how much does an entertainment lawyer make

by Sylvia Nikolaus 9 min read

How can you become an entertainment lawyer?

An Entertainment Attorney in your area makes on average $87,019 per year, or $4,779 (5%) less than the national average annual salary of $91,798. Virginia ranks number 24 out of 50 states nationwide for Entertainment Attorney salaries.

How to become an entertainment attorney?

Jul 21, 2017 · The average annual salary of entertainment lawyers, including music lawyer salary, is $116,800 , as reported in 2022 by Law Crossing, …

Which lawyers make the most money?

Just how much do media and home entertainment attorneys make? Home Entertainment Law: Income The typical base pay in the market is around 12,58,781 annually. The comparable per hour rate of the typical wage is 605.

How much does an entertainment lawyer cost?

So after the brief “free” consult, paying for the lawyers’ time will likely come up. Some entertainment attorneys will give you an hour of their time – a la carte – for a fee, often between about $350 per hour to $600 or more per hour (the closer to L.A., New York, or other major cities, generally the higher the hourly fee).

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Can entertainment lawyers make millions?

The top entertainment lawyers in Hollywood are raking in millions each year. And they're probably letting their broke clients crash in their guest house on occasion. Assuming you do all the right things in law school, you should be able to find an entry-level job within nine months.

How much do entertainment lawyers make in the US?

The salaries of Entertainment Lawyers in the US range from $10,018 to $187,200 , with a median salary of $18,674 . The middle 57% of Entertainment Lawyers makes between $18,674 and $74,346, with the top 86% making $187,200.

How do you become an entertainment lawyer?

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

Where do entertainment lawyers make the most money?

Average salaries for entertainment lawyers vary by city. For example, Law Crossing reports that average salaries were highest in Los Angeles where they earned ​$165,000​ per year. Those working in Glendale and San Franciso averaged ​$164,500​ per year. New York City entertainment lawyers averaged ​$161,000​.Jan 20, 2022

What is the highest paying job?

AnesthesiologistsHighest-Paying CareersRankOccupation2020 Median wagesAnnual1Anesthesiologists$100.00+2General Internal Medicine Physicians$100.00+3Obstetricians and Gynecologists$100.00+7 more rows

What kind of lawyer makes the most money?

Types Of Lawyers That Make The Most MoneyMedical Lawyers – Average $138,431. Medical lawyers make one of the highest median wages in the legal field. ... Intellectual Property Attorneys – Average $128,913. ... Trial Attorneys – Average $97,158. ... Tax Attorneys – Average $101,204. ... Corporate Lawyers – $116,361.Dec 18, 2020

Do entertainment lawyers work with celebrities?

3. Entertainment Lawyers Have a Diverse Clientele For many attorneys, this is a reality, but many more do not work directly with celebrities. In fact, entertainment lawyers have a wide variety of clients. To start, not all entertainment lawyers are independent entities.Jun 15, 2020

What does an entertainment lawyer 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.

How much do family lawyers make?

The average salary for a family lawyer is $117,367 per year in the United States.

What exactly is entertainment law?

Entertainment law spans the subjects of contracts, first rights of creative properties, fee negotiation (as is the case with an entertainment lawyer who is also a talent agent), and publishing rights to name just a few responsibilities.

How much do entertainment lawyers make in NYC?

While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $173,305 and as low as $22,486, the majority of Entertainment Lawyer salaries currently range between $49,907 (25th percentile) to $98,717 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $136,011 annually in New York.

How much do entertainment lawyers make Atlanta?

While ZipRecruiter is seeing salaries as high as $158,330 and as low as $20,543, the majority of Entertainment Lawyer salaries currently range between $45,595 (25th percentile) to $90,187 (75th percentile) with top earners (90th percentile) making $124,259 annually in Atlanta.

How much does an Entertainment Attorney make?

The average annual pay for an Entertainment Attorney in Chicago is $91,798 an year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works ou...

What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Entertainment Attorney Jobs?

Sunnyvale, CA($109,590)Santa Cruz, CA($108,577)Santa Rosa, CA($106,129)Williston, ND($103,990)Manhattan, NY($103,718)Barnstable Town, MA($102,913)C...

What are Top 5 Best Paying Related Entertainment Attorney Jobs in the U.S.?

Attorney Partner($152,620)Healthcare Attorney($147,812)Health Care Attorney($147,812)Corporate Associate Attorney($144,999)Insurance Attorney($137,...

How do entertainment lawyers make money?

