Melanie S. Tomanov

Animated' is probably not the first word people would associate with the practice of law, but it fits both Melanie S. Tomanov's practice and her own demeanor. She is a media and entertainment power player who represents animation and television studios, video game and technology companies, and all kinds of entertainment industry personalities.

"The area of law I practice is a lot of fun," Tomanov said. "I feel that if I had a job that I felt overwhelmed with, I couldn't be very effective. I always see things as a challenge, something that is enjoyable. The studios and creatives are my partners, and I always approach things knowing that."

Tomanov of Katten Muchin Rosenman LLP has made a career of working side by side with some of the most talented creators, writers, directors, producers, authors and artists in Hollywood.

She specializes in the creation and exploitation of motion picture and television content and other intellectual property by means of commercial licensing arrangements and has represented clients that range from "The Simpsons'" creator Matt Groening, United Plankton Pictures, the creators of "SpongeBob SquarePants" to Legendary Entertainment, the team the "Dune," "Detective Pikachu" and "Pacific Rim" movies, among many others

Tomanov said she was particularly proud of her work with Groening for the revival of Futurama, which will return to screens in 2023 on Hulu. "We worked with Disney on behalf of Groening to bring new episodes of the show. I am a huge fan of the show and it had been off the air for almost 10 years, but now it's coming back and it's very exciting."

Tomanov said she still considers herself an IP lawyer as well as an entertainment lawyer and is always excited to work for many of her clients who she admires.

"A particular focus of my practice is animation, and it was a bit unusual for lawyers to have that expertise. It's becoming more common because of the pandemic, when animated productions were able to continue. It's a very robust industry," she said.

Tomanov also is also part of several professional associations such as the Century City Bar Association and the Intellectual Property and International Law Sections of the State Bar of California.

- Federico Lo Giudice