Danielle Falls

Danielle Falls is the Founder and Managing Partner of Falls Counsel.

Danielle Falls is the Founding Partner of Falls Counsel, a modern transactional law firm serving clients at the intersection of culture and commerce. She advises companies across a wide range of industries, including cosmetics, lifestyle and wellness, fine art, media and entertainment, and serves as outside counsel to emerging and growth-stage businesses. Her counsel spans business strategy, corporate transactions, regulatory compliance, and risk management.

Prior to founding Falls Counsel, Danielle was Managing Partner of First Gen Law, where she led the firm’s expansion into the consumer, media, and creative sectors. She has previously practiced at boutique and large law firms, including Smith Entertainment Law Group and Jayaram Law.  Danielle began her career as a litigator in the IP/Media and Data Privacy groups at Weil, Gotshal & Manges LLP.

Danielle’s practice is rooted in helping clients understand and leverage their First Amendment and fair use rights. She regularly advises creators, brands, and media companies on content development, rights and clearance, pre-publication review, and overall risk tolerance. She also negotiates and structures a broad range of commercial deals, including celebrity and influencer agreements, licensing and distribution, branded content and production deals.

In addition to her work on content and transactions, Danielle counsels clients on intellectual property strategy—helping to build and protect brands through portfolio management, acquisitions, valuation, and enforcement.

Danielle began her legal career litigating complex IP and media disputes, representing major broadcasting and music clients such as SiriusXM and Pandora before the Copyright Royalty Board, and defending Getty Images in high-profile copyright actions. Her pro bono work has included advising the Public Art Fund and litigating civil rights cases involving constitutional freedoms.

Before and during law school, Danielle worked at NBCUniversal on production legal matters and regulatory compliance involving the FTC, FCC, and privacy issues. She is admitted to practice in New York.

Education

• Fordham University School of Law, Evening Division (J.D., 2018); Concentration in information technology, privacy and intellectual property law

• Associate Editor, Fordham Intellectual Property, Media & Entertainment Law Journal 

• Program Coordinator, Hansen Intellectual Property Institute

• Privacy Educator, Center on Law and Information Policy Privacy Educator Program, 2016, 2017

• New York University (B.F.A, 2013)

Bar Admissions

• New York

• U.S. Supreme Court

Accolades and Recognition

• Weil, Gotshal & Manges Pro Bono Excellence Award (2019, 2020)

Speaking Engagements

• Guest Lecturer, Business Structure of the Music Industry, New York University, Fall 2024

• Guest Lecturer, Copyright Law for Artists, The Bronx Museum of the Arts 2024 AIM Programme

• Adjunct, First Amendment and the Evolution of Media, Fordham University School of Law, Spring 2024

• Panelist, Investors Pour into Women VC Funds Even as Markets Cool, SxSW 2023 Grit Daily House

• Panelist, Legal Issues in Unscripted TV and Clearances, 34th Annual North American Entertainment, Sports and IP Summit, 2022

• Guest Lecturer, First Amendment and the Evolution of Media, Fordham University School of Law, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023

• Panelist, Navigating Digital Content Deals for Film, Television and MORE, 29th Annual

• Cutting Edge Entertainment Law Seminar, 2021

News and Press

• Artnet News quotes Danielle Falls on U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Warhol Foundation v. Goldsmith and its implications on the future of Copyright law. View Article.

• First Gen Law welcome’s new Partner, Danielle Falls in 2023. View Article.

Publications

• Sound Policy and Practice in Applying Doctrines of Secondary Liability Under Copyright and Trademark Law to Online Trading Platforms: A Case Study, Wolters Kluwer Intellectual Property & Technology Law Journal, Vol. 32, Jan. 2020

• Supreme Court Resolves Two Copyright Splits, J.D. Supra, March 2019

• Will Re-Done, PAJ Journal, Vol. 36, Jan. 2014

← Back to Team