entertainment lawyer how to become

by Jermaine Towne 4 min read

How do you become an entertainment lawyer?
  1. Earn a bachelor's degree. The first step to becoming an entertainment lawyer is earning a bachelor's degree. ...
  2. Pass the Law School Admission Test (LSAT) ...
  3. Apply for law school. ...
  4. Earn a law degree. ...
  5. Consider a certificate. ...
  6. Pass the bar examination. ...
  7. Gain professional experience.
Apr 8, 2021

When should you hire an entertainment lawyer?

Your career as an entertainment lawyer will start the same way as the career of any lawyer - with a law degree. You can begin this process by enrolling in a bachelor's degree program. Law schools don't require you to major in a specific subject, but you may choose to enter a pre-law program, which incorporates specific courses designed to prepare you for law school.

What is the job description for an entertainment lawyer?

May 12, 2022 · If you’re interested in becoming an entertainment lawyer, it’s important to understand the civil procedure with these legal studies and have the necessary skills to be successful in today’s job market. What to expect in the job market for entertainment lawyers. Most law firms pay entertainment lawyer’s an average annual salary of $145,000.

What is the curriculum of an entertainment law degree?

Jul 05, 2019 · Salary. The average annual salary for Entertainment Attorneys is approximately $117,600. The salary range for Entertainment Attorneys runs from $77,000 to $186,000. According to Herman, for most Entertainment Attorneys you are looking at a firm position, versus working freelance: “A law firm position is salaried with quite a lot of growth ...

Do you need an entertainment lawyer?

How to Become an Entertainment Lawyer. The qualifications for an entertainment lawyer start with earning a bachelor’s degree and taking the LSAT examination. From here you can apply to law schools, and after completing law school, you must sit for the bar examination in your state.

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Do entertainment lawyers make a lot of money?

The average annual salary for Entertainment Attorneys is approximately $117,600. The salary range for Entertainment Attorneys runs from $77,000 to $186,000.Jul 5, 2019

Are entertainment lawyers in demand?

Entertainment Lawyer Growth Trend

Jobs for lawyers, including entertainment lawyers, are expected to increase 9 percent in the next decade, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, or BLS.
Jan 20, 2022

How competitive is entertainment law?

2. Entertainment Law Is Competitive

It's no secret that entertainment law is a competitive area of law in which to practice. Who wouldn't want to work with major musicians, actors, directors, and producers? For those reasons, entertainment law can be a hard niche to break into.
Jun 15, 2020

What do entertainment attorneys do?

What is an entertainment lawyer? Unlike divorce or corporate lawyers, an entertainment lawyer represents and protects the interests of creatives, companies and others in the many areas of the entertainment industry, such as film, television, new media, theater, publishing and music.

What is the highest paid lawyer?

Highest paid lawyers: salary by practice area
  • Tax attorney (tax law): $122,000.
  • Corporate lawyer: $115,000.
  • Employment lawyer: $87,000.
  • Real Estate attorney: $86,000.
  • Divorce attorney: $84,000.
  • Immigration attorney: $84,000.
  • Estate attorney: $83,000.
  • Public Defender: $63,000.
Apr 24, 2022

How much do Nintendo lawyers make?

550 Nintendo of America employees have shared their salaries on Glassdoor. Select your job title and find out how much you could make at Nintendo of America.
...
Nintendo of America Salaries.
Job TitleSalary
Lawyer salaries - 1 salaries reported$190,589/yr
Corporate Counsel salaries - 1 salaries reported$217,707/yr
2 more rows

What does a family lawyer do?

What does a family lawyer do? Family lawyers act on matters such as divorce and separation, child contact and adoption, Local Authority care orders and financial settlements.

How long do you have to be in school to be a lawyer?

7 years
Becoming a lawyer usually takes 7 years of full-time study after high school—4 years of undergraduate study, followed by 3 years of law school. Most states and jurisdictions require lawyers to complete a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from a law school accredited by the American Bar Association (ABA).

What does a media and entertainment lawyer do?

Lawyers specializing in the field are required to act as commercial-legal production counsels for advising, structuring and negotiating deals across various production and distribution models, for syndication and licensing of content for domestic and international film distribution across platforms (traditional and new ...Mar 5, 2020

What is media law?

Media law is law that regulates media production and use. Media law can encompass many different types of media including broadcast television, internet and print media.

How much does a music lawyer cost?

