Howard Weitzman
Howard Weitzman (born c. 1940) is an American entertainment lawyer, most recognized for his high-profile clientele, whom he has represented in over 200 civil and criminal jury trials on matters ranging from intellectual property and entertainment issues to family law and estate issues.
Weitzman is a founding partner at Kinsella Weitzman Iser Kump & Aldisert (KWIKA), a boutique litigation firm in Santa Monica, California.
Education
Weitzman completed his undergraduate degree at the University of Southern California (B.A., 1962), and later attended the University of Southern California Gould School of Law (J.D., 1965). He was admitted to the State Bar of California in 1966.
Early Career
Weitzman taught trial advocacy at the University of Southern California Gould School of Law for 12 years. He has lectured at Harvard, Georgetown University Law Center, UCLA, and numerous other law schools across the nation. He has also been a speaker at countless seminars and symposiums for bar associations and conferences.
From 1995-1998, Mr. Weitzman served as Executive Vice President, Corporate Operations for Universal Studios, where he was responsible for corporate restructuring. Mr. Weitzman regularly counsels major corporations on contract and business strategies.
Legal Career
For a time, Weitzman was a Certified Specialist in Criminal Law (the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization). In 1986, he became a managing partner at the law firm of Wyman Bautzer, and then in 1991 joined the law firm of Katten Muchin Zavis & Weitzman.
Weitzman belongs to the following professional memberships:
- State Bar of California
- U.S. District Court, Central, Eastern and Southern Districts of California and U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
- U.S. Supreme Court
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit
Clients
Mr. Weitzman’s present-day clients include every major motion picture studio, talent agencies William Morris, ICM and CAA, in addition to a number of high-profile clients including:
- John DeLorean
- Marlon Brando
- Magic Johnson
- Estate of Michael Jackson
- O.J. Simpson
- Courtney Love
- Sean Combs
- Chuck Lorre
- Ozzy and Sharon Osbourne
- Sugar Ray Leonard
- Morgan Freeman
- Britney Spears
- Arnold Schwarzenegger
- Justin Bieber
Awards and Recognition
Weitzman has twice won the Jerry Giesler Memorial Award as an outstanding trial lawyer in Los Angeles County, and has been profiled as an award-winning attorney by the following publications:
- Los Angeles Entertainment Law – Music “Lawyer of the Year,” Best Lawyers (2014)
- Legal Impact Report, Variety (2013 and 2014)
- Southern California’s “Best Lawyers,” U.S. News & World Report (2008 – 2013)
- Southern California Super Lawyer, Southern California Super Lawyer Magazine (2004 – 2014)
- America’s Top Entertainment Lawyers, The Hollywood Reporter (2009 – 2013)
- L.A.’s Top 100 Lawyers, Los Angeles Business Journal (2009)