what degree do you need to be an entertainment lawyer

by Dr. Agustina Herzog DDS 6 min read

Juris Doctor

When should you hire an entertainment lawyer?

The most common reason that an entertainer hires a lawyer is to review, draft, or negotiate a contract. But you might also hire a lawyer if you need to litigate, for example if your producer breaches a contract, or if your manager has stolen money from you.

What is the job description for an entertainment lawyer?

  • #1 thing is network. Meet people in the industry whenever you can. ...
  • Start to think about what you want to do and if being an Entertainment Attorney is really for you. ...
  • Try to learn. There are lots of books and blogs out there, lots of ways to learn about the industry. ...
  • Figure out what kind of music you like. ...

What is the curriculum of an entertainment law degree?

The Curriculum. As a first-year law student, you will follow a designated course of study that may cover many of the following subjects: Civil procedure —the process of adjudication in the United States such as jurisdiction and standing to sue, motions and pleadings, pretrial procedure, the structure of a lawsuit, and appellate review of ...

Do you need an entertainment lawyer?

You're finally getting roles in local plays or movies and you're seeking broader exposure. Or maybe you just wrote a screenplay and a few producers are showing interest. These are all perfect examples of times when you might need an attorney with a special knowledge of the entertainment business.

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What should I study for entertainment law?

Bachelor's Degrees.Corrections.Criminal Justice.Criminology.Forensic Science.Homeland Security.Law Enforcement Administration.Legal Studies.More items...•

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.

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.

Is it hard to get into entertainment law?

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.

Who is the highest paid lawyer?

Top 10 Highest Paid Lawyer In The WorldErin Brockovich – Net Worth: $42 Million. ... John Branca – Net Worth: $50 Million. ... Robert Shapiro — Net Worth: $50 Million. ... Roy Black — Net Worth: $65 Million. ... Willie Gary — Net Worth: $100 Million. ... Joe Jamail Jr. ... Richard Scruggs — Net Worth: $1.7 Billion.More items...•

Do Entertainment Lawyers work with celebrities?

Who deals with an entertainment lawyer? Some entertainment attorneys work as a celebrity's personal lawyer, but the majority of work with celebrities' agents and managers. These clients have a team of business and legal advisors which include agents, managers, and other attorneys.

How much do Nintendo lawyers make?

564 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$190,589/yrCorporate Counsel salaries - 1 salaries reported$217,707/yr2 more rows

How much do celebrity lawyers get paid?

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

How much does an entertainment lawyer make in LA?

The salaries of Entertainment Lawyers in Los Angeles, CA range from $10,055 to $187,200 , with a median salary of $20,503 . The middle 57% of Entertainment Lawyers makes between $20,514 and $59,659, with the top 86% making $187,200.

Is entertainment law stressful?

Just as well, most people practicing entertainment law are in the field because they like the substantive work as well as the clients. Yes, there are the time pressures and tight budgets to consider, all of which can create significant stress for attorneys.

How do I become a lawyer in the entertainment industry?

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.

How do I get a job in entertainment law?

My suggestion would be to make a list of top lawyers, law firms, media companies dealing with media and entertainment law. You can find their information online. Almost all of them have a careers page or contact details. Just get in touch with them and ask about their internship programme or hiring procedure and apply!

What Undergraduate Courses Can Prepare me for an Entertainment Law Degree Program?

To become a lawyer in the United States, you must complete a 4-year undergraduate program followed by a 3-year law degree before you can sit for a written bar examination and gain state licensure.

What Graduate Courses Are Available?

Once you complete a pre-law degree program, you can enroll in a Juris Doctorate (J.D.) that focuses specifically on entertainment law. In some instances, you might also consider enrolling in a regular J.D. program that offers a specialization or track in entertainment law. You could also earn a regular J.D.

What Specialty Courses Might I Take?

Entertainment law degree programs often offer a variety of elective courses that might be of interest to you depending upon your specific interest in the field. For example, if you are interested in becoming a lawyer in the video gaming industry, you might consider specializing in courses relevant to that field.

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 are the practices in entertainment law?

The Following are the Practices in Entertainment Law: Labor and employment – to make sure that staff and talents are following labor and employment laws, which include worker’s compensation, safety regulations, fair hiring practices, and maximum working hours allowed .

Is continuing education mandatory in entertainment law?