Typically, a music lawyer will charge 5%. It could be 5% of a specific contract or 5% of your earnings from the music and entertainment business and your fee agreement should be clear on this.Jan 8, 2018

How do I know what kind of lawyer I want to be?

Here are a few questions to help you determine what type of law would be a good fit for you:
  1. How Much Do You Like to Argue?
  2. How Motivated You Are by Money?
  3. How Much Control Do You Need Over Your Work Life?
  4. How Much Interaction Do You Need With Other People?
  5. What Do You Like to Do?
Dec 11, 2019

Unions, Groups, Social Media, and Associations

Entertainment Attorneys and students of entertainment law can join the International Association of Entertainment Lawyers. Moo also suggests networ...

What Is The Single Biggest Suggestion You Would Give to Someone Wanting to Get Into This Career?

“Try and have more of a broad set of classes you take. For example, learning tax law was really helpful for me but I also wish I would’ve learned l...

What’S The #1 Mistake People Make When Trying to Get Into This Career?

“It’s great to have drive and focus and I respect that. It’s great to be passionate but the reality is that the entertainment industry is only so b...

What Is The Question People Should Ask About This Career but Rarely do?

“The thing they should ask themselves beforehand is ‘Is this something I really want to do?’ They should really investigate and learn what it means...

If You Could Describe in One Word What Makes You Successful, What Would It be?

“Perseverance. Honestly, there’s going to be a lot of stuff that goes wrong along the way and that’s just life in general. There have definitely be...

What is entertainment attorney?

Entertainment Attorneys help their clients to understand legal agreements, ensuring that the terms are in their clients’ best interests. They work with Recording Groups, Record Producers, Songwriters, Music Publishers, Record Label Executives, Music Producers, and Composers. They negotiate recording, merchandising, touring and publishing contracts, as well as Producer agreements.

What do people think of entertainment attorneys?

When most people think of Entertainment Attorneys they envision a flashy, high-powered office and an intense workload. While this is certainly the case at many big-name firms, other Attorneys find this type of corporate environment doesn’t sit well with their creative clients.

What does a music lawyer do?

For superstar level clients, the Music Lawyer may also assist in licensing their image for merchandising purposes or handling the paperwork on sponsorship/endorsement deals. They may even get involved in non-business legal matters , such as prenuptial agreements or divorce settlements.

Who is Kamal Moo?

Los Angeles-based Entertainment Attorney and Manager Kamal Moo focuses on indie artists and labels, having worked with a wide range of clients from Grammy-nominated hip-hop violinist Josh Vietti to Warped Tour and ex-Epitaph Records band I Set My Friends on Fire.

Is law school expensive?

Law school is very expensive and you have to consider this before getting into that much debt. Try to learn. There are lots of books and blogs out there, lots of ways to learn about the industry. There’s a great book called All You Need to Know About the Music Business by Donald Passman.

What does Moo say about being successful?

Of the experience and skills necessary to become successful, Moo says, “it goes back to just being good with people. A lot of clients have said to me, ‘You’re so easy to talk to; the last Entertainment Attorney I talked to was a real jerk and made me feel stupid.’ It’s not brain surgery. Anything in law can be made simple. My goal is to explain a lot of things so people understand.

What is the best book about music?

There’s a great book called All You Need to Know About the Music Business by Donald Passman. That’s a terrific book to read because it gives a real overview of how the industry is. Figure out what kind of music you like. If you can find great music and bring it to a company or develop it yourself that’s super valuable.

What is Entertainment Law?

Entertainment law specifically impacts the entertainment industry. It’s a collection of different types of laws, which are related to the media and entertainment industry. It includes litigation and transaction laws, and also impacts the laws such as state and federal laws, common laws created on the court, and rules created by government agencies.

What areas of the Entertainment Industry are Covered by Entertainment law?

Entertainment law covers different areas of the entertainment industry, which have their own specific policies, rules and regulations, agreements, and others. These include:

Who are Practicing Entertainment Law?

Both transactional and litigation lawyers are practicing entertainment law or casino laws. However, most lawyers in entertainment law specialize in just one type of practice, since it’s more practical than doing both litigation and transactional law.

Where is Entertainment Law being Practiced?

Most entertainment lawyers can be found in Los Angeles, Nashville, and New York City since these cities provide more jobs to do, and a majority of production studios are operating in these areas.

