What Lawyers and Agents Worry About on Behalf of Writer/Author Clients

Attorney Alan Neigher, an experienced Communications and Copyright Law, Entertainment, and General Civil Practice attorney, and Coleen O'Shea from the Allen O'Shea Literary Agency, will give an overview of what lawyers and agents worry about.  Attorney Neigher will address the legal aspects for writers and authors, and Ms. O'Shea will cover contract business issues which include making a deal (auctions), advances, royalties, commission, and options, and also exploiting rights across platforms and retained rights. She will also talk about how agencies work to develop proposals, build author platforms and how the agency helps authors and publishers work together successfully to meet (and hopefully exceed or manage) expectations. 

Alan Neigher has been a principal in the Westport firm of Byelas & Neigher since 1980.  He has represented authors and screenwriters throughout his legal career.  A graduate of Colby College and Boston College Law School, he specializes in media, entertainment, intellectual property and trade regulation law.  His media clients include daily and weekly newspapers, broadcast facilities, film production companies, publishers, and performing talent.  He defends libel, privacy, copyright and tort claims on behalf of several insurance carriers. He has represented numerous media organizations in access, FOIA and newsroom subpoenas cases.  Mr. Neigher served from 1992-1995 as Vice Chair of the Connecticut Film Commission.  He was President of the Board of Directors of the Fairfield Theatre Company upon its opening in 2004.  He is a member of the Connecticut Law Tribune’s Editorial Board and with his associate, Sheryle Levine, is a contributing writer on art and media law for Venue Magazine.

Coleen O’Shea is an experienced publishing executive and a partner in the Allen OShea Literary Agency which she co-founded with fellow publishing executive Marilyn Allen. Among her clients are  best-selling author Ann Louise Gittleman, PhD, CNS, (The Fat Flush Plan, plus other titles); many award-winning cookbook authors including John Barricelli (The Seasonal Baker andThe Sono Baking Company Cookbook), Michele Stuart (Perfect Pies), Marina Delio (The Yummy Mummy Kitchen Cookbook), and others; celebrity crafter Stephen Brown of Glitterville.com (Handmade Halloween and Handmade Christmas); health and wellness authors including Dr. Jonny Bowden (Living Low Carb, The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth), Dr. Stephen Sinatra (with Dr. Jonny Bowden, The Great Cholesterol Myth), Dr. Matthew Edlund (The Power of Rest), Stacey Antine, MS RD of HealthBarn USA (Appetite for Life); lifestyle and special interest experts Marina Marchese and Kim Flottum (Honey) and Sal Gilbertie ((Herb Gardening From the Ground Up);  pop culture authors including Nikki Van Noy (New Kids on the Block, the authorized biography, So Much to Say, with the Dave Matthews Band); and memoirs such as Hong Konged by Paul Hanstedt.

Coleen works with select fiction authors including Bill Evans, Emmy Award-winning ABC-weatherman and New York Times bestselling author of weather disaster novels and nonfiction books for children (Category 7 and It’s Raining Fish and Spiders). Before becoming an agent, Coleen held a variety of editorial publishing jobs at HBJ/Jove, Avon, Dell, and Bantam Books, where she was executive editor. As an editor she acquired romances, mysteries, women’s fiction, health, wellness, cookbooks and lifestyle books. With her partner at her literary agency, Coleen wrote The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Book Proposals and Query Letters. She is a member of the Association of Authors’ Representatives and Women’s Media Group.  

While manuscripts will not be reviewed, attendees may bring a one-page overview of a project with an author profile and platform description.    

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