Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP

Lindsay
Conner

Partner / Co-Chair, Entertainment & Media

With more than 25 years in the business, two years ago Conner negotiated the largest China-Hollywood slate deal ever — Perfect World Pictures, of Beijing’s $500 million, 50-film pact with Universal — and last fall he helped Perfect World make it even bigger, securing an additional $250 million in funding via a credit line from JPMorgan and East West Bank. He closed several deals for Michael Eisner’s Torrante Company in 2018, including new series orders from Amazon for “Undone” and Netflix for “Tuca & Bertie,” an additional season order of “BoJack Horseman” from Netflix and a linear TV syndication deal for “BoJack” on Comedy Central. His other clients include Sony Pictures Entertainment, Content Partners, Goldman Sachs and Huayi Brothers Media Corp.

Career

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP
Dickstein Shapiro LLP
Harvard Law Review

Education

Harvard University (MA, USA)
Occidental College (CA, USA)
University of California–Los Angeles (CA, USA)

Variety Honors

2017 Variety500 Honoree
Dealmaker's Impact
Variety Legal Impact

News from Variety

China and Hollywood Are Ready to Become Global Partners

“Powerful magnetic forces” have brought Hollywood and the Chinese film industry together. And after a period of testing each other out, the relationship has entered a new paradigm, says U.S. entertainment lawyer Lindsay Conner.“China and the States are starting to become better partners in terms of discussing critical business issues and understanding each other’s needs. It has taken a while for the bridging of cultures and styles,” says Conner, partner and co-chair of the entertainment and media practice at L.A.-based...

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What’s the best piece of advice you’ve been given in your career?: “The best piece of advice came from the greatest basketball coach of all time: UCLA's incomparable Coach John Wooden, who I had the good fortune to know. Wooden defined success as the peace of mind that comes from knowing you have done the best you are capable of doing, to become the best you are capable of becoming. I have adopted that definition of success as my own. In a sometimes tumultuous world, it is a great source of inspiration and strength.”
What or who inspires you?: “I am inspired by the globalization of the entertainment industry. I want to ensure that international clients are treated fairly in Hollywood, and that American clients are treated fairly overseas. We have an opportunity to come together, rather than retreating behind walls, and we need to make the most of that opportunity.”