Skip to main content

Zachary Strebeck

  Save
Avvo Rating7.9
  • San Francisco, CA
  • Licensed for 7 years
  • Free consultation
See more San Francisco Intellectual Property lawyersSearch
AboutContactReviewsCost

About Zachary

Zachary Strebeck is a graduate of Pepperdine University School of Law, holding both J.D. and Masters of Dispute Resolution degrees. He has worked with crowdfunding startup Crowdfunder, film and television studio Lionsgate Entertainment, and film distribution house PorchLight Entertainment, as well as mediating in the Los Angeles County court system. He served as an associate producer and former guest on Entertainment Law Update, a podcast dedicated to legal happenings in the entertainment industry. Zachary is licensed to practice law in California.

 

A former animator and game designer, Zachary has focused his practice on helping game creators and entrepreneurs like himself realize their dreams by ensuring that their legal needs don’t get in the way of their creative endeavors.

 

Zachary is an avid video gamer and board game player. He plays classical guitar, and has studied various martial arts, including Jeet Kune Do, Wing Chun Kung Fu, and Filipino Kali.

Read More

Practice areas

OtherInternetTrademark applicationContracts and agreementsIntellectual property
  1. Intellectual property: 30%

  2. Contracts and agreements: 30%

  3. Trademark application: 20%

  4. Internet: 10%

  1. Licensing: 10%

Languages spoken

English

Photos and videos

4571533 1392016745

4571533 1392016763

Contact

2443 Fillmore St. #380-5561
San Francisco, CA, 94115

Resume

License
StateStatusAcquiredUpdated
CAActive201305/14/2021
We have not found any instances of professional misconduct for this lawyer.
Avvo Contributions
Legal answers61
Legal guides2
Awards
Award nameGrantorDate granted
CALI Excellence for the Future Award - Securities RegulationCenter for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction2012
CALI Excellence for the Future Award - Law and ReligionCenter for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction2012
Work Experience
TitleCompany nameDuration
AttorneyZachary C. Strebeck, Attorney at Law2013 - Present
Legal & Business Affairs InternLionsgate Films2013 - 2013
Legal & Business Affairs InternCrowdfunder2013 - 2013
Attorney, Legal Intern, Associate ProducerThe Law Offices of Gordon P. Firemark2012 - 2014
Legal & Business Affairs InternPorchLight Entertainment2011 - 2012
Associations
Association namePosition nameDuration
American Bar AssociationMember2013 - Present
Los Angeles County Bar AssociationMember2013 - Present
Publications
Publication nameTitleDate
The Kickstarter Lessons BlogEverything a Kickstarter Creator Needs to Know About Copyrights2015
Education
School nameDegreeGraduated
Pepperdine University School of LawJD - Juris Doctor2013
University of California - Los AngelesBA - Bachelor of Arts2010
The Art Institute of PhiladelphiaAssociate of Specialized Technology1998
Speaking Engagements
Conference nameTitleDate
GenConAvoiding Legal Pitfalls in Game Development2015

Reviews

(5)
5 Star
100%
4 Star
0%
3 Star
0%
2 Star
0%
1 Star
0%
Review Zachary Strebeck

Deep gaming legal subject matter expertise - 100% recommend

Posted by

A lot of game devs understand that when they hire an artist or a music composer they are hiring not just the individual, but also the accumulated expertise to create something that truly makes sense for their game. Somehow, this same logic typically gets thrown out of the window for legal needs and many game devs try to make do with the stock photo version of legal counsel. When we did our consultation with Zack we knew this is someone that understands game developer needs. Incorporation, business bank account credentials, work-for-hire contracts, non-disclosure agreements, beta user agreements, introduction to gaming CPAs – these are table stake expectations for a gaming lawyer and of course Zack delivered on those flawlessly. But it’s the subject matter relevant expertise that mattered more. Introductions to appropriate Microsoft Bizspark Indie Game Tech Evangelists and in-person presence and guidance at GDC are just two things we were pleasantly surprised to receive in our working relationship with Zack. It’s like he preemptively thinks through “if I were a game dev, what kind of things would I ask a gaming lawyer” and saves us from the don’t-know-what-we-don’t-know risk. So yes, we absolutely recommend Zack. We’re serious enough about our game to build innovative gameplay and commission original art and music – we wouldn’t be doing the rest of the game justice if we didn’t apply the same care to our legal needs.
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Hired attorney

Highly recommended for indie developers and freelancers.

