Ned McLeod Pro

Mr. McLeod graduated from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 1990 (J.D., with honors; teaching fellow), and co-authored with Fletcher Baldwin the article: "Press Freedoms During Times of Emergency: An Examination of South Africa and the United States," 8 Connecticut Journal of International Law 109, Fall, 1992.  His entertainment law practice in Orlando provides legal services and advice to diversified entertainment professionals based on a working knowledge of the business of entertainment and covers books, films, television, web, music, theatre and art. Prior to becoming a lawyer, Mr. McLeod worked from carpenter to producer in film, television, and theater projects for 15 years in California, Florida, Georgia and Tennessee, including “Absence of Malice” and “Nashville,” and with such directors and producers as Sydney Pollack, Ron Schwary, Robert Altman, Ralph Rosenbloom, Brian De Palma, Terrence Marsh, Cliff Robertson, John Avildsen, Steve Shagan, Joseph Adler and others. Mr. McLeod was co-counsel for the families in federal court pressing privacy claims against Warner Bros. Studios n for wrongful portrayals in the motion picture “The Perfect Storm,” becoming a significant focus of national debate on the boundaries of the First and Fourth Amendments to the Constitution.  He has represented similar families regarding the Whitey Bulger crime story “Black Mass.”  Clients include Bob Ross/Joy of Painting (and his estate), screenwriter Mardik Martin (a writer of “Raging Bull” and “Mean Streets”), recording artist/actress Mandy Moore, Michael Andrew, Destiny's Child (Beyonce Knowles and Kelendria Rowland), international star AKON (and his cryptocurrency endeavor, “Akoin”), the Global Peace Film Festival, International Gaming Technologies, the Off-Broadway shows “Menopause The Musical,” “Wasps in Bed” and “Toxic Audio,” touring companies, the partners in “The Blair Witch Project,” and served as guardian-ad-litem to the (then) minors of the recording group N’Sync, Justin Timberlake and Lance Bass. As an independent film representative, production and business affairs attorney, Ned handles (e.g.,) internationally distributed films including “Uncounted,” “The Touch,” “Inconceivable,” “Ready, Willing and Able,” “Making Waves,” “The Brothers,” “Letters to God ,” “To Write Love On Her Arms,” “At the Top of the Pyramid,” and “Sound of Freedom 2” (2022) and advised clients engaged in TV specials or series “Culture Quest,” “Zig & Zag,” “Good Dog U,” “Disney’s Christmas Parade,” “Ocean’s Deadliest ( with Steve Irwin & Philippe Cousteau),” “Oceans 5 (BBC episodic),” “Slave Stealers”(2022)- client Randy Fenoli hosted/created shows “Say Yes to the Dress” (and 4 spin-offs), the reality show “Zombie House Hunters,” and animated episodics “Eve & Adam” and “Weird Waters” and other audio-visual, web media, television and music projects. In licensing and clearance reviews, he works extensively with music, manuscripts, photography and audio/video clips incorporated into new works, clearing as many as 30 songs, for example, in multiple countries as elements of a touring stage musical; or, almost 200 video clips from Hollywood studios and TV networks under the Fair Use protections of the Copyright Act for use in a new theatrical-released documentary on the history of disability depiction in Hollywood, “Cinemability.” Ned also produces television and radio documentaries, airing on PBS Television ("The Last Reunion" re WWII P-51 Mustang Pilots, "In Their Footsteps: Lewis and Clark"), and “Walt Disney - Master of Dreamers” (2022); plus National Public Radio and other station groups (e.g. "Living On Earth" environmental stories with Philippe Cousteau). He is the Executive Producer of the Broadway-bound musical adaptation of the original Jerry Lewis 1963 film classic, “The Nutty Professor." The Nashville premier performances were written by composer Marvin Hamlisch and writer/lyricist Rupert Holmes. With the passing of Mr. Hamlisch, a new version of the adaptation of the Lewis iconic movie is in development. Ned works out of Orlando (FL), and lives in Charleston (SC).