how to be 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) After graduating with a bachelor's degree, aspiring entertainment lawyers can apply to law schools. ...
3. Apply for law school. After passing the LSAT, you can begin applying for law school programs. Consider researching and exploring programs in your desired field.
4. Earn a law degree. The next step in becoming an entertainment lawyer is earning a law degree. The common degree for entertainment lawyers is the Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree.
Consider a certificate. Some law schools offer an entertainment law certificate. This can help you begin or advance your career.
Pass the bar examination. After graduating from a law program, aspiring lawyers must take and pass the bar exam. ...
Gain professional experience. After passing the bar exam, lawyers can begin practicing law. Many entertainment lawyers begin their careers as legal associates.

Full Answer

When should you hire an entertainment lawyer?

Entertainment lawyers focus on the entertainment industry. They work with contracts in the music, television, film and publishing industries. They advise clients on the terms of the contract, alert them to any concerns with the contract, and may also draft contracts for companies or individuals. In the event of a dispute over a contract ...

What is the job description for an entertainment lawyer?

Apr 08, 2021 · 1. Earn a bachelor's degree. The first step to becoming an entertainment lawyer is earning a bachelor's degree. Law schools don't require a certain major, but aspiring lawyers may choose to study a field where they can develop helpful legal skills, such as communication, negotiation and writing.

What is the curriculum of an entertainment law degree?

HK: The best thing you can do to break into entertainment law is to gather entertainment law experience any way you can, even if that means working on an entertainment-related case on a pro bono basis or taking a lower-paying job in the field rather than a higher-paying job in a different legal field. When I graduated law school, corporate and transactional work was …

Do you need an entertainment lawyer?

Feb 27, 2020 · My guest Tamera Bennett is Exhibit A, living proof that you can be an entertainment lawyer and practice in the great state of Texas. Tamera has practiced entertainment law since 2001 and get this, her practice is located in Louisville, Texas and the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Now granted, Tamera’s first love has always been music.

Is it hard to be an entertainment lawyer?

Turns out, it's really difficult to break into. It now seems to me that people break into the entertainment law field in one of three ways: Good connections, great experience on the business side, or incredible credentials.

What should I study for entertainment law?

The common degree for entertainment lawyers is the Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree. This degree program typically takes three years to complete, although many schools now offer part-time programs....4. Earn a law degreeCopyright law.First amendment practices.Intellectual property law.Negotiations.Income taxes.Apr 8, 2021

Do entertainment lawyers make a lot of money?

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.

Are entertainment lawyers in demand?

Entertainment Lawyer Growth Trend The predicted growth rate for all occupations is 8 percent. Entertainment lawyer jobs are usually affected by the economy and the health of the entertainment industry which – including streaming services, music downloads and television revenue – continues to remain strong.Jan 20, 2022

What is the best law school in the world?

Harvard UniversityTop 10 Law Schools in the World Based on the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2019RankName of InstitutionLocation1Harvard UniversityUnited States2University of OxfordUnited Kingdom3University of CambridgeUK8 more rows

How many years do you have to study to be a lawyer?

7 yearsBecoming 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).Sep 8, 2021

What is the highest paid lawyer?

Highest paid lawyers: salary by practice areaPatent attorney: $180,000.Intellectual property (IP) attorney: $162,000.Trial attorneys: $134,000.Tax attorney (tax law): $122,000.Corporate lawyer: $115,000.Employment lawyer: $87,000.Real Estate attorney: $86,000.Divorce attorney: $84,000.More items...•Dec 14, 2021

What type of lawyer gets paid most?

Some of the highest-paid lawyers are:Medical 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

How much do celebrity lawyers make?

Celebrity attorneys charge a flat fee plus a commission, and generally earn $100k – $2 million.

How much do Nintendo lawyers make?

540 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 TitleSalaryLawyer salaries - 1 salaries reported$186,163/yrCorporate Counsel salaries - 1 salaries reported$212,652/yr2 more rows

What do entertainment lawyers 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 does a family lawyer do?

A good family lawyer will also handle negotiations with your spouse, work with his or her counsel, avoid unnecessary applications and hearings, and recommend alternative dispute resolution processes such as counselling or mediation where appropriate. In short, a family lawyer is indispensable for a divorce.Feb 14, 2022

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 industry guide?

While we tend to avoid reading more books then assigned, an industry guide is a refreshing and inspiring break from casebooks. Wandering through the entertainment section of your law library may reveal little jewels that breathe an inspiring perspective on career paths in ways you may not have considered. Legal books that give law student advice is such as Entertainment Careers for Lawyers is useful, as is a quick browse at non-legal books that give an overview of what it’s like to enter the industry.

Who is Nicholas La Terza?

Los Angeles-based entertainment lawyer, Nicholas La Terza who teaches entertainment law at UCLA, UC Irvine and the University of Miami tells his students to be in the know about the industry. For example, if you want to work with film producers, he says you must be able to name your five favorite producers.

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.

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.

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 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:

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.

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.

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.

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.

Where is Anna Keizer?

Anna Keizer originally hails from the Chicagoland area. After receiving her B.A. in Film/Video from Columbia College Chicago, she moved to California and finished her M.A. in Film Studies from Chapman University. She has also graduated from UCLA’s Writing for Television Professional Program and is currently in post-production on the short She Had It Coming, which she wrote and is executive producing.

Who is Heather Kamins?

Heather Kamins, ’03, a business affairs executive at Creative Artists Agency (CAA) who works with actors, musicians, athletes, and brands on myriad projects, including Jennifer Lopez’s line of health and fitness supplements.

Who is Hannah Taylor?

Hannah Taylor, ’07, an associate at Frankfurt Kurnit Klein + Selz PC in New York City who focuses on advertising, branded entertainment, and intellectual property and whose primary focus is on issues of advertising in social media.

Why do entertainers hire lawyers?

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

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?

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 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).

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 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.

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 an entertainment agent?

Entertainment agents act as middlemen, working with both artists and venues to book concerts, gallery showings and acting jobs. These agents are masters of negotiation and work hard to make sure deals between companies and artists make the largest amount of money possible for both parties involved. Becoming an agent can be difficult, but ...

Who is Martin Bentsen?

Acting Coach & Headshot Photographer. Martin Bentsen is a New York City-based Acting Coach and Headshot Photographer. Focusing on developing an actor's ability to book more work, Martin advises clients on professional headshots, demo reels, biographies, websites, and how to connect with talent agents.

What is a business card?

Business cards are a perfect way to inform and remind people about your business. They can be handy for passing out while networking, or leaving for people that you haven’t met yet. Many copy stores offer business card printing services, or you can design and order some online from a company like Vistaprint.

What are some examples of riders?

Riders, for example, are a list of amenities that artists like to be provided when they play a show: beverages, catered foods, snacks, etc. Another example may include accommodations, such such as hotel rooms, per-diem allowances for crew members and the gear that will be provided by the house.

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