UTA Signs Veteran Showrunner Neal Baer

Veteran drama showrunner Neal Baer has signed with UTA. There he will be represented by a team led by UTA co-founder and board member Peter Benedek.

This is a major change for Baer who had been with Paradigm’s Debbee Klein for 17 years. Over that time, he rose to executive producer on NBC medical drama ER and did a 11-season stint as showrunner of Law & Order: SVU. After 16 years at NBC, Baer in 2011 moved to CBS Studios where he has been under back-to-back overall deals. Baer serves as executive producer/showrunner on the studio’s CBS summer drama Under the Dome, heading into its third season, and also worked as showrunner on the studio’s CBS drama A Gifted Man. This past development season, Baer, who launched his own banner, Baer Bones, co-wrote and executive produced Cheerleader Death Squad, which went to pilot at the CW. It didn’t go to series but may be redeveloped.

Baer — a trained pediatrician — also recently created an app that connects users with opportunities to become involved with non-profits, and will be working with UTA digital media team on that. The agency also recently signed top comedy showrunner Chuck Lorre.

Baer’s latest novel (with Jonathan Greene), Kill Again, is being published next month. His documentary If You Build It recently aired on PBS and another doc, One Life, One Cut, is screening on Friday at the Music Hall in Beverly Hills.