Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.
Share |
Quick Links Practice Areas
John H. Stout
John H. Stout
 
jstout@fredlaw.com
p: 612.492.7012
Open vCard
f: 612.492.7077
Printable Bio
 
Assistants: Kristi Marchessault, Sue Lach 612.492.7518, 612.492.7813
MEET JOHN.
MEET JOHN

“
I love high energy clients who know it’s not a 9-to-5 world.”
Corporate Governance Bio Entertainment Bio
 

Entertainment Bio

Introduction - Entertainment Bio

John is a shareholder of Fredrikson & Byron, whose practice includes advertising, media, sports, and entertainment law; corporate and partnership governance; organization; and finance. John co-chairs the firm’s Media, Entertainment and Sports Group.

John’s work includes a variety of financings of film, multi-media, communications, video and music projects, and other ventures.

John’s initial feature film representation was Jonathan Livingston Seagull. Since then he has worked on the financing of more than 70 independent feature films. He co-founded New Front Films, which produced Northern Lights, Wildrose, Signal 7, On the Edge, Heat and Sunlight, and A Matter of Degrees. John assisted American Playhouse, New York, in its efforts to raise private equity to finance feature film production. Most recently he has been legal counsel to the private equity investors in, and a Co-Executive Producer of, the Robert Altman/Garrison Keillor film, “A Prairie Home Companion.”

In addition, John has an Associate Producer credit for Wildrose and Executive Producer credits for On the Edge, Bill’s Gunshop, and SAMT (the first feature film originated in Jordan). He represents Best Brains, the producer of the much heralded “Mystery Science Theater 3000,” as well as a variety of film and video producers, directors, writers, composers, and software developers. John co-founded the Minnesota Motion Picture and Television Board in 1981 and continues to volunteer substantial time and energy to the growth and development of the film and television industries in Minnesota.

John periodically writes and speaks on feature film production and financing.

Education

  • University of Michigan Law School, J.D., 1967
  • Carleton College, B.A., 1962

Bar Admissions

  • Minnesota, 1967

Practice Areas

Representative Experience

  • Project organization and financing
  • Writers’, producers’ and directors’ contracts
  • Production services agreements
  • Cable TV programmer contracts
  • Rights and territorial pre-sale agreements
  • Copyright and trademark protection
  • Talent and production negotiations and contracts
  • Agent agreements
  • Endorsement contracts
  • Insurance matters
  • Tax Planning
  • Organization of artists’ and athletes’ loan-out corporations
  • Location agreements
  • Recording contracts
  • Music rights and soundtrack contracts
  • Domestic and foreign licensing and distribution agreements
  • E-commerce content licensing agreements

Professional Activities

  • American Bar Association, Committee on Corporate Governance, Business Law Section (Chair); Sub-Committee on International Governance Developments (Co-Chair); Sub-Committee on Director and Officer Insurance (Co-Chair); Committee on Non Profit Governance (Co-Chair); Task Force on Director and Officer Liability
  • Minnesota State Bar Association (member)
  • Hennepin County Bar Association (member)
  • National Association of Corporate Directors (past member, Board of Directors); Director and Chair, Minnesota Chapter
  • National Association of Corporate Directors Blue Ribbon Commissions on Risk Governance, Board Leadership and Director Professionalism
  • National Association of Corporate Directors Best Practices Council on Preventing and Detecting Fraud and Other Illegal Activities
  • Malaysian Alliance of Corporate Directors (MACD) (Advisory Board member)
  • Adjunct Professor, Corporate Governance, University of St. Thomas Law School, University of St. Thomas Opus School of Business

Honors & Distinctions

  • 2009 Twin Cities International Citizens Award, International Leadership Institute, April 2009
  • Champion of the Year Award, Metropolitan Economic Development Association Annual Meeting, June 2006
  • 2005 Pro Bono Distinguished Service Award, Fredrikson & Byron, September 2005
  • Lifetime Achievement Award, Milestone Growth Fund, May 2005
  • Super Lawyer – International transactions, arts and entertainment, sports, e-commerce, securities & ventures finance, mergers and acquisitions, Law & Politics Magazine, Twin Cities Business Monthly, 1998-2006
  • Business Journal’s Minority Business Advocate of the Year, June 2003
  • American Bar Association Section of Business Law 1997 Public Service Award, March 1997
  • Distinguished Legal Service Award, Corporate Legal Times, September 1997
  • Lifetime Achievement Award, Metropolitan Economic Development Association, May 1997
  • Carleton College Award for Distinguished Achievement, June 1992

Community Involvement

  • Metropolitan Economic Development Association (co-founder, Director, past Chair, and Secretary)
  • Milestone Growth Fund (co-founder, Director, Chair, and Secretary)
  • Minnesota Film Board (co-founder, Director, and past Chair)
  • Learning Through Music Consulting Group (co-founder, Director, and Chair)
  • Center for International Private Enterprise (Director and Member of Executive Committee)
  • Carleton College (past member, Board of Trustees)