Current Employment Position(s)

Partner, since 2001

Year Joined Organization: 1995

Lawyer Overview

Eric P. Early is a partner in Glaser Weil's litigation department with extensive litigation and trial experience.  Mr. Early has represented leading figures and entities in business, entertainment and sports, including Kirk Kerkorian's holding company, Tracinda Corporation, in the billion dollar securities fraud case, Tracinda Corporation v. DaimlerChrysler AG (United States District Court, District of Delaware), Fidelity National Financial, Inc., the world's largest title insurance company, in bad faith actions, actions arising from the largest escrow defalcation in Illinois history, and in representation of Fidelity's and Chicago Title's insureds in easement and quiet title actions.  Mr. Early also has represented noted NBA player agent Dan Fegan against NBA player Dale Davis in a dispute over agent and management commissions, Greece's Alpha Satellite Television, S.A. against Warner Brothers International Television in an action involving claims for breach of a $60 million licensing agreement, MGM Studios in an action against Sylvester Stallone regarding the Rocky franchise, Industry Entertainment in breach of contract actions against noted talent managers and Paramount Pictures in a defamation action brought by Michael Jackson.

Mr. Early was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan and raised in Long Island, New York.  He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from New York University's School of the Arts.  While in film school, Early was a Mobil Student Film Finalist award winner at the school's annual film festival.  After graduating from NYU, Mr. Early spent several years in the film industry, including stints directing and producing short films for a children's television show called The Great Space Coaster, post-production supervising such animated shows as G.I. Joe, The Transformers and Jem and the Holograms, as well as writing several of those episodes, serving as Director of Film Operations for Atlantic Entertainment Group and producing trailers for B-movie king, Roger Corman.

In December 1992, Mr. Early graduated from Southwestern University School of Law's evening program.  While at law school, Early was a recipient of two scholarships and wrote the article, It's A Wonderful Life, Motion Picture Studios Can Regain Control of Their Wayward Classics, which was published in the UCLA Entertainment Law Review, 1 UCLA Ent. L.Rev. 139 (1994).  In 1993 he was admitted to the State Bar of California and associated with the law firm of Haight, Brown & Bonesteel.  In 1995, Early moved to the Firm where he made partner in 2001.

Early is the proud father of two children and tries to play softball as much as possible.  He has been named a Southern California Super Lawyer for the years 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009.

Areas of Practice

• Constitutional Law
• Employment Law -- Employer
• Entertainment, Sports & Leisure Law
• Insurance Law
• Litigation & Appeals
• Real Estate Law
• Securities Law

Representative Clients

• Fidelity National Financial, Inc.
• Tracinda Corporation
• Alpha Satellite Television.
• Industry Entertainment

Representative Cases

• Tracinda Corporation v. Daimler Chrysler AG, 197 F. Supp 2d 86 (USDC Delaware 2002)
• Fidelity National Financial, Inc. v. Stewart Title Guaranty Company, 2003 WL 2005233 (N.D. Ill. 2003)
• Michael Jackson v. Paramount Pictures Corporation, 80 Cal.Rptr.2d 1 (Cal.App. 2 Dist. 1998)
• Warner Bros. International Television v. Alpha Satellite Television, S.A. , (United States District Court, Central District of California)
• Matrix Bancorp v. Fidelity National Financial, Inc. , (American Arbitration Association, Phoenix, Arizona)
• Industry Entertainment v. Rick Yorn and Julie Silverman Yorn , (American Arbitration Association, Los Angeles, California)
• Ladke v. Morgan Creek Productions , (Los Angeles County Superior Court)
• Morgan Creek Productions v. American Express , (United States District Court, Central District of California)

West Practice Categories

Constitutional Law, Employment Law -- Employer, Entertainment, Sports & Leisure Law, Insurance Law, Litigation & Appeals, Real Estate Law, Securities Law

Bar Admissions

• California, 1993
• U.S. District Court Central District of California, 1993
• U.S. District Court Southern District of California, 1994
• U.S. Supreme Court, 1997

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Los Angeles County Bar Association, Intellectual Property and Entertainment Section, 1995 - 1997 (Past Member, Executive Committee)
• Los Angeles County Bar Association (Member)
• State of California Bar Association (Member)

Past Employment Positions

• Atlantic Entertainment Group, Director of Firm Operations
• Haight, Brown & Bonesteel, Associate, 1993 - 1995

Education

• Southwestern University School of Law, Los Angeles, California, December, 1992
  J.D.
• New York University's School of Arts, New York, NY, USA, 1981
  Bachelor of Fine Arts
  Honors: Mobil Student Film Finalist Award Winner

Published Works

• It's a Wonderful Life - Motion Picture Studios Can Regain Control of Their Wayward Classics, 1 UCLA Ent. L. Rev. 139, 1994

Address

10250 Constellation Boulevard
19th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90067

Phones

(310) 282-6227

Faxes

310-556-2920

Emails

eearly@glaserweil.com

Websites

http://www.glaserweil.com