With experience, these professionals can earn more by attracting higher-profile clients. They might also be able to advance from managing legal affairs of local celebrities to those residing in major markets such as New York and Los Angeles. Moreover, those who have been in field for a longer time typically also have larger client bases, which can significantly increase their earnings.

What is entertainment lawyer?

Entertainment lawyers advise clients on movie and recording contracts, review and approve all promotional and distribution agreements related to celebrities, protect material that is copyrighted, and help negotiate entertainers' fees and royalties with movie, television and music production companies. Anyone who wants to become an entertainment ...

How long does it take to become an entertainment lawyer?

In order to become an entertainment lawyer, one must obtain both a bachelor and a juris doctor (JD) degree. This process usually takes seven years. Employers also usually prefer that their entertainment lawyers have at least two or three years of industry experience.

What is entertainment lawyer?

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.

How much does a retainer cost?

It may start at $1000 for contractual and/or advisement issues and go up to $100,000 should they be retained for litigation. Before agreeing to any terms with an entertainment lawyer, inquire about their retainer fee.

Can an emerging creative lawyer be an entertainment lawyer?

And while true that these professionals can foster your career and provide some of the same benefits as an entertainment lawyer, namely industry connections and career advice, neither have the legal expertise of an entertainment lawyer.

What is intellectual property?

Intellectual property, or IP, is big business. From a screenwriter’s spec script to a musician’s original song, anything created within this industry necessitates protection from those who may want to buy it, option it, license it—or infringe upon it with unauthorized use. An entertainment lawyer can see to it that a client’s intellectual property is handled properly and protected when copyright or trademark issues arise.

Can an entertainment lawyer be hired as an employee?

Unless you are potentially forming a company that would require the ongoing services of an entertainment lawyer, they would not be hired as an employee. Rather, they are a contractor who is part of a law firm or the proprietor of their own business.

Is entertainment lawyer specialized?

The nature of work for an entertainment lawyer is highly specialized. That in part explains the costly fees for them. However, it also indicates the extensive education they must attain to be skilled at their job.

Which states offer competitive financial advantages for productions?

Many states outside of California and New York offer competitive financial advantages for productions, making it attractive to creatives on a budget to film in these other locations with local crew and other resources at their disposal.

Why do entertainers hire lawyers?

The most common reason that an entertainer hires a lawyer is to review, draft, or negotiate a contract.

How much do attorneys charge per hour?

Understand up front that most attorneys bill on an hourly basis (often between $300 and $700 an hour) and send a bill at the end of each month. Some attorneys bill on a fixed-fee basis, in which you pay a set amount for services (expect to pay $5,000 to $25,000 to negotiate a major entertainment deal, for instance).

What is retainer in a lawyer?

Many attorneys ask for a retainer, which is an advance payment for legal work. The amount of the retainer is included in the attorney-client fee agreement. The fee agreement is negotiated between you and your lawyer and establishes the payments and the lawyer's responsibilities.

How to choose an attorney?

Don't choose an attorney purely based on his or her "know-how." Consider also style and personality. While these qualities might seem superficial, remember that you may spend long hours working together. You may prefer to be represented by an attorney whose style and demeanor correspond with yours. Do you want someone aggressive? Ambitious? Accommodating? Serious? Boisterous?

Should entertainers love their attorney?

An entertainer does not need to love his or her attorney, but should at least respect and trust the attorney's abilities as a hired professional. As a general rule, you should switch attorneys (fire one and hire another) if you are unhappy with the services you've received.

Is the internet secure?

The Internet is not necessarily secure and emails sent through this site could be intercepted or read by third parties. Entertainment professionals often need the services of lawyers. Whether you are an actor, director, dancer, or musician, there are various legal services that could prove essential to your career.

What to Know Before You Seek an Attorney to Represent You

Heather McDonald wrote about music careers for The Balance Careers. She has worked in the music industry for over two decades.

Determine Your Needs

Music lawyers are under the umbrella of entertainment law, and many specialize in a certain part of the music industry. Understanding what you need legal help with will make it easier for you to find a lawyer who is up to the task. Knowing whether you are looking to build a long-term relationship with a lawyer is also something to consider.

How to Find a Lawyer

Once you know what you need from a lawyer, start asking those in your music industry circles. You are almost certain to know someone who has had to visit a lawyer for a music industry issue before.

Meet With Your Short List

Whether you do it by phone or in person, have a brief question and answer session with your short list of lawyers. Find out what they specialize in, how soon they can work on your case, how much they charge and what their payment terms are. If you get a bad feeling or just don't hit it off with a candidate, don't feel any obligation to hire them.

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