Posted by

Having worked with and been disappointed by other "video game attorneys" in the past, I was extremely satisfied by my experience with Zack. After seeing his free e-book about game development law on Twitter, I contacted him for a free consultation and decided to have him write up an Independent Contractor Agreement for a new project I was taking on as a freelance artist. Zachary was approachable, completed the job in a timely manner, and always kept me updated. His rates were reasonable and affordable, even for smaller studios and independent contractors. Very much recommended!

Absolutely recommended!

Posted by

I contacted Zachary based on his Gamasutra article detailing the core contracts a game developer needs. I appreciated the value he provided there, and he got right back to me, which impressed me more. His replies were always quick and fully informative. I never felt like he was holding information back. His rates are totally fair and friendly to a smaller indie studio like ours. The contracts we needed were sent on time and included all items & terms discussed. Minor modifications were made quickly and with total satisfaction. We absolutely will use Zachary for all our future lawyerly needs. Highly recommended.

A gaming lawyer for non-video game designers

Posted by

I ran across Zachary on a website that typically caters to video game designers where he writes legal advice columns. I own a company that designs real-world urban street games for clients and needed to find a lawyer that could help me protect my IP as my business was taking off. Zach quickly understood which parts of my business needed to be protected and worked with me to get the ball rolling towards that end. He was prompt in replying to me and was always quickly available (even when he was on the other side of the planet!). I got plenty of updates on the progress of my trademark application, which was a great reassurance that everything was going as I understood it. I have more IP protection milestones in the near future of my company and I'll be calling Zach when those instances come up.

Great first experience (contract creation)

Posted by

I wasn't sure to expect when working with someone knew, but Zachary made the entire contract-creation process incredibly easy. I've selected 5 stars in all rating categories, and I sincerely mean every one of them.

Attorney endorsements

(9)
Are you an attorney? Endorse this lawyer

Sean Lynch, Intellectual property Attorney on Nov 2, 2016
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

Zach is a hard working attorney with excellent experience in intellectual property matters as they relate to things like video games and board games. I wouldn't hesitate to send my client to Zach, knowing they would be in competent hands.

Bretton Inganamort, Intellectual property Attorney on Jan 8, 2016
Relationship: Other

I endorse this lawyer. Attorney Strebeck's in-depth knowledge of Intellectual Property makes him a great asset to the field of law. Clients would be in good hands with Attorney Strebeck.

Gregory Kenyota, Intellectual property Attorney on Sep 13, 2015
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

I endorse this lawyer.

Andrew Shaw, Internet Attorney on Sep 9, 2015
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

Zach has demonstrated himself to be a capable and thoughtful attorney, and his clients are clearly well-represented.

Matthew Kreitzer, Intellectual property Attorney on Sep 9, 2015
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

Attorney Strebeck's online presence highlights his skill in providing clients with useful advice related to Copyright and Intellectual Property Law. He is an excellent choice for anyone seeking these services in California.

Joseph Simmons, Contracts and agreements Attorney on Sep 9, 2015
Relationship: Other

Mr. Strebeck is a fantastic attorney who has an eye for detail and the skill and intelligence necessary to achieve his clients' goals.

Stephen McArthur, Contracts and agreements Attorney on Sep 9, 2015
Relationship: Supervised lawyer

I've referred several game clients to Zach. He has done fantastic work for each of them and I have heard nothing but good things from the clients about his work. I have also personally reviewed his work product and have been impressed. Zach is a fine attorney who I strongly recommend to potential clients.

Kurt Elkins, Intellectual property Attorney on May 5, 2015
Relationship: Other

I endorse this lawyer. I have read many of the answers given by this attorney. I can say that the answers are well done and give solid advice.

Christian Lassen

Top-notch attorney. Highly respected in the legal community.

Cost

RATES
  • Hourly Rates$200-$250/hour
  • Free Consultation Some lawyers offer a free consultation to help determine whether their services are right for your legal needs
    30 minutes
PAYMENT METHODS

Credit Card