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<b>Practice Notes: </b>Reality TV Shows Give Lawyers New Client Base

By Drew Combs
February 28, 2011

After the first season of The Real Housewives of Atlanta ended in 2008, four of the Bravo show's stars said they wanted to be paid more for the second season. To handle the negotiations, the women tapped Los Angeles-based Darrell Miller, a partner in Fox Rothschild. Miller, now a co-chair of the firm's sports and entertainment group, says he was able to hammer out new contracts for the second season that increased his clients' salaries and gave them greater flexibility to capitalize on personal appearances, as well as licensing and product promotion opportunities.

The rise of reality TV may have hurt the market for writers and actors, but it has provided an additional income stream for a select group of entertainment attorneys. One reason: union rules governing wages, breaks and time worked don't apply to reality shows. As a result, media companies can hire people who are happy, at least initially, to be on TV for little pay.

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