Ellen Courtney
PARALEGAL | COMMUNICATIONS | DIGITAL MEDIA
Education: Harvard University; ALB Literature & Legal Studies 3.9 / Civil Law, Criminal Law
Combining my passion for law with a background in media, technology, and communications; I bring a forward-thinking approach to casework.
In 2020, amid lock down, I shifted my focus to Legal Studies at Harvard University after a successful decade-long career building digital departments for major companies like BuzzFeed and Madison Square Garden Entertainment, where I oversaw their Fortune 500 partnership content. — My expertise in the digital landscape equips me with valuable tools in the evolving practice of law. Further, my work as a published journalist covering a wide range of topics, including crime, aids in my familiarity with storytelling, research and writing. My interests are in the areas of civil and criminal law.
Resume
Nicholas Goodman & Associates, PLLC
2024 -2025
Litigation Paralegal
Civil litigation, from pleadings to appeals, in the state and federal courts sitting in the New York City metropolitan area.
Assisting with legal research, discovery, and e-discovery. Client intake background and interviews. Reading and analyzing cases. Writing and editing motions, oppositions and letters. Attending hearings and hearing summaries.
Using: WestLaw, TimeSolv, Microsoft Office
Administrative work as needed.
2017 - 2020
Director, Production Operations (NY & LA)
Built in-house production and tech operations from the ground up. Grew staff from a team of 3 to 57 on both coasts. Established the tech and equipment cages. Liaison with Data Science team on metrics and predictability to inform monetized content and budget allocation for digital development. Liaison with Hollywood sound stage crew. Production lead on partnerships with Samsung, YouTube, FaceBook Watch / Meta, Amazon short-form and branded promos. Director of the casting department from 2018 - 2020. Director of the NBC/Tasty Franchise from 2019-2020. Oversight of rights clearances, media rights, celebrity contracts, vendor contract negotiations, location permits and adherence to child performer labor laws on set. Nominated (lead producer) for Webby Awards and Shorty Awards.
BuzzFeed
2012 - 2017
Director, Digital Content
Oversight of all digital content, short form video content capture and production for MSG Entertainment, Knicks, Rangers, LA Forum and Radio City Music Hall. Oversight of rights clearances, media rights, celebrity contracts, vendor contract negotiations, and location permits. Writing, arranging and conducting celebrity interviews including Carmelo Anthony, Henrik Lundqvist, ASAP Rocky, Michael B. Jordan, Spike Lee, Billy Joel, Paramore, Ozzy Osbourne and The Avett Brothers (featured in Judd Apatow’s “Will It Last” for HBO). Built first monetized content sales team “menu” for fortune 500 partners including Chase and Delta. Created and produced the short form docuseries with dedicated website “Before The Show” for Coca-Cola and MSG Entertainment and The Azoff Company, renewed for three seasons.
Director, Creative Services / Re Branding MSG 2014 Arena Renovation
Collaborated with BBB Architects and Daktronics on behalf of MSG to oversee aesthetics and brand integration into the 2011 - 2014 arena renovation. Brand displays for signature partners including Chase, Lexus and Delta. Produced archival displays, in conjunction with with MSG archives, and the Elvis, Sinatra, Monroe, Kennedy estates re media rights for artifacts and audio. Nominated for lobby brand integration on state-of-the-art LED displays as creative director for a Clio Award. Selected and managed all signage, metalwork, 3-D CGI animators and design vendors, budgets and contracts.
Madison Square Garden Company
Freelance & Contract Work / Other
2012 - 2024
Freelance Journalist 2022 - Present: Crime, Art Market, Opinion and Profiles. Published in The Art Newspaper (US/UK), WhiteHot Magazine
Marketing Strategy / Digital Consultant / Executive Presentations: Spectrum, Charter, Viacom, Resonance (Tech Start-Up), Atlantic Records/WMG
Advisory Board: Advanced Imaging Society, LA (2011 - 2014) / Infinity Festival Hollywood: AR / VR / AEI / AI (2018-2020)
Software Development; User Interface Consultant; Adobe InDesign 3.0
Applications
Adobe CS (all Adobe software)
CAD (basic)
Canva
Lexis Nexis
Microsoft Office
Pacer
Westlaw
E - Discovery
E - Filing
Emails & calendars
Journalism
Legal Research
Legal Writing
On and off camera interviews
Presentations (court & executive)
Skills
Award Nominations
Shorty Award 2018 ; BuzzFeed x Samsung
AdWeek Social Impact 2018; BuzzFeed x Samsung
Webby Award 2018; BuzzFeed Series
Clio Award 2014; MSG Renovation; Chase Lobby
Lecturer
Bloomberg Philanthropies, NYC (Internal) Going Viral: Digital Storytelling (2018)
School of Visual Arts, NYC, Finding Your Career in Media (2013)
Languages
English (Fluent)
French (Int. Read/Write)
HTML (Basic)
Java (Basic)
Python (Basic)
