Trade publishing imprint of ABA partners with agency

Ankerwycke, the new consumer-oriented imprint of ABA Publishing, has signed a deal with The Gersh Agency to market film, television and dramatic rights for Ankerwycke publications.

Initially, Gersh will handle the sale of rights for two books: “Operation Greylord” by Terrence Hake, a first-person account by a Chicago prosecutor-turned-FBI informant who was key to the largest judicial system corruption bust in U.S. history; and “The 116,”  by James P. Muehlberger, the untold story of the 116 frontiersmen led by the firebrand Kansas lawyer Jim Lane who protected Abraham Lincoln from a Confederate conspiracy to kidnap and assassinate the president in the opening days of the Civil War.  Other projects, however, are planned.

“We are pleased that The Gersh Agency will help Ankerwycke grow creatively and commercially,” ABA President William C. Hubbard said. “In our few short months, we have seen how Ankerwycke provides a forum to publish works of fiction and nonfiction that explore the law in more detail than many commercial books. This takes us to a new level.”

Jon Malysiak, executive editor of Ankerwycke, said the arrangement will enhance the ability of Ankerwycke to attract new talent.  “With so many great films and television shows originating from the world of law, this is a huge opportunity for us and especially for our authors. We look forward to a long and fruitful partnership,” he said.

Ankerwycke, launched in December 2014, is the consumer-oriented imprint of the American Bar Association. In 1215, Magna Carta was sealed underneath the ancient Ankerwycke Yew tree, starting the process which led to rule by constitutional law — in effect, giving rights and the law to the people. Today, the ABA's Ankerwycke line of books continues to bring the law to the people. With legal fiction, true crime books, popular legal histories, public policy handbooks, and prescriptive guides to current legal and business issues, Ankerwycke is a contemporary and innovative line of books for everyone from a trusted and vested authority.

Gersh was established by legendary Hollywood agent Phil Gersh, known for representing illustrious talents such as Humphrey Bogart, David Niven, William Holden, June Allyson, Richard Burton, Lee J. Cobb, Fredric March, Gloria Grahame and James Mason. Over the past 65 years, the agency has grown to be one of the most successful and influential talent and literary agencies in the entertainment industry. With offices in Beverly Hills, Calif., and New York, Gersh maintains eight full-service departments: Talent, Feature Literary, TV Literary, Film Finance, Books, Comedy, Theatre, and Below-The-Line. Family-owned and operated, Gersh remains one of the most recognizable names in the business.