Richard M. Genow, ESQ.
Rick Genow is a founding partner of Stone, Meyer, Genow, Smelkinson & Binder, LLP ("SMGSB"). Mr. Genow graduated cum laude from Harvard Law School in 1989. His practice is focused on representing individual talent clients (e.g., actors, writers, directors and producers) and entrepreneurial production companies, in all aspects of the entertainment and related industries. Among the representative firm clients for which Mr. Genow is the point attorney are Leighton Meester, Debra Messing, Eric Dane, Michael Pena and Channing Tatum, as well as Indian movie star Aishwarya Rai and prodcution companies such as Vertigo Etnertainment ("The Departed" and "The Ring"), Bender-Spink ("History of Violence" and "American Pie") and Principato-Young ("Reno 911").
Mr. Genow's practice involves all areas of feature films, from representing clients inc onnection with major studio films, to independent productions such as "Crash," and "Hustle & Flow." On the television side, Mr. Genow has conducted major renegotiations on "Grey's Anatomy," "Desperate Housewives," "Lost," "Scrubs," "Nip/Tuck," and "Will & Grace," among other television series. Recently, he brokered the deal to bring the top rated Israeli television series "In Therapy" to HBO.
In addition, Mr. Genow is a principal of Traction Media. Traction is a company created by SMGSB to further the interests of independent filmmakers. Traction represents films for the sale of worldwide distribution rights as well as produces and packages feature film projects. As part of his role in Traction, Mr. Genow has been involved in the packaging and sale of such films as "Hard Candy" and "Half Nelson."
Prior to forming SMGSB, Mr. Genow worked at the law firm of Hansen, Jacobson, Teller & Hoberman representing talent in the entertainment industries. He was also an executive at Paramount Pictures and was instrumental in establishing Paramount's former television network, UPN. Mr. Genow started his legal career as a litigator at the law firm of Mitchell, Silberberg & Knupp. In addition to his law degree, Mr. Genow received Bachelor of Arts degrees in Economics and Political Science from UCSB (summa cum laude) in 1985 and completed extensive graduate work at UCLA's Anderson School of Management.