Charles Tolbert is an attorney, advisor, and board leader whose practice sits at the intersection of intellectual property, entertainment, business strategy, executive leadership, and the arts. Based in New York and New Jersey, he advises artists, authors, filmmakers, designers, entrepreneurs, nonprofit organizations, production companies, publishers, investors, and senior executives on complex legal, business, and governance matters.

For more than two decades, Tolbert has represented clients across the creative, cultural, educational, and corporate sectors, helping them develop, protect, finance, commercialize, and manage valuable intellectual property and business assets. His work encompasses copyright, trademark, licensing, publishing, film and television production, theatrical projects, executive employment and compensation arrangements, corporate governance, strategic partnerships, financing transactions, and commercial negotiations.

Tolbert has advised Pulitzer Prize-winning authors, and Academy Award-nominated filmmakers, GRAMMY, EMMY and Tony Award winners and nominees, production companies, publishers, designers, and entrepreneurs. He currently represents Dr. Edda L. Fields-Black, whose landmark work Combee: Harriet Tubman, the Combahee River Raid, and Black Freedom During the Civil War received the 2025 Pulitzer Prize in History. His entertainment and media work has included projects involving award-winning films, documentary productions, theatrical ventures, publishing initiatives, and intellectual property portfolios.

In addition to transactional and advisory work, Tolbert has represented clients in significant intellectual property and commercial disputes, including matters before federal courts such as the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York and the Central District of California. He has advised clients on copyright, trademark, unfair competition, licensing, ownership, and rights-enforcement issues involving some of the most valuable assets in the creative economy.

A significant portion of Tolbert's practice is devoted to advising founders, entrepreneurs, and senior executives. He regularly negotiates executive employment agreements, compensation structures, equity arrangements, consulting relationships, separation agreements, and leadership transitions. Clients frequently seek his counsel not only for legal guidance but also for strategic advice regarding organizational growth, governance, partnerships, and long-term value creation.
 

Prior to returning to private practice, Tolbert served as Director of Strategic Partnerships at Pearson, the world's leading education company, where he led business development and rights initiatives involving digital, mobile, and virtual learning platforms. His portfolio included management of significant intellectual property assets and strategic partnerships across the education and media sectors including negotiating and managing strategic relationships with leading media, publishing, technology, and content organizations: Bloomberg, Financial Times, The Economist, NBC, ABC, BBC, Adobe, Google, Reuters, Getty Images, and TED.

Earlier in his career, Tolbert handled legal and business affairs matters for Dove Entertainment in Beverly Hills, negotiating celebrity talent, audiobook, publishing, and author agreements. He also clerked at national law firms Drinker Biddle & Reath and Ross, Dixon & Masback, focusing on commercial, intellectual property, litigation and business matters.