[anigbrowl]

Definitely true. And showbiz negotiation is very much about strategy and chutzpah rather than pure legal acuity - I think the smartest minds go into business law or practice in fields like insurance.

But I do think entertainment lawyers are still very good at what they do. If you look at a popular reference like Mark Litwak's Dealmaking in the Film and Television Industry there's a heavy emphasis on taking the longest possible view because big openings and box office receipts are only tiny part of the overall revenue stream, and the real money is in syndication, foreign sales, merchandise etc. etc.