Overview
Ivy Kagan Bierman’s practice includes the representation of entertainment and related companies in labor, production, distribution, technology and other business matters. She handles both transactional and litigation matters for clients.
Ivy is one of a select few entertainment industry labor lawyers looked to for representation in guild and union matters by film and television production companies, digital companies and networks, cable networks, public broadcasting companies, distribution companies, film finance companies, national advertisers and advertising agencies. She regularly counsels entertainment and advertising companies with respect to SAG-AFTRA, DGA, WGA, AFM, IATSE and Teamsters agreements. She also negotiates separate agreements and waivers with the guilds and unions for entertainment and advertising clients. She was one of the first to negotiate interactive, multimedia and secondary digital channel agreements with SAG-AFTRA, the WGA and the DGA.
Ivy strategizes with film and television production, distribution and finance companies regarding WGA, SAG-AFTRA and DGA negotiations and potential strikes. She advises national advertisers and advertising agencies with respect to the SAG-AFTRA Commercials Contract negotiations and potential strikes. She also protects film, television and public broadcasting companies during guild and union organizing campaigns and advises them with respect to their obligations and rights during picketing and strikes.
Ivy currently advises clients with respect to the guilds’ and unions’ evolving positions regarding reality television, brand integration, and development and exhibition of digital content.
Ivy also regularly provides sexual harassment, discrimination and non-fraternization training tailored to entertainment industry companies with “edgy” programming content. She handles investigations of sexual harassment claims and violations of non-fraternization policies in connection with high-profile television series and works closely with television network attorneys to resolve such claims. She is currently serving as a member of the Legal, Legislative and Policy Committee on Sexual Harassment and Gender Parity for Time’s Up and is outside counsel on Sexual Harassment and Gender Parity for The Commission on Eliminating Sexual Harassment and Advancing Equality in the Workplace.
Ivy’s litigation practice is also focused on the entertainment industry. She has represented several television production companies and payroll companies in a series of entertainment industry-wide wage and hour class action lawsuits which were settled favorably for the firm’s clients. Ivy also defends entertainment companies against wage and hour claims before the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement. She also represents entertainment companies in investigations by the Labor Commissioner’s Bureau of Field Enforcement and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and defend them against citations arising out of such investigations. Ivy also defends clients against guild and union grievances and arbitration claims and unfair labor practice charges before the National Labor Relations Board.
Ivy is an Adjunct Professor at the University of Miami Law School where she teaches a short course titled Union Organizing and Collective Bargaining in the Entertainment Industry.
Education
- Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, J.D., cum laude
- Duke University, B.A., magna cum laude
Court Admissions
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
Bar Admissions
- California
Recognition
- Inducted into The Hollywood Reporter's "Power Lawyers: Legal Legends" list (2023)
- Named "Top Dealmaker" in Variety's "Dealmakers Impact Report" (2023)
- Named in The Lawdragon 500 Leading Corporate Employment Lawyers of America for “Labor & Employment, esp. Entertainment” (2019-2021)
- Named in The Hollywood Reporter's "Power Lawyers" list (2018, 2020-2022)
- Named as a Leaders in Law Finalist: Labor & Employment Attorney of the Year by the Los Angeles Business Journal (2018-2019)
- Named among top women entertainment leaders in Variety's Women's Impact Report/Power of Women in Hollywood (2018, 2020-2023)
- Named in The Legal 500 US in Media & Entertainment, published by Legalease Limited and John Pritchard (2018-2019, 2022-2024)
- Named among "L.A.'s Most Influential Women Attorneys" by the Los Angeles Business Journal (2018 and 2023)
- Named to Variety500, a list of the top entertainment business leaders by Variety (2017, 2019, 2022 and 2023)
- Named "Entertainment Lawyer of the Year" by the Beverly Hills Bar Association (2015)
- Named among "Top Women Lawyers" in California by the Daily Journal (2015, 2018-2019)
- Named among top entertainment attorneys in Variety's "Legal Impact Report" (2015-2016, 2019-2022)
- Named among "Top Entertainment Lawyers" in California by the Daily Journal (2014-2015, 2018)
- Named in Chambers USA, America's Leading Lawyers for Business, in California Labor & Employment (2009-2015 editions)
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Named "Best Lawyer" in Labor Law (2013-2025), Entertainment Law - Motion Pictures and Television (2013-2025) and Advertising Law (2025), and recognized among "Women of Influence" (2015-2017), by The Best Lawyers in America, published by Woodward White, Inc.
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Named among "Top Labor & Employment Lawyers" in California by the Daily Journal (2011-2015, 2017-2018)
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Named to the Los Angeles Business Journal’s “Who’s Who in L.A. Law” report (2010)
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Named "2008 Woman of Achievement" by the Century City Chamber of Commerce
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Named "Top Lawyer" in The Hollywood Reporter, ESQ.’s “Power Lawyers Top 100” list (2007-2010, 2018)
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Named "Southern California Super Lawyer" in Entertainment & Sports and Employment & Labor by Thomson Reuters (2007-2024)
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Honored as Women’s Image Network’s Outstanding Woman (WOW!) for 2006
Affiliations
- Director of the Entertainment Track of the Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Program, University of Miami Law School
- President Emeritus and Co-Founder of GreenLight Women
- Member of Legal, Legislative and Policy Committee, Time’s Up (Sexual Harassment and Gender Parity)
- Former Board Member, Women in Film and Women in Film Foundation
- Former Board Member, Hollywood Radio and Television Society
- Vice Chair of Civil Rights for the Anti-Defamation League
- Member, Anti-Defamation League Entertainment Industry Council
- Former Chair, Entertainment and Labor Sections, Century City Bar Association