Chris Drews is a highly experienced technology, licensing, Web3, and general practice transactional attorney located in Santa Monica, California.
Chris served as a long-time senior executive at The Walt Disney Company and has recently been focused on developing Web3 initiatives. Chris currently serves as General Counsel to several burgeoning technology and new media companies, including financial media leader, Real Vision, and the innovative streaming TV ad marketplace, OrkaTV. Other anchor clients include Meta/Facebook (virtual reality labs) and HelloFresh, the home delivery meal kit giant.
Having served on the client side of the profession for most of his career, Chris uniquely understands the legal needs and budgetary pressures facing growing companies. Accordingly, Chris brings a very practical, business-first approach to his legal services by cutting through the unnecessary bureaucracy and over-lawyering that frequently burdens complex transactions, and delivers superior results with cost efficiency.
Chris’s Fractional General Counsel approach has proven ideal for companies that require reasonably priced, senior-level legal services and experienced strategic business advice, but do not have the daily need to justify fulltime senior CLO overhead expenses.
Background: As Deputy Chief Counsel of The Walt Disney Company, Chris managed all Legal and Business Affairs for Disney’s interactive and new media businesses, including, Disney Interactive (video games), Maker Studios (MCN/Influencer Networks), Playdom (Social Gaming), Club Penguin (Kids Virtual Worlds), and Connected Devices (IoT), among others. Chris is a twenty-five+ year veteran in the legal world of technology transactions, video games, Web3.0, licensing, SaaS, production, influencer, short form content, AR/VR, advertising, patent, trademark, copyright, regulatory compliance, COPPA, GDPR, CCPA, privacy, M&A, employment, product development & global launch, etc. Finally, Chris is also thrilled to serve as a longtime legal instructor and Tech Law course developer for AltaClaro, the innovative experiential training solution for lawyers and law students.