Michael Eisner, the former CEO of Disney, is scheduled to speak tonight at the UCLA School of Law on the future of intellectual property and entertainment law.
The talk, titled “Creativity in a Box,” is part of Eisner’s weeklong visit to UCLA as a regents guest lecturer, said Michael Schill, dean of the law school. Regents lecturers are distinguished leaders from non-academic fields who are nominated by an academic department in order to enrich the program, Schill said.
“We are fortunate to have Eisner as a regents lecturer because he is a legendary figure in business and entertainment, which are two areas where our law school is among the nation’s best,” he added.
Eisner worked at ABC and Paramount before running Disney for 21 years. Under his leadership, Disney’s net worth was raised from $3 billion to $60 billion, according to a press release issued by the UCLA law school.
Currently, Eisner hosts the CNBC show “Conversations with Michael Eisner,” which features interviews with prominent business leaders.
Since leaving Disney, Eisner has been involved in investing through his firm the Torante Group. Eisner made headlines Monday when the Torante Group attempted to buy out sports trading cards-maker Topps Co. for $385 million. Topps director Arnaud Ajdler said the offer did not value the company highly enough.
Throughout his weeklong visit, Eisner will dine with law faculty and guest-teach classes related to entertainment law, Schill said. The talk tonight is a public event open to all students and faculty.
As of Tuesday night, Eisner has guest lectured one class taught by David Ginsburg, director of the law school’s entertainment media program.
Ginsburg said he started by asking Eisner survey questions about entertainment law practice and then let his students participate in the discussion.
“It was an extraordinary and rare opportunity to interact with one of the most important individuals who has ever served as an executive in the entertainment industry,” Ginsburg said.
“He’s certainly on everybody’s list of among, if not the most, influential people in the industry.”
Later in the week, Eisner will have lunch with students and guest lecture at a second law class.
Megan Kayo, a second-year history and philosophy student, said she is looking forward to the Eisner visit because she is a fan of Disney, though she also noted his conflicts with the company.
“I know Eisner (experienced) a lot of trouble when he was there,” Kayo said.
In 2004, Eisner was ousted as CEO of Disney after 43 percent of shareholders voted against his re-election to the board of directors. Other students expressed interest in Eisner’s visit because of well-known Disney productions released during his watch.
“When I think of Eisner, I think of “˜Pirates of the Caribbean,'” said Colin Carey, a fifth-year history and political science student in reference to the 2003 Disney film.
With reports from Bruin wire services.