The old ones are being revised, and a lot of cases are being created and trying to be resolved. Continuing your education isn’t mandatory in the legal field, but if you’re planning to pursue a career path how to become an entertainment lawyer in a specific field, such as an entertainment lawyer, professional development ...

Can a lawyer handle entertainment law?

Lawyers can include entertainment law cases as a part of a wider practice or just focus on entertainment law exclusively. Entertainment laws have something to offer, whether you prefer drafting documents, pouring over regulations, or being in the courtroom.

Do entertainment lawyers work outside of the city?

Other entertainers, local bands, radio talents, and television talents residing in their city also need entertainment lawyers on their side. Although entertainment lawyers won’t get to practice full-time outside major cities, they can still handle entertainment cases for their litigation and transactional law practice.

Who is an Entertainment Lawyer?

According to Schroder, entertainment lawyers protect their client’s intellectual property rights, represent them in court over disputes, negotiate contracts, show them ways to maximize earnings, and help them manage their taxes, etc. Entertainment lawyers are required by production houses, directors, celebrities, etc.

How to Become an Entertainment Lawyer?

Aspiring lawyers must first complete a bachelor’s degree program before applying to law school. The American Bar Association advises choosing a major that will both challenge and excite future law students to achieve their goals.

What is Media Law?

The media industry is massive, encompassing publishing, newspapers, television, radio, film, and the internet. As a result, it is necessary to comprehend the laws that govern these fields. The law that controls media infrastructure, establishes limits on media communication and protects intellectual property is covered in the Media Law course.

Who Should Do Media Law?

A Media law course is for law students who desire to work as in-house advisers for corporations in the media and entertainment industry. Law students interested in working in a firm’s Technology, Media, and Telecom (TMT) practice. Independent practitioners looking to work in the media and entertainment business as contract drafters.

Types of Media Law Courses

Diploma, PG 1- Year and LLM studies in media law are available, with durations ranging from one to five years. The following table summarises the eligibility, duration, and admission procedures for each of the three courses.

Top 10 Colleges for Entertainment Law Abroad

The USA stands #1 when it comes to pursuing entertainment law courses abroad. As per Indeed.com, entertainment lawyers are in huge demand and expected to grow in New York, Las Vegas, Boston, Atlanta, and Chicago. Here are some of the finest law schools for entertainment law abroad:

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 do entertainment lawyers major in?

Many Entertainment Lawyers majored in Legal Studies or Music Industry Studies as undergraduates. A degree in Music Industry Studies or something similar can give the future Lawyer an understanding of the many areas of the music business before they hunker down and dive deep into the law at law school.

How much do entertainment attorneys make?

Entertainment Attorney salaries can range from $77,000 to $186,000. Moo says “there are a couple different ways” Entertainment Attorneys are paid. “The flat fee for reviewing contracts is the most common because it’s the most affordable, especially for newer musicians.

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.

Do entertainment law firms have business hours?

Most entertainment law firms have set business hours, yet at the same time Attorneys have to be willing to put in the work whenever it’s necessary, whether that means studying contracts over the weekend or meeting clients for dinner. “I do stuff when I need to do stuff,” Moo says.

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.

Do entertainment lawyers charge hourly?

Very commonly, lawyers charge an hourly rate, but it’s possible to hire one who uses flat rates for particular services as well. Should you hire an entertainment lawyer for a court case, you may even be able to negotiate having their fee—or contingency rate—come out of the expected settlement.

Do entertainment lawyers provide free consultations?

Yes, most entertainment lawyers will provide a brief complimentary consultation. Keep in mind, though, that this consultation isn’t about getting free information for a legal issue. Rather, the consultation is to determine if that particular lawyer will be a good fit for your needs. 10.

Is an entertainment lawyer an employee?

Is an entertainment lawyer hired as an employee or contractor? 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. 16.

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.

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What Is An Entertainment Lawyer?

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The following job responsibilities are common for individuals in entertainment lawyer roles: 1. Meet with clients who work in the entertainment industry to better understand needs and concerns 2. Negotiate contracts with agencies and employers on behalf of clients 3. File suits on behalf of clients for issues like co…
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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. for entertainment: Califo…
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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.
See more on onlinedegree.com

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. Others work for entertainment agencies, preparing legal contracts for clients on b…
See more on onlinedegree.com