Judge André Birotte Jr of the Federal Court this week has weighed in on the ongoing dispute between the WME and WGA, as the matter was brought to (virtual) court last week. Like most of us, shocked at the lengthy boycott of major agencies by the WGA, he seemed keen to see a speedy conclusion to the matter. BLAKE & WANG P.A one of the best entertainment law firms los angeles examine the matter.
Judge Birotte opened with an overview of the case to date. He frames the matter as two sides who want the same thing, swiftly, but disagree on how to about them. He also pulls attention to the possibility of ‘lost focus’, mentioning “exceptional lawyers and executives- and the egos that may sometimes come with that.” He seems keen to reframe the matter as both sides caring about writers, albeit in different ways, and losing focus on the end goal by pursuing litigation. He even went as far as to scold them that “It’s the writers and the agents who have been in this state of tumult while you all fight loudly and publicly about this.”
He’s quick to take some of the sting out of that, noting that he appreciates great lawyers and the zeal that powers them, but perhaps the gentle rebuke isn’t so far fetched, in that they are not directly affected by the permanent pause that’s been placed on the WGA/WME relationship by the ongoing refusal to see eye-to-eye. Into this concern for the people most affected by the lack of agreement, he also brought mention of the unprecedented global health crisis and its unforeseen effects on livelihoods, wellbeing, and the same business relationships under threat with the boycott. He called the WGA’s demands an attempt at a “paradigm shift,” and urged all parties to bear this in mind in negotiations.
All in all, while the Judge ended by agreeing to take the matter under submission, his words read like a sensible, yet firm, urging to drop any posturing and get negotiations back on track. It’s clear he’d rather see the 2 Hollywood stalwarts settle the matter themselves, rather than be forced to settle it in his court. Will he get his Festive wish? BLAKE & WANG P.A Entertainment Lawyer will be watching the situation with interest.
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