Harrison J. Dossick

We are deeply saddened to share the sudden passing of our dear friend and partner, Harrison Dossick. Harrison was a devoted husband and father, a cherished member of his community and an integral part of our Glaser Weil family.

Harrison was a brilliant legal mind with nearly four decades of experience serving his many clients, primarily in the entertainment and media industries. He was a trusted advisor to major studios, production companies and media organizations, and a fierce advocate in the courtroom. His experience spanned not only entertainment and media law but also intellectual property litigation and general commercial disputes and he was repeatedly recognized by Best Lawyers and Legal 500 for his outstanding contributions to the legal profession. His recent work included both representing a prominent screenwriter and director in a high-stakes dispute involving a major film project and advocating for a prominent boxing manager in a commission dispute against a major sports promotion company.

Those who knew Harrison will remember his humor and unwavering dedication—both to his loved ones and to his work. He had a gift for profound insights as well as wry and sharp conversation, and his intellectual presence was always felt. His absence leaves a profound void and he will be deeply missed by all of us who had the privilege of calling him a colleague and a friend.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Harrison’s family and with the many people whose lives were touched by his kindness and spirit. May his memory be a blessing.

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Harrison J. Dossick was a litigation partner at Glaser Weil with nearly four decades of experience serving clients in the entertainment and media industries. His practice focused on resolving disputes in judicial and arbitration proceedings involving copyright, idea submission, trademark, licensing, false advertising, right of publicity, profit participation, and other complex issues for major and “mini major” studios, production companies, distributors, content owners, and other institutional motion picture and television industry clients.

He also had vast experience counseling and protecting Internet-based news and blog sites, as well as other media companies, in connection with First Amendment issues, copyright, invasion of privacy, and defamation claims. He litigated trade secrets, unfair competition, false advertising, and other business disputes, and represented creditors in judgment enforcement, adversary bankruptcy proceedings, and related actions.

Harrison had extensive experience in:

• Entertainment and media disputes
• Intellectual property litigation
• General commercial litigation

He was recognized as a Southern California Super Lawyer in Los Angeles Magazine and Southern California Super Lawyers Magazine from 2006 to 2010 and again from 2014 to 2018. He authored more than a dozen articles published in the Los Angeles Daily Journal and Los Angeles Lawyer Magazine, and co-authored “Facing the Music,” the cover story in Los Angeles Lawyer Magazine’s 17th Annual Entertainment Law Issue.

Harrison spoke on litigation and entertainment industry-related topics at numerous seminars and conferences sponsored by the Los Angeles Copyright Society, the Beverly Hills Bar Association, the Century City Chamber of Commerce, iHollywood Forum, the California Society of CPAs, and the Los Angeles County Bar Association.

Thought Leadership

Co-author, “Facing the Music: The Fate of Napster in Federal Court will have Far-Reaching Implications for the Distribution of all Forms of Entertainment over the Internet,” Los Angeles Lawyer Magazine, April 2001

Results

Harrison had served as lead counsel in the following significant disputes: 

• Carlini v. Paramount Pictures Corp. et al. Paramount Pictures Corp., in successfully defending the motion picture studio and producers in copyright infringement/idea submission actions and related appeals concerning the motion picture “What Men Want.”
• Schroeder et al. v. Volvo Car USA. Volvo Car USA, in a copyright infringement and misappropriation of likeness action concerning the alleged improper social media use of plaintiffs’ photographs featuring the defendant’s redesigned flagship sedan.
• Cassidy v. Screen Gems et al. Screen Gems, a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, in successfully defending the studio in a profit participation/misappropriation of name and likeness dispute brought by star of the 1970s television show “The Partridge Family.”
• Deming v. FilmDistrict Distribution LLC et al. FilmDistrict Distribution LLC, a motion picture distributor, in its successful defense in a false advertising action and subsequent appeals concerning the motion picture “Drive.”
• Braddock v. Jolie et al. Well-known actress, writer and director Angelina Jolie, as producer and distributor of the motion picture “In the Land of Blood and Honey,” in a copyright infringement action and subsequent appeals.

• C2 Pictures, LLC v. Sony Pictures Entertainment. Sony Pictures Entertainment in a profit participation dispute brought by producers of a sequel to “Basic Instinct.”
• Creatier Interactive, LLC v. Bates et al. Creatier Interactive, LLC, a technology company, in theft of trade secrets and related disputes.
• Grigson v. Creative Artists Agency, et al. Columbia TriStar Home Video and Sony Pictures Entertainment in a case alleging breach of distribution agreement involving the sequel to “Texas Chainsaw Massacre.”
• In re Yari Film Group Releasing, LLC. A major motion picture studio/distributor in bankruptcy court adversary proceedings; successfully defeated the debtor’s efforts to enjoin a DVD release of licensed films.
• Jackson v. Universal Pictures LLP. Universal Pictures LLP, in successfully defending the studio in an action to enjoin a theatrical release of a motion picture.

Associations

Former member, Beverly Hills Bar Association

Former board member, Law 360 Media & Entertainment Editorial Board, 2017

Awards and Recognition

Entertainment Law - Motion Pictures and Television, The Best Lawyers in America^®, 2023-26

Southern California Super Lawyers, 2006–2010, 2014–2018

Recommended for Media, Technology and Telecoms - Marketing and Advertising, The Legal 500 United States, 2013

Harrison’s passing was felt throughout the entertainment and legal industries and shared by publications including The Hollywood Reporter, Law.com, Deadline, Variety, IMDb and The Wrap.