Of Law Honoree Kenneth Kleinberg Drives Kidney Research Org by Malina Saval
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ACHIEVEMENT: LEGAL IMPACT REPORT Legal Eagle Uses Showbiz Ties to Save Lives Variety’s first Power of Law honoree Kenneth Kleinberg drives kidney research org By Malina Saval PHOTOGRAPHS BY JESSICA CHOU 63 ACHIEVEMENT: LEGAL IMPACT REPORT KLEINBERG’S STELLAR CAREER enneth Kleinberg of Kleinberg Lange Cuddy & Carlo is one of the most renowned Kentertainment attorneys in Hollywood, working with long-time clients such as J.K. Rowling, Jack Nicholson, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Toby Keith, legendary animator Glen Keane, Douglas Trumbull and directors Alejandro Amenabar and Claude Lelouch. Following are some of his recent career highlights. Harry Potter Theme George Orwell’s Park Attractions “1984” Together with J.K. Kleinberg is Rowling’s London representing Gina agent Neil Blair, Rosenblum in her deal Kleinberg provided to produce a remake advice and counsel of George Orwell’s to Rowling regarding “1984.” transactions in which some of the Peter Cetera Harry Potter theme Kleinberg has park attractions at represented singer- Universal Studios songwriter Peter Orlando were licensed Cetera (former lead via Warner Bros. singer of Chicago) for replication at since 1973, and is Universal Studios handling a variety Hollywood and at of active projects a new theme park for him, including being constructed by music publishing Universal in Beijing. administration, N 1999, PROMINENT Hollywood “They got my kidneys working again DREAM TEAM recording and touring. entertainment attorney Kenneth and I went about my life and it was all Kleinberg and Jagged Films Kleinberg, founding partner at like this horrible dream,” Kleinberg says. UKRO doctors Kleinberg represents “Regression” Nuria M. Pastor- Kleinberg Lange Cuddy & Carlo, But almost one year later, as often hap- Jagged Films, Mick Kleinberg represented Soler, Kenneth R. Jagger and Victoria Alejandro Amenabar awoke in his hotel room in the South pens with kidney disease, Kleinberg was Hallows and Vito Pearman (producers) and Fernando of France, where he was traveling on again stricken, this time with focal seg- I M. Campese and negotiated their Bovaira in the business, and noticed that his legs were mental glomerulosclerosis, a far more deal with HBO and development and badly swollen. serious malady and a leading cause of Martin Scorsese for production of their “I was there for four days and every renal failure in adults. the TV series “Vinyl.” new independent day it seemed worse,” says Kleinberg, “I kept thinking, ‘Oh my God, this is film “Regression,” a who represents some of the most notable the year 2000 — medicine should have Thunder Agency Canadian-Spanish co- names in the biz, including Jack Nichol- the answer to practically everything,’ ” Kleinberg represents production starring son, Mick Jagger and J.K. Rowling. says Kleinberg, who spent an addition- Thunder Agency LLC, Ethan Hawke and “I hopped on a plane and went to al 13 weeks clinging to life in the hospital which is producing a Emma Watson that see my regular doctor at Cedars-Sinai, and another six on dialysis before receiv- The Kidney superhero franchise was released in the based on the comic U.S. by the Weinstein who then sent me to see a nephrologist. ing a kidney transplant in 2007. “I start- Crisis in series “Thunder.” Co. and worldwide I called someone I knew at Keck Medi- ed to talk to Dr. Campese about the state America Kidney disease is a through FilmNation. cine of USC and he said, ‘You have to go of research on kidney disease and, to my devastating malady see Dr. Campese.’ At that point I think I surprise, I came to learn that there was that affects roughly 10% of Americans. had 50 pounds of fluid on me. I was like no significant research center in kidney one of those toys where you put the gar- disease in Los Angeles County.” 26 den hose in and fill it up with water and According to Campese, about 10% of m Approximate number punch it. Dr. Campese examined me and Americans — up to 26 million individuals of Americans stricken he said, ‘I don’t care where you go — you — suffer from chronic kidney disease, and with kidney disease can go back to Cedars, you can go here — most of those people will remain asymp- but you have to be in the hospital today.’ ” tomatic until the disease progresses to the $80b Diagnosed with a kidney disorder point of kidney failure. Approximate amount the U.S. Government called minimal change disease, Klein- “One out of nine or 10 people in this spends on treating berg, Variety’s 2016 Power of Law honor- country that have kidney disease don’t individuals with kid- ee, spent five weeks at Keck Medicine of know that they have it,” Campese says. ney disease USC under the care of Dr. Vito M. Camp- More alarming, the median survival of ese, chief of the division of nephrology a patient on dialysis is approximately five $3.5m Amount UKRO has at Keck School of Medicine. There was years, which is comparable to the surviv- pledged thus far to no known cause of the disease and treat- al rate of patients with metastatic lung support the estab- lishment of the BEWITCHED ment — dialysis primarily — was less cancer. USC/UKRO Kidney Kleinberg repped Rowling in than ideal. And yet, despite its prevalence and Research Center the Harry Potter Universal Studios deal. MICHAEL BUCKNER/VARIETY/SHUTTERSTOCK POTTER: HARRY 64 WE CONGRATULATE OUR PARTNERS KEN KLEINBERG INAUGURAL “POWER OF LAW” HONOREE WE ARE PROUD OF KEN’S INVALUABLE LEADERSHIP OF UNIVERSITY KIDNEY RESEARCH ORGANIZATION CHRISTINE CUDDY LEGAL IMPACT HONOREE WE COMMEND HER CONTINUED EXCELLENCE AND ACHIEVEMENTS ACHIEVEMENT: LEGAL IMPACT REPORT the fact that the American government suing their idea because after one or two “One of the other great accomplish- spends upward of $80 billion a year to years, they get tired. But (Ken) has been a ments of UKRO is that the profile of kid- treat kidney disease in patients, only a workhorse and he keeps going. The goal ney doctors has risen,” adds Pastor-Soler. tiny fraction of that amount is allocated is to make this the best center in kidney “One of the big problems for the general for research. research on the West Coast.” U.S. population is that there’s a shortage Unlike high-profile maladies like can- President and chairman of UKRO of kidney doctors and a shortage of kid- cer and AIDS, with celebrity spokespeo- respectively, Kleinberg and Campese have ney providers. Nobody wants to become a ple and flashy campaigns, kidney disease recruited a team of advisers and research- kidney doctor, but with the support of the remains grossly underfunded and under- ers, including Dr. Kenneth R. Hallows, UKRO that is starting to change. ” served in the media. director, USC/UKRO Kidney Research For Kleinberg, involved in myriad pro In 2002, determined to raise awareness Center, and chief, division of nephrolo- bono activities — for several years he was of kidney disease and initiate a collective gy and hypertension, USC Keck School of active in the L.A. chapter of the NAACP push for renal research, Kleinberg elic- Medicine, and Dr. Nuria M. Pastor-Sol- Legal Defense and Education Fund and ited the help of Campese and established er, faculty research, USC/UKRO Kidney has been a trustee of the California Sci- University Kidney Research Organiza- Research Center. Until her death in 2015, ence Center in Exposition Park since 2014 tion, a nonprofit whose mission is to raise singer Natalie Cole, who also underwent a — his nearly five-decade-long career as funds to support kidney disease research. kidney transplant, sat on the UKRO board a lawyer continues to be “stimulating” In 2012 UKRO and Keck School of Medi- of directors. and “allow (him) the opportunity to be cine of USC announced their agreement Per Kleinberg, in part due to the creative,” but it’s through his work with to jointly establish the USC/UKRO Kidney emphasis that UKRO has placed on UKRO that he cultivates deeper meaning. Research Center. research, the number of successful kidney “I’m very acutely aware of the fact Efforts are underway to raise the esti- transplants at USC Keck over a roughly that I am alive because of all this research mated $35 million-$50 million needed to nine-year period rose from around 40 to that preceded me,” says Kleinberg. complete the project (UKRO has made an 158 in 2015. I’m very actuely “Now I want to develop a Hollywood initial $3.5 million pledge to support the “Having philanthropy and support aware of the fact entertainment industry committee in that I am alive establishment of the KRC). for the UKRO is critical to make sure the because of all support of kidney disease as a national “Ken is astonishingly persevering in researchers have the freedom to pursue this research that medical priority so that everybody in this endeavor,” Campese says. “I rarely innovative novel ideas that may move the preceded me.” the world can live a better life — happier find people that are so persevering in pur- field forward,” Hallows says. Kenneth Kleinberg and healthier.” CONGRATULATIONS KEN FROM ALL YOUR FRIENDS AT 66 CONGRATULATIONS Alan Epstein & Michele Mulrooney on being recognized in Variety’s 2016 Legal Impact Report Trusted Advisors to the Entertainment Industry 2049 Century Park East Suite 2100 Los Angeles, CA 90067 310.229.9900 | www.venable.com Photo by Renee Bowen ACHIEVEMENT: LEGAL IMPACT REPORT Hollywood Attorneys Guide the Biz Defending high-profile clients in court, cutting deals for corporate mergers, and shaping multimillion-dollar pre-nups is all in a day's work for these pros ON A HANDSHAKE Tom Hanks, right, plays a principled lawyer in “Bridge of Spies.” CORPORATE: GABRIEL BRAKIN PETER BRODSKY SETH KRAUSS INHOUSE ATTORNEYS Exec VP, business and legal affairs, Exec VP, business & legal affairs, Chief legal officer, WME | IMG Participant Media Sony/ATV Music Publishing KERRY BROCKHAGE WASHINGTON U.