
Overview
David Zitzerman is a partner and head of the Entertainment Law Group at Goodmans LLP. He has exclusively practised entertainment law for over 25 years.
David's practice focuses on the film, television and online industries in Canada and the United States. His clients include independent producers, Canadian networks, Hollywood studios, US networks, cable services and OTT services, private equity investors, European broadcasters, film and TV distributors, publishers, game companies, talent guilds and agencies, writers and performers.
David is recognized as a leading lawyer by Chambers Canada (Band 1 –Media & Entertainment Canada), The Legal 500 Canada, Who’s Who Legal: Canada, The Lexpert/American Lawyer Media Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada and The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory. David is also recommended for both defamation and media law and entertainment law by Best Lawyers in Canada. He was included as a noted media lawyer in Euromoney’s 2020 Guide to the World’s Leading Technology, Media & Telecommunications Lawyers, was named the “2020 Toronto Entertainment Lawyer” of the Year by Best Lawyers in Canada and one of the 30 leading media lawyers in the world (2002, 2010-2021) by Euromoney’s The Best of the Best. David is listed as a Global Elite Thought Leader in Entertainment in WWL: Thought Leaders –Global Elite 2022 and rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell.
Expertise
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Competition and Foreign Investment
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Entertainment
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Foreign Investment and National Security Reviews
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Mergers and Acquisitions
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Private M&A
Featured Work
David’s representative work includes acting for:
Over-The-Top (OTT) Services
- Amazon Prime Video, Disney+ , Paramount+, Apple TV + , Netflix and NBC Hayu in connection with their respective OTT activities and productions in Canada
Hollywood Studios and US SVOD Services, Networks and Producers
- Paramount Global, Warner Bros. Discovery , Disney , NBCU , CBS Studios, Universal International Studios, Alcon, Amazon Studios, Netflix, Apple Studios, AMC, EPIX , MGM, DreamWorks, YouTube, Showtime, Twin Cities Public Television and Cloudco in connection with their productions in Canada
Canadian Clients
- WildBrain, Entertainment One, Shaftesbury, Insight, Bell Media, Cineflix, 9 Story Media, Boat Rocker Media, Blink49 Studios, Corus Entertainment, Aircraft Pictures, Guru Studios, Dept. 9 Studios, Nelson Education, the Writers Guild of Canada and Dr. Jordan Peterson
Investment Canada Act (ICA) Advice
- NBCU, Elevation Pictures, Shaftesbury, Red Arrow, 9 Story Media, Argonon, Boat Rocker Media and Apple Canada
International Co-Productions and Joint Ventures
- Sumitomo, Bento Box, Discovery Communications, Shaftesbury, NBCU, Fred Rogers Company, WGBH and Moody Studios
Awards & Recognition
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The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory Most Frequently Recommended, Entertainment Law 2023
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Chambers Canada Band 1, Media and Entertainment 2023
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The Legal 500 Canada Leading Individual, Media and Entertainment 2023
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Lexpert/American Lawyer Media Guide Most Frequently Recommended, Entertainment Law 2023
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Who's Who Legal Recommended Global Leader, Entertainment 2023
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Best Lawyers in Canada Recognized: Defamation and Media Law, Entertainment Law 2023
Credentials
Professional Involvement
David regularly lectures on entertainment law, appears on BNN Bloomberg and CBC Radio and speaks at Canadian, U.S. and international entertainment-related seminars and podcasts. He is an Adjunct Professor teaching entertainment law at the University of Toronto Faculty of Law. He has published a number of articles and is a co-author of “Entertainment Law in Canada” published by LexisNexis. David is a director of the Canadian Film Centre and is on the Program Advisory Committee of the Ryerson School of Radio & Television Arts and is an arbitrator for the Independent Film & Television Alliance. He is a member of Film Ontario, the Canadian Media Production Association, the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television and is a Gold Patron of the Toronto International Film Festival.
Credentials
- University of Toronto, J.D., 1981
- University of Manitoba, B.A., 1978, Gold Medal - Highest Standing in Arts
Professional Affiliations
- Law Society of Ontario
- Canadian Bar Association (Ontario)
- Canadian Film Centre
- Canadian Screenwriters Collection Society
- Toronto International Film Festival
- Ryerson School of Radio & Television Arts and Digital Convergence Executive Program
- Open Screenplay
- Film Ontario
- Canadian Media Production Association
- Women in Film and Television-Toronto
- Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television
- Canadian Association of Recording Artists
Call to Bar
- Ontario
Insights
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Entertainment
Canada Extends Basic Term of Copyright Protection To “Life of Author Plus 70 Years” Starting December 30, 2022
On November 17, 2022, the Government of Canada published an Order in Council to bring into force recent amendments to Canada’s Copyright Act (the “ Act”) which extend the basic term of copyright… -
Entertainment
So You Want To Produce In Canada, Eh?
If you are considering producing in Canada, there’s a lot you not only need to know, but want to know. Why? Because it can save you both time and money - and who doesn’t want that? The discussion… -
Entertainment
Canada to Increase Copyright Term to “Life Plus Seventy Years”
On June 23, 2022, Royal Assent was granted to Bill C-191, an omnibus bill that implements significant amendments to the Canadian Copyright Act (the “Act”). In particular, the legislative… -
Intellectual Property
Lexpert Recognizes the Goodmans IP Team
The Goodmans IP Team is proud to have been recognized in the 26th edition of the Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2022.As a group, the Goodmans IP Team was recognized as follows:Intellectual Property… -
Entertainment
Déjá Vu: Canada Reintroduces Legislation to Regulate Online Streaming Services
On Wednesday, February 2, 2022, Canadian Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez introduced Bill C-11 titled the Online Streaming Act (the “Bill”), to amend the Broadcasting Act. The Bill is… -
Entertainment
To the Metaverse and Beyond: Correcting Common Misconceptions around NFTs
Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) have become the latest big thing to come out of the blockchain industry and capture mainstream attention. A wide range of artists, brands, investors, businesses and…
News & Events
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Banking and Financial Services
The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2023 Continues to Recognize Goodmans
We are proud to announce we have once again been recognized in The Canadian Legal Lexpert Directory 2023.85 Goodmans lawyers have been recognized as top-tier in their fields and leaders across… -
- Entertainment
Tara Parker, Carolyn Stamegna and David Zitzerman at The 2023 Osgoode Certificate in Entertainment Law Program
Tara Parker, Carolyn Stamegna and David Zitzerman will be speakers at two featured sessions at The Osgoode Certificate in Entertainment Law Program.Tuesday, February 14, 20239:00am - 4:45pm… -
Goodmans Recognized in the 2023 Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada
We are delighted to announce that The Lexpert/American Lawyer Guide to the Leading 500 Lawyers in Canada once again features Goodmans in their 2023 Guide.The Lexpert/ALM 500 Directory, produced in…