Ashley R. Yeargan

  Los Angeles

  ayeargan@raklaw.com

  310.826.7474

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PRACTICE AREAS

Media & Entertainment

Litigation & Trial

Apparel & Fashion

EDUCATION

Stanford Law School (J.D., with distinction)

Yale University (B.A., summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Alpha Theta)

Ashley R. Yeargan is a partner at Russ August & Kabat and a member of its Media & Entertainment and Litigation & Trial groups. She has represented a variety of clients in the media and entertainment industry, including actors, directors, writers, producers, musical artists, managers, small studios, production companies, and video game companies. Ashley focuses her practice on matters involving defamation, rights of privacy and publicity, copyright and trademark infringement, and breach of contract. She has litigated in federal and state courts as well as before various arbitral tribunals in California.

Billboard recognized Ashley in its “Top Music Lawyers” list from 2022-2024. The Hollywood Reporter recognized Ashley in 2021, 2022, and 2023 on its “Power Lawyers: Hollywood’s Top 100 Attorneys” list and on its “2016 Top 35 Under 35” list of executives in the entertainment industry. Variety featured Ashley as “Up Next” in Entertainment Litigation in 2016, as a Hollywood “New Leader” in 2022, and  in its 2023 and 2024 Legal Impact Report. Ashley was named a 2024 “Business of Entertainment Visionary” in The Envelope magazine distributed by the Los Angeles Times. She has been recognized by Southern California Super Lawyers as a Rising Star from 2012-2020 and 2022 and as a Super Lawyer in 2023 and 2024, as well as selected by her peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch from 2021 – 2025. Los Angeles Business Journal recognized Ashley as one of LA’s most influential attorneys on its 2020 “Top Women Lawyers” list.

While a law student at Stanford Law School, Ashley was a First Place Recipient of Stanford Law School’s Intellectual Property Writing Award and also collaborated with former US Secretary of State Warren Christopher on a report for the National War Powers Commission concerning the respective powers of the US President and Congress to make and declare war.

RECENT MATTERS

Below are examples of Ashley’s current and recently-resolved matters:

• Representing Drake in several litigation matters pending in California, New York, and Canada, including the recently-resolved trademark case brought against him by Condé Nast in connection with his parody cover of Vogue magazine
• Representing Simon Cowell and his company Syco Entertainment in a variety of matters, including with respect to America’s Got Talent and new formats that are in development.
• Resolved a dispute clouding chain of title to a documentary film and is now assisting with the delivery of that film to a U.S. distributor.
• Providing ongoing legal counsel to Tokyo Broadcasting System Television, Inc., in connection with US projects, including the series American Ninja Warrior.
• Handling confidential Hollywood accounting disputes related to contractual participations in films, television programs, and music.
• Representing high-profile individuals in obtaining retractions (and takedowns) from online and print entertainment news media.
• Defended Kendall Jenner’s 818 Tequila in a trademark and trade dress infringement case brought by the owners of Tequila 512.
• Defended a producer and show runner in connection with breach of oral contract claims involving credit and compensation in connection with the Netflix animated series Castlevania.
• Represented music executive Todd Moscowitz in a lawsuit against Theory Entertainment, LLC regarding his ownership of stock in the company.
• Represented the Trustees of the Carroll Hall Shelby Trust in litigation against a trust beneficiary.
• Won a federal court jury trial for reality television star Camille Grammer in a defamation and malicious prosecution lawsuit filed by her ex-boyfriend after she reported that he assaulted her in 2013.  The jury completely denied Mr. Charalambopoulos’s claims and rejected his request for more than $25 million in damages against Ms. Grammer.
• Represented Jamie Spears in his capacity as conservator of the Estate of Britney J. Spears in litigation against blogger Anthony Elia and various other media matters.
• Represented producer Dana Brunetti in his claims for credit and compensation in connection with the television series “Manhunt.”
• Represented Blake Shelton in his defamation action against Bauer Publishing in connection with In Touch magazine’s publication of the false and defamatory cover story “REHAB For Blake.” Shelton defeated Bauer’s anti-SLAPP motion to dismiss, and the matter was resolved.
• Represented Sharad Patel in a breach of contract claim against the Estate of Michael Jackson concerning a motion picture about Jackson’s life and life story using assets of his library.
• Represented two high-profile actors in confidential commissions disputes with their managers that were successfully resolved prior to litigation.
• Represented Ciara in a false light invasion of privacy case against her former boyfriend Future.
• Obtained the anti-SLAPP dismissal of a trade libel and interference case against musician Drake related to statements regarding the theatrical release of a film entitled Drake’s Homecoming.
• Represented Dan Lin, Roy Lee and Doug Davison in their dispute against Legendary regarding credit and compensation in connection with the feature film Godzilla.
• Represented Tokyo Broadcasting System Television, Inc., in a copyright infringement case against American Broadcasting Companies, Inc. and Endemol USA in connection with their reality program Wipeout. The case also involved a claim that ABC improperly promoted Wipeout by trading on consumer goodwill associated with Tokyo Broadcasting’s shows in order to attract viewers.
• Represented a television actress in a dispute involving the alleged breach of an agreement to provide endorsement services.

PUBLICATIONS

• “Addressing the Limitations of the Right of Publicity in the World of AI” Los Angeles Daily Journal, October 23, 2023
• “Are Confidential Settlements Possible in the Wake of #MeToo?,”  Keeping It Honest: Transparency and Legal Issues in the Entertainment Industry, edited by Dina La Polt, Jessie Winkler, and Lindsay Arrington, 2019.
• “Scripting a Resolution: The Advantages of Mediation in the Entertainment Industry,” USC Spotlight Entertainment Law Journal, 2017 (Inaugural issue).
• “This land is your land, and this song may be your song,” Los Angeles Daily Journal, June 28, 2016
• “One Last Swing at Google Books Project,” Los Angeles Daily Journal, January 12, 2016
• “Google Books decision is logical evolution of law,” Los Angeles Daily Journal, November 2, 2015
• “Batmobile Captures Copyright Protection,” Los Angeles Daily Journal, October 6, 2015