NYWIFT Blog

By Mary Skinner

Meet NYWIFT new member Cathy Perifimos!

Cathy is an entertainment attorney, Of Counsel at Thompson LLC, consulting with the firm on entertainment and media transactions. Previously, she was Vice President at Paramount Global, where she managed the business and legal affairs of Smithsonian Channel and worked on documentaries and unscripted projects across the MTV Entertainment Group brands.

Prior to joining Smithsonian Channel in 2014, Cathy was an Associate at the boutique entertainment law firm of Dembitzer & Dembitzer LLP. She was also an Associate Agent in the dramatic rights department of the Curtis Brown literary agency. She is a graduate of Barnard College and the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law. Cathy is a founding board member of Barnard Women in Entertainment, and at Cardozo is a member of the Filmmakers Legal Clinic Board and the FAME Advisory Board.

Cathy resides in New Jersey with her husband and their cat.

Recently, we asked Cathy about her impressive legal career in the entertainment industry.

NYWIFT Member Cathy Perfimos (Image Courtesy of Cathy Perfimos)

Welcome Cathy! What drew you to NYWIFT and how do you hope to benefit and participate? 

NYWIFT is THE place for successful women in entertainment to gather. When I started taking on private clients, I knew that it would be a crucial resource for me. I hope to be able to provide legal support and advice to my fellow members. I also love connecting people.  I have a lot of contacts after 15 years in the business and being married to a DP/camera operator, and I love to help creatives bring their passion projects to life. 

You’ve built a very successful career as an attorney in the entertainment industry. Can you tell us how you first got started in the field? 

When I first graduated law school, I had every intent of representing artists on the agency side and my first job was at a literary agency. However, after two years at the agency, I knew I needed to pursue law. I loved working at the agency, including reading books for a living, pitching these books for dramatic adaptations, and working with fellow “book people,” but I did start to feel like putting my legal acumen to good use.

At that point, I was lucky enough to find an online posting, and be hired for, an Associate position at a boutique entertainment law firm, Dembitzer & Dembtizer LLP. The work at the firm was varied and interesting and allowed me to work with impressive clients, with about half of my practice being in the film world and half being in television. 

What appeals to you most about working in entertainment? 

I love being a part of the zeitgeist, and it doesn’t hurt that people always want to talk to me at cocktail parties because of my work! I grew up with a father who is a musician and, so, I was always surrounded by artists. I have always had a reverence for creativity and an understanding of how difficult it can be to succeed in this business, and I think it’s an honor to be a small part of the process of getting great, entertaining content out to its audience. 

What do you think it takes to excel as an attorney in the industry? 

Grit. It’s a crowded field, so you can’t be afraid to hustle and to advocate for yourself. Moreover, although there are plenty of attorneys, I’ve found that there are also so many who don’t understand how to relate to their clients and the importance of bedside manner.

To be a good attorney you must be thorough, sharp, and zealous, but you must also develop human connections with your clients, your colleagues and with opposing counsel. My ability to bring empathy and humor to my job has probably been the single most important attribute to my success. 

What do you think of as the highlights of your professional career? 

When I first started at the literary agency, I discovered that one of the world’s most famous bands was infringing on the copyright of one of our clients, and I negotiated for a much larger settlement than anyone expected. I think I was so green that I had no inhibitions and just really went for it. That was a proud moment and an instructive one, too.

Additionally, when I was promoted to run the Business & Legal Affairs department at Smithsonian Channel it was the proudest – and scariest – moment of my career. The first year I held that job, I worked non-stop to prove to my bosses that they had been right to put their trust in me. At the end of that year, when I really hit my stride, I looked back and was proud that I had done well and had overcome so much of my imposter syndrome. 

You spent many years working with the Smithsonian Channel. What were some of the challenges and rewards of working with the preeminent network? 

I loved working at Smithsonian Channel for many reasons, not least of which was the honor of being able to help spread the values and venerable history of the Smithsonian Institution brand. But that comes with a lot of pressures too. The network was constantly growing, evolving with the times, and that presented a lot of challenges along the way, but I’m so proud of what our team did to enhance the brand, produce excellent educational and entertaining content, and launch the channel internationally. 

How do you think the industry has changed in recent years and where do you think it’s going? 

From my perspective and my corner of the business, streaming has been the biggest change agent. The “streaming wars” and challenges that they have brought to the large media companies has been a significant driver of major mergers and acquisitions and the guild strikes, and, therefore, the overall entertainment economy

 A lot of people are out of work now because of the tumult in the business, but I’m hopeful that things will even out soon.

Over the last several years, too, the boundaries between entertainment and technology have become fuzzier and I am excited to see all the new opportunities that arise as a result of the overlap between these two, previously distinct, industries. 

Learn more about Cathy Perfimos’ work at https://www.thomplegal.com/team/cathy-perifimos, and connect with her on LinkedIn.