Laurence Benhamou
Attorney-at-law (Paris, California)
Representative for Authors and Artists
Council Laurence Benhamou is admitted to the Paris and California State Bars.
She has been practicing for over twenty years in the fields of entertainment and media law, intellectual property, and strategic support for creators, artists, and entrepreneurs. She is also a Registered Representative for Authors and Artists.
Her work focuses on negotiating, structuring, and securing projects in the areas of film, music, publishing, and new technologies.
Fields of Expertise
Film, series, music, arts, copyrights, trademark law, publishing, events, sponsorship, partnerships, new technologies, start-ups, business creation, A.I. (artificial intelligence.)
Territorial Expertise
France – Europe – California – United States
​
BIO
From her earliest fascination with cinema, Laurence Benhamou knew she would build a career at the intersection of law and creation. Today, she is an attorney licensed to practice in California (2001) and in France (2005), with areas of practice in entertainment law (film, TV, music) and intellectual property. She is also a Registered Representative for Authors and Artists.
Her practice covers both the entertainment industry and the entrepreneurial world. She counsels creators and producers at all stages of a project’s life cycle, from development to distribution, with a strong commitment to creative integrity. She also advises entrepreneurs and companies on strategic and legal matters relating to the development and protection of their ventures.
Her career began in Los Angeles, where she first worked at Columbia TriStar, before joining the Business and Legal Affairs departments of Mandalay Pictures and DreamWorks. She later joined the Media, IP/IT department of the law firm Paul Hastings in Paris, before founding her own practice in 2006.
She provides legal counsel on project structuring, transactional work, and regulatory compliance across both European and U.S. jurisdictions.
For more than ten years, she has been teaching entertainment law and intellectual property law at universities and film schools. She is dedicated to helping emerging professionals understand the legal and contractual foundations of the entertainment industry and creative expression.
She holds a Master’s degree in Business Law from Paris X-Nanterre University and a Master’s in Management (MBA) from Paris IX-Dauphine University. She also completed advanced studies in Filmmaking and Film Production at UCLA Ext. Film School, and later graduated from UCLA School of Law with a Master’s degree (LL.M.) in American Law, focusing her thesis on the protection of filmmakers’ moral rights in entertainment agreements.
In addition to her legal and academic work, she is a certified yoga and meditation teacher. It shapes her professional approach with presence, discernment, and a steady commitment to thoughtful legal counsel.
EDUCATION
Master’s Degree in law - major in Business Law from University of Paris X-Nanterre, France
Master’s Degree in business - MBA -major in International Business Law from University of Paris IX- Dauphine, Paris, France
Degree in Film & TV studies - from UCLA Extension Film School, Los Angeles, California.
Master’s Degree in law - LL.M.- major in American Law from UCLA School of Law, Los Angeles, California.
Licensed to practice in:
Paris, France (2005)
California, USA (2001)
Arizona, USA (2001 - inactive)
Admitted as Foreign Attorney in Israel (2015).