Gerald A. Margolis, 1943 - 2008
LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

One of the country's most prominent legal minds, Gerald A. Margolis, passed away the morning of September 15, 2008 from complications relating to pneumonia. For the past six years Margolis courageously fought a debilitating illness that ravaged him physically, while never losing his dignity, optimism or humor. Throughout his battle, Margolis' intellectual capabilities never waned, and he continued to practice law, counsel, strategize, and advise at the highest levels of the legal profession until his untimely death. Margolis' passing is a tremendous loss to the entertainment industry, to which he made important contributions.

An ardent defender of the First Amendment during his thirty year career in law, Margolis' outstanding accomplishments as a trial lawyer and a partner at Manatt, Phelps and Phillips, LLP include numerous successfully-tried high-profile cases such as Hulex Music, et al, v. Columbia Pictures, et al in which the plaintiff contended the main title theme from the theatrical motion picture “Ghostbusters” was deliberately copied from the song “I Want a New Drug” by Huey Lewis and the News, and Rege v. Williams, where Margolis successfully defended his long-time client and friend Robin Williams in a product disparagement action brought against the comedian. Margolis also served as counsel to recording artist R. Kelly and successfully defended Mick Jagger and Keith Richards in a case alleging copyright infringement by Jagger/Richards relating to a song entitled “Saint of Me.”

A true renaissance man, Margolis was also unique to the profession. Unlike most lawyers, who focus on a single area of the law in this era of specialization, Margolis excelled at both litigation and transactional work, in both music and film. A graduate of Harvard University and Fordham Law School, Margolis is a former faculty member of the U.S.C. Law School Entertainment Law Symposium and lecturer with the Practicing Law Institute. He also was named as part of The Best Lawyers in America from 2005-2008.

Beyond his work in the courtroom, Margolis was a great athlete, an avid surfer in his day, a lover of the arts, and most importantly, a loving father and husband.

Margolis is survived by his wife Cyndi, daughter Jacey, brother Jeffrey and sister Sara. Margolis will be cremated and his ashes spread at New York's Jones Beach, where he was head lifeguard for many years, as well as at Southern California's Manhattan Beach.

The family will hold a Memorial Service on Monday, October 6th at 11:00am at Fox Studios’ Darryl F. Zanuck Theater. Guests are asked to use the Galaxy Parking structure.

The family has requested contributions in memory of Gerald A. Margolis be made to the Challenged Athlete's Foundation.

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