In the inimitable Law Law Land style (no, seriously, not capable of being imitated… I’ve tried), Brian Berman explores, from the perspective of California law, various issues about engaging actors who are minors: Hailee Steinfeld Owns Hollywood…But Who Owns Hailee Steinfeld?
Contracting with minors often exposes one of the larger gaps between Canadian and US entertainment law practice: US producers and lawyers are sometimes startled to learn that, at least in the Province of Ontario, no statute exists which creates a pre-determined process to have a court affirm that a contract entered into with a minor is enforceable (British Columbia, by contrast, does have such a statutory procedure in place). I canvassed the differences in the law and practice in California, New York, British Columbia and Ontario in my article “A Minor Conundrum: Contracting with Minors in Canada for Film and Television Producers”, originally published in 29 Hastings Comm. & Ent. L.J. 45 (2006-2007), and a copy of which is available here.
