Monique Reid Berryhill, Esq.
June 2, 1956 - January 3, 2005

Monique Reid Berryhill, who was one of the Black Entertainment and Sports Lawyers Association's ("BESLA") most prolific contributors, died in the early hours of Monday, January 3, in Long Island, New York after a tough and courageous battle against cancer. Monique’s vibrancy and nurturing spirit, particularly to the countless BESLA members whom she so tirelessly mentored and inspired, will always be indelibly present in BESLA’s endeavors in the sports and entertainment industries. Monique’s involvement with BESLA began in 1981, shortly after she graduated from New York University Law School. Kendall Minter, Esq., who was then serving as BESLA’s executive director, was her first contact with the organization. Recognizing Monique's keen interest in BESLA’s mission and potential, Kendall immediately recruited her to serve as seminar coordinator for BESLA's first annual conference in Nassau, Bahamas in 1981.

In 1988, citing the need for communication among members between conferences, Monique served as the Editor-in-Chief of the BESLA Bulletin, with another member, Agatha Barnes, who founded the quarterly newsletter that is still published via the Internet. Monique’s most lasting impact was on the hundreds of students that she mentored and to whom she was a stellar role model, in spite of her fast-paced schedule and family obligations. Her financial support was steadfast as well. She not only raised thousands of dollars for BESLA, but raised and contributed funds for students to attend BESLA conferences. She also served on BESLA’s scholarship committee and created career opportunities for lawyers and students as interns, consultants and attorneys with her employers.

Monique served on and moderated numerous panels, hosted the National Brown Bag Luncheon series, and served on BESLA’s Board of Directors as Secretary. She also was a conference co-chair for four BESLA annual conferences, two mid-year conferences in New York and Atlanta, the 1996 Annual Conference in Puerto Vallarta and the 1997 Annual Conference in Puerto Rico. Finally, in 1998, she was elected BESLA President followed by her induction into the BESLA Hall of Fame in 1999. After departing the board in 2002, she continued her tireless service via her mentoring activities and the BESLA Sports Forums - an event that, as recently as last week, she was planning to repeat in 2005.

Monique’s professional résumé is a testament to the success and respect which she earned during her illustrious career. She served as the senior partner of The Berryhill Firm, P.C. (formerly Berryhill & Hilton, LLP). Prior to that, Monique was Vice President, Legal and Business Affairs at Worldvision Enterprises, Inc., a subsidiary of Spelling Entertainment Group Inc., where she worked for over nine years. Recently merged with Paramount Pictures, Spelling continues to be the leading distributor of independent television producers' product with over 10,000 hours in programming including Total Recall, Basic Instinct, Judge Judy, Melrose Place, Bonanza and Barnaby Jones. Ms. Berryhill also served as counsel to Spelling's licensing unit, Hamilton Projects, which represented Jeep, Beverly Hills 90210 and South Park.

A graduate of Oberlin College and New York University School of Law, Ms. Berryhill had more than twenty years of entertainment law, real estate, broadcast regulation, and general business transactional experience. She held a diploma in Financial Management from New York University and a Diploma in Management from Smith College. Ms. Berryhill also served as Associate Director of the New Opportunities at Hofstra (N.O.A.H.) where she helped to administer a Hofstra University program that provides academic and financial assistance to minority college students.

Before working at Worldvision, Ms. Berryhill was an Attorney at the RKO General Network where, among her many responsibilities, she worked on the case involving violations of FCC regulations by RKO stations.

Ms. Berryhill also served as Assistant General Attorney in the Business Affairs and Legal Department of ABC, Inc., where she handled transactions for ABC's 27 owned and operated television and radio stations and networks, including on-air talent and distribution agreements. Ms. Berryhill had extensive experience in television and radio programming, licensing, merchandising, trademark and copyright transactions and enforcement. She handled development, promotion, labor, employment and public relations transactions and FCC regulation matters.

Moreover, Ms. Berryhill possessed over fifteen years of commercial and residential real estate transaction experience handling real estate leases and construction for corporate offices in Chicago, Atlanta, New York, Miami, and London. She was also the lead team member in the development of the product rights development and cleanup of a multi-million dollar rights, sales and accounting database system.

Monique is survived by her husband Frederick Berryhill, two children, Sarah 12, Kenneth 10, her mother, Joyce Reid, and three brothers and a host of relatives, friends and other beneficiaries of her love, compassion and wisdom. Our BESLA family will always be inspired by her incandescent life.

The family appreciates and requests any contributions in memory of Monique Reid Berryhill be made to the Church Scholarship Fund. Any contributions should be made payable and mailed to:

Memorial Presbyterian Church Scholarship Fund
Memory of Monique Reid Berryhill
P.O. Box 216
Roosevelt, New York 11575