Bernard H. Coleman Jr.

Mr. Coleman serves as Special Counsel at Townsend & Lockett. His practice includes serving as a trusted advisor to entrepreneurs, emerging companies, entertainers, professional athletes, lenders and investors.

In his over 25 years of practice (including 17 years as an Associate and Partner with some of America’s top law firms), Mr. Coleman developed deep and broad experience in working with clients in a variety of industries, including technology, financial services, manufacturing and distribution, franchising, personal care, entertainment, sports and hospitality. His practice includes decades of representing entrepreneurs, large companies and emerging companies in negotiating complex business agreements of all types, including stock and asset purchase agreements, license agreements, operating agreements, supplier and distribution agreements, revenue share agreements, loan agreements, stockholder agreements, founder agreements, equity grant agreements, employment agreements and consulting agreements. Mr. Coleman is a seasoned deal lawyer, closing many multi-million dollar transactions in the areas of mergers & acquisitions, asset-back credit facilities, partnerships and joint ventures and securities offerings.

In 2009, Mr. Coleman leveraged his corporate legal experience to create and lead a Sports & Entertainment Group at one of Atlanta’s largest law firms. He has counseled such sports icons as Dominique Wilkins, Evander Holyfield, Roddy White, Paul Byrd and many others through the development of joint ventures, endorsement deals and other business transactions. His passion for sports comes from his father (who was drafted to the New England Patriots in the early ‘70s) and his own NFL aspirations as a college athlete until a career-ending knee injury changed his life.

Mr. Coleman also has a passion for music and a keen interest in the business of entertainment. He has represented recording artists, content creators, record labels and media companies in contract negotiations of entertainment contracts of all kinds. These contracts have ranged from exclusive recording contracts for record labels and recording artists to co-producer agreements for film and television projects.