The Rothman Brecher Agency Makes Jim Ehrich Vanessa Livingston Partners

TV and film literary boutique The Rothman Brecher Agency is changing its name after promoting senior agents Vanessa Livingston and Jim Ehrich to partners. Effective today, the agency will be known as Rothman Brecher Ehrich Livingston. Additionally, the lit agency also has promoted to agent Stephanie Rothman, daughter of founder Robb Rothman.

The agency was founded in 1991 by Rothman after he left UTA, where he also had been a founding partner. The first name change, from Rothman to Rothman Brecher, came in 2003 when Dan Brecher became partner. Ehrich and Livingston are both company veterans, having joined within a four-month span in 2003.

“Jim and Vanessa have been instrumental in the growth and management of our agency over the past 14 years,” said Brecher. “It’s only fitting their impact be memorialized and their accomplishments celebrated.”

Added Rothman, “They’re incredible agents, and I’m proud to now call them my partners.”

RBEL moved in to establish itself in the TV-driven boutique lit agency space following the 2006 acquisition of BWCS by ICM Partners. Current series created or co-created by RBEL clients include CBS’ The Big Bang Theory, NBC’s Marlon, A&E’s Bates Motel — which just ended its run — E’s The Arrangement and Netflix’s Travelers. Production company client Killer Films produces Amazon’s recently renewed Z: The Beginning of Everything and Sundance Now’s Chances, while another company client, Piller/Segan, produces Private Eyes for Global in Canada.

Livingston, who started in feature production, casting and development before segueing to TV representation, was a manager at Tavel Entertainment for seven years, working with such clients as Helen Hunt and Amy Brenneman and helping to develop Brenneman’s CBS drama series Judging Amy. Livingston’s current roster of clients work as writers on such series as Jessica Jones, Will, American Crime, Goliath, Sneaky Pete, Lethal Weapon and How to Get Away with Murder. She also is the agency’s point on representing directors, with clients including Helen Shaver (Orphan Black) and Larry Teng (Animal Kingdom) and helmers working on such series as The Walking Dead, Preacher, Gotham, Vikings and 13 Reasons Why.

Ehrich started his career as a manager at Hofflund/Polone before switching to agenting with a stint at Writers & Artists before joining Rothman Brecher as head of the feature department. He has helped several TV writers, including Jon Vitti and Mike Reiss, branch out into features with gigs on such franchises as Ice Age, Fantastic Four and most recently Thor and Angry Birds. Additionally, he reps TV writer-producers on Preacher, The Americans, Chance, Difficult People, Riverdale, The Simpsons and the recently departed Bates Motel and Outsiders. He spearheaded an effort by the agency to expand into representation of comic book creators and IP. Clients Matt Fraction (Sex Criminals) and Kelly Sue DeConnick (Bitch Planet) and their Milkfed Criminal Masterminds banner are under an overall deal at Universal Television and are producing NBC pilot Redliners, which DeConnick co-wrote with Shaun Cassidy.

Stephanie Rothman started in the mailroom at ICM before moving up to Toni Howard’s desk in Motion Picture Talent. She joined Rothman Brecher in 2014 and was promoted to Coordinator in 2016. Rothman, who will be focusing on TV Lit, is the latest Rothman to enter the representation business. In addition to her father, Robb Rothman, her sister Meredith Rothman is a talent manager at Mosaic; her uncle Jim Rothman is the CFO of Rothman Brecher; and grandfather Ed Rothman, who passed away in 2003, started his 40-plus year career at International Famous Agency and ended it with a 25-year tenure in business affairs at MCA/Universal.