how to find a lawyer for music

How to Find a Legitimate Music Lawyer

• Finding an entertainment lawyer. The first (and most important) step is actually finding a lawyer you trust and that...
• Setting up a meeting. Before you meet with a lawyer, you need to know exactly what you want. Being as specific as...
• Working with your lawyer. The number one key to maintaining a relationship with your lawyer is to...

Full Answer

What does a music lawyer do?

Jun 12, 2009 · Read reviews from old clients and check out websites to figure out who specializes in what part of the music industry. While you are doing your research, be sure to check for any complaints about your short list of lawyer names with the …

Is it easy to become an attorney in music law?

A music and recording attorney may be able to advise on copyrights and song rights if you are in the business. It is important to find an experienced music and recording attorney who understands the laws of the jurisdiction in which you live and work. If you need legal advice about the music and recording industry, search for an attorney in your area today.

Do I need a lawyer to manage my record label?

Entertainment lawyers provide services to the entertainment industry, including film, music, television, theater, publishing, visual arts, and multimedia. They also represent sports stars and other celebrities. Entertainment lawyers negotiate and write contracts, deal with intellectual property issues, and practice employment and labor law.

What is the best way to find a lawyer?

7031 Koll Center Pkwy, Pleasanton, CA 94566. master:2022-04-05_10-14-50. 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. Their services won't come cheap, of course.

What do you call a music lawyer?

Also Called. Entertainment Lawyer, Music Lawyer. Entertainment attorneys provide legal advice and representation to individuals and businesses in arts and entertainment industries.Jan 1, 2009

What thing do music lawyers deal with?

A music lawyer is a specialized attorney who deals with legal issues surrounding the music industry. They are trained to handle a wide range of legal issues, like contract management, copyright claims, trademark disputes, artist representation, and many more.

Do artists have lawyers?

Most artists begin relationships with lawyers when something catastrophic happens. Don't wait! It's much better to find a lawyer before you find yourself in hot water. From trademark dilemmas to litigation woes, it's important for artists to know when and why to consult a lawyer.

What does a record label lawyer do?

A record label lawyer is responsible for overseeing the legality of contracts and other transactions between musicians and the parties who pay them. They can negotiate contracts between artists and record companies, as well as copyright agreements and other binding documents.Oct 4, 2019

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

Why you need a music lawyer?

Five Reasons Why You Need a Music LawyerProtecting your brand. One of the first steps in your career is to create a stage name and possibly a logo. ... Clearing samples. ... Setting out your relationship with your manager. ... Knowing and understanding your intellectual property. ... Closing the deal.Jan 23, 2020

Can a lawyer be a musician?

Lawyer-turned musician, Folarin Falana, better known by his stage name Falz the Bahd Guy or Falz, has said that some of the skills he learnt as a lawyer are now helping in his musical career. The University of Reading, England-trained lawyer stated this during an Instagram Live session with his fans.Jan 2, 2021

How do I break into art law?

How can I break into cultural heritage law? Show a Demonstrated Interest. The attorneys who work in this field are extremely dedicated to their work, so it helps if you can show the same level of interest. Attend conferences, intern or volunteer in related fields, and join relevant law school or professional groups.

What are the arts of successful lawyer?

They are like strategic thinking, problem solving, maintaining self-control, reading others, planning and communicating effectively. These are the skills that play a very important role in legal profession. These skills only make a lawyer successful and make a lawyer shine differently from other lawyers.Oct 4, 2017

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.

How much do music producers make?

According to payscale.com, Music Producers average salary is $50,986. Now, it is important to understand this figure is an average. The pay scale they list ranges from the low-end of $29,000 to the high-end of $99,000.

How do you become an entertainment lawyer?

How to Become an Entertainment Lawyer?Step 1: Earn a Bachelor's Degree. Aspiring lawyers must first complete a bachelor's degree program before applying to law school. ... Step 2: Take the LSAT Exam. ... Step 3: Get a Law Degree. ... Step 4: Enrol in the Bar Council.Nov 5, 2021

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.

Do I Need a Music and Recording Attorney?

For many, considering a music and recording career does not equate to hiring a music and recording attorney. Depending on what you plan on doing in the music and recording business, this may be one of the most important decisions you make. Not only who to hire, but when to hire a music and recording attorney should be considered.

Benefits of Music and Recording Attorneys

If you are in the music industry and are presented with a contract, it is a good time to think about hiring a music and recording attorney. An attorney can often provide advice on both the wording of any contracts or agreements, as well as help draw up any legal documents you require.

What an Entertainment lawyer can do for you

If you are an entertainer, movie producer, or musician, an entertainment lawyer can assist you with important legal issues, including intellectual property rights. Hiring an entertainment attorney will enable you to negotiate or write your contracts, deal with intellectual property issues, and work on publication deals.

Why hire an Entertainment attorney

Entertainment lawyers provide services to the entertainment industry, including film, music, television, theater, publishing, visual arts, and multimedia. They also represent sports stars and other celebrities. Entertainment lawyers negotiate and write contracts, deal with intellectual property issues, and practice employment and labor law.

Did you know?

Although entertainment lawyers do assist their clients with legal decisions such as contracts, compensation, real estate purchases, etc., entertainment attorneys also use their skills to help further a client's career.

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?

Why do entertainers hire lawyers?

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

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 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.

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 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.

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 a Copyright lawyer can do for you

If you are a designer, developer, or artist, there are many reasons you may need a copyright infringement lawyer on your side. If someone has stolen your artwork or website design or plagiarized text from your print or online article, you need to contact a copyright infringement attorney who can get the desired outcome from your case.

Why hire a Copyright infringement attorney

Copyright infringement laws deal with the theft of unique creative work. If, for example, you are browsing the Internet and find yourself looking at your own website design on someone else's website, you could benefit from the services of a copyright infringement lawyer.

Did you know?

Plaintiffs who can show willful infringement may be entitled to damages up to $150,000 per work. Defendants who can show that they were "not aware and had no reason to believe" they were infringing copyright may have the damages reduced to $200 per work. Hire a copyright infringement lawyer to prove or defend your case.

What is Creative Commons?

Creative Commons is a system that allows you to legally use “some rights reserved” music, movies, images, and other content — all for free. CC offers free copyright licenses that anyone can use to mark their creative work with the freedoms they want it to carry.

Where can I find CC-licensed music?

Several sites offer music published under Creative Commons’ flexible copyright licenses. Here are some:

Can I use any song with a CC license on it?

Almost — you need to make sure that what you want to do with the music is OK under the terms of the particular Creative Commons license it’s under. CC-licensed music isn’t free for all uses, only some — so make sure to check out the terms (you can find these by clicking on each song’s license icon).

What is SoundCloud music?

SoundCloud is a website that lets you stream and download free music. Content at SoundCloud is sometimes uploaded by professional artists, while others are shared by independent musicians. Not all music on SoundCloud can be downloaded, and some require you to Like a Facebook page to get the file.

Is Musopen music free?

Musopen has sheet music and recordings that are completely free, legal, and copyright-free. You can listen online or download the music for whatever purpose. There's even an online radio you can listen to from a computer or through their mobile app .

Does Spinrilla have free music?

Spinrilla has free hip-hop mixtape downloads. You can browse for these music downloads by the mixtape name, single, or chart, such as the most popular mixtapes today, this month, or all time. The website navigation is clean and easy to understand, and you can get individual songs or whole albums at once.

Is Bandcamp free to download?

Not every song you see is free to download. There isn't a "free only" page. Bandcamp makes it easy for artists to share their music in a "name your price" type of setting. This means that while you can pay for the music, another option is to put a zero in the payment box and download the song for free.