercial building.  The client retained the services of a commercial real estate broker and consultant to locate a tenant and supervise the construction of a suitable building.  After several years, the broker was unable to locate a suitable tenant and the property remained an empty lot,

Podcast company Treefort Media and Audible have partnered to produce original scripted audio series as part of a multi-project, first-look development and production deal.

Among the projects is Killing Hollywood: The Cotton Club Murder (which will feature Juliette Lewis, Christian Slater, and Rainn Wilson); Fishpriest (written by Mike Batistick and featuring Ethan Hawke); and Moriarty (featuring Dominic Monaghan).

Treefort Media was represented in the deal by Weintraub attorney Shaun Gordon and UTA. 

Apple has made a deal for a podcast series about entertainers Siegfried & Roy with Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Steven Leckart and Will Malnati from podcast company At Will Media as executive producers. The series will be launched by Apple TV+ via its podcast platform and marks the first major show on Apple without an immediate television companion.

At Will Media was represented by Oren Rosenbaum at UTA and Weintraub Attorney Shaun Gordon.

Weintraub Tobin joins Matt Sugarman in congratulating his clients recently announced as Hugo Award Finalists:

• Best Young Adult Book: Naomi Novik
• Best Novel: Tamsyn Muir
• Best Novel: Mary Robinette Kowal
• Best Novella: P. Djèlí Clark
• Best Series: John Scalzi
• Best Series: Mary Robinette Kowal
• Best Dramatic Presentation Short Form: Noelle Stevenson
• Best Dramatic Presentation Short Form: James S.A.