The Importance of Entertainment Law

Entertainment lawyers can fill several roles, which depend on what their specialization is and what their clients need. Here are some of their functions, which also show their significance in the industry:

What is an Entertainment Lawyer?

The following job responsibilities are common for individuals in entertainment lawyer roles:

A Day in the Life

Entertainment lawyers represent clients who make their livings working in the entertainment industry in film and television production, music, theater, publishing, or digital media. They may work with movie stars, novelists, musicians, or YouTube personalities. The majority of entertainment lawyers live and work in the three major areas in the U.S.

Typical Work Schedule

Most entertainment lawyers work full-time schedules during normal business hours, but overtime is common in law practice. Attorneys may need to work in evenings or on weekends to accommodate client schedules, or to review or finalize paperwork to meet deadlines.

Typical Employers

Many entertainment lawyers work for private law firms: they may run their own practice, share a practice with one or more other lawyers, or work as an employee of a privately-owned law firm. Some may also be employed by corporations in the entertainment industry to handle paperwork and litigation.

How To Become an Entertainment Lawyer

The first step in becoming an entertainment lawyer is to earn a bachelor’s degree. Pre-law majors are common for aspiring entertainment lawyers, though political science, history, and English are sufficient as well. The major you pursue is less important than your overall academic profile upon graduation.

Entertainment Lawyer Salary Data

We’ve provided you the following to learn more about this career. The salary and growth data on this page comes from recently published Bureau of Labor Statistics data while the recommendations and editorial content are based on our research.

Programs and Degrees

Here are the most common degrees for becoming an Entertainment Lawyer. a is usually recommended and specifically a degree or coursework that prepares you for the particular field, see below.

What is an entertainment lawyer?

An entertainment lawyer is a law professional who specializes in legal matters related to the entertainment industry. Entertainment lawyers may focus on advising clients on entertainment contract laws, intellectual property or entertainment labor laws.

What does an entertainment lawyer do?

An entertainment lawyer can specialize in certain entertainment industries or legal aspects. Their duties can vary depending on their area of specialization, but common responsibilities can include:

Where does an entertainment lawyer work?

Entertainment lawyers can work in a law firm or they may work directly for a large entertainment company. Many entertainment lawyers live in or near large cities because cities tend to have more entertainment opportunities. An entertainment lawyer may choose to work in a certain location depending on their specialty.

How do you become an entertainment lawyer?

If you are interested in becoming an entertainment lawyer, consider following these steps:

How to become an entertainment lawyer?

The first step one must take to become an entertainment lawyer is earning a bachelor’s degree from a college or university. After completing the four years of undergraduate study, the student then takes the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT).

Where do entertainment lawyers work?

Entertainment lawyers can work in law firms or as in-house counsel for corporations. This type of attorney tends to practice in entertainment hubs such as New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and Nashville, though some find employment across the nation.

What is entertainment law?

Entertainment law, sometimes referred to as “media law,” provides various legal services to individuals and businesses involved in the entertainment industry. This area of law covers all different types of media including: Film. Music. Publishing.

Is entertainment law a separate legal discipline?

TV/Radio. Theater. Entertainment law is not considered a separate legal discipline, but rather a blend of traditional legal disciplines, such as contract law, intellectual property law, and business law.

What do lawyers do after graduation?

After graduating, many lawyers begin their careers by working as law clerks after graduation. Since it is a very specialized field, it is not uncommon for entertainment lawyers to work in a different area of law before finding a job in the entertainment industry.

What is a flat rate attorney?

Flat-rates are typically reserved for basic services like reviewing contracts, or for legal issues that are cut and dry. Regardless of whether the attorney charges hourly or a flat rate fee, they may also require a retainer. A retainer is a portion of the estimated total costs paid to the lawyer up front.

Do attorneys need retainers?

Regardless of whether the attorney charges hourly or a flat rate fee, they may also require a retainer. A retainer is a portion of the estimated total costs paid to the lawyer up front. The retainer is put into a special account and is used as the lawyer works on the case.

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Be in The Know, But Don’T Be A Fan

Books

Networking

Conference Materials

Internships

Independent Research

Broad Curriculum

  • As a back-up plan, in case the field is not what you expect, it always helps to have a broad array of courses taken. Also, practitioners recommend a strong foundation in related areas such as tax law, immigration, intellectual property, and contracts. Some schools offer courses specifically geared towards these areas for entertainers, but the gener...
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