what is it like to be a music industry lawyer

As a music attorney, you will represent musicians in the music industry. You will be responsible for drafting agreements and facilitating contract negotiations, and you will also work with other musicians, record labels, event promoters, and other industry parties who want to employ your client.

Full Answer

Do I need a lawyer in the music industry?

She has worked in the music industry for over two decades. If you're entering into any kind of deal in the music industry where money and contracts are involved, you should probably hire an entertainment or music lawyer.

What degree do I need to work in the music industry?

Consider majoring in a related field for your undergraduate degree. An undergraduate degree in a related field, such as Business with a specialization in Music, Media Production, or Public Relations can help you apply for internships in the music industry.

How does music law affect the music business?

If a copyright holder accuses a business of a copyright violation, music law may involve negotiating a resolution or bringing the matter to formal litigation. While music law focuses primarily on copyright law and licensing, music law also involves other areas of law in the music business. Other types of law that are part of music law include:

Do you need an entertainment lawyer?

Do you need an entertainment lawyer on a one-time basis, or do you need to keep a lawyer on retainer? If you're new to the business and this is your first contract, you probably don't need to put a lawyer on a (costly) retainer.

What do lawyers do in the music industry?

Lawyers for musicians are legal representatives who specialize in the music industry. These lawyers represent record labels, musicians, and others in the music industry and focus on issues like trademark disputes, copyright violations, and even recording contract signing.

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.

What type of lawyer gets paid the 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.

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 celebrity lawyers get paid?

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

Is entertainment law hard to break into?

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.

Is being an entertainment lawyer hard?

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.

How much do Nintendo lawyers make?

563 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 can a lawyer make 7 figures?

4 Keys to Achieving a 7-Figure IncomeRun your law firm like a business. You studied the law as a noble profession, but to break the seven-figure barrier, you must run your law firm like a business. ... Focus on a niche. ... Identify your ideal target market. ... Pay attention to your firm's finances.

Who is the most paid lawyer in the world?

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

Are all lawyers rich?

The majority of lawyers, or rather attorneys, are not rich, but many of them make a decent income in exchange for complex work.

Why is music law important?

Music law is important to creating and performing music . Music lawyers do their part to help their clients understand the laws and protect their interests. While the music industry primarily involves licensing and contract law, music law may involve a number of different types of law that are all a part of creating and performing music.

What is music law?

Music law includes any laws of any kind that apply to the business of creating, selling, performing and listening to music. Music law is a part of entertainment law.

Why are contracts important in music?

Many performers and event producers are independent contractors, and music producers rely on distributors to sell their work. For all of these people in the music industry, contracts are important to make sure that everyone involved has clear expectations. Even consumers use contract law in the music industry. Anyone who buys a subscription to a music service or even buys a concert ticket has some interaction with music-related contract law.

What does a radio station pay for?

For example, a radio or television station typically pays the music owner for non-exclusive rights to the work. The cost of a radio station’s license depends on the size of its audience, the station’s revenues and how often the station plays the music. A music owner may ask for reports on when the station plays the work.

What are the entities that broadcast music?

There are many entities that broadcast music. Radio stations, television stations, bars, restaurants and even schools broadcast music or perform it live. There are music laws that determine what a person or group must do in order to broadcast or perform music. Because the creator of a musical work gets a copyright for the work, ...

Do musicians need a visa to travel to another country?

To enter the United States, non-citizen musicians generally need one of a number of different P category visas depending on the nature of their work. Music lawyers must help their clients secure the visas that they need in order to enter the country for their intended purpose.

Is music a federal or state law?

Music laws may be federal, state and local. There are a number of federal laws that impact the music industry. There are also state laws that may vary from one state to another. Even a local authority like a municipality may make a law that impacts the music industry. Music attorneys must be careful to look at all sources ...

What is a music lawyer?

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. While their duties are similar to those of other lawyers, ...

What do you need to know about music law?

Music law, in particular, requires attorneys to know the ins and outs of the music industry, from the handling of brands and artists to dealing with recording studios and licenses. Here are some of the services you can expect from a music lawyer: Facilitate Recording Agreements. Signing a recording agreement is a big step in any artist’s career, ...

What is Chase Lawyers?

Chase Lawyers is an entertainment law firm comprised of veteran attorneys with considerable experience in the music industry.

What are the hurdles to purchasing a music license?

There are some hurdles related to purchasing a license, such as a difference in pricing relative to audience count, broadcasting coverage, frequency of which music is played, and more. Music lawyers can give their clients more insight regarding license requirements and copyright laws.

What is a recording agreement?

Signing a recording agreement is a big step in any artist’s career, especially for the ones who are new to the industry. However, artists may unknowingly agree to terms that might not be favorable to them in the long run, like selling their rights to a record label.

Do authors own their own music?

Authors of songs and music have innate legal ownership over their creations, thanks to intellectual property laws. If they wish to sell their music, having a music attorney handle the terms of agreement can prevent possible exploitation or financial losses.

Is music broadcasting or performance?

Broadcasting Rights. The broadcasting and performance of music is one area that’s also regulated by music law. To protect copyright owners, the law requires would-be broadcasters and performers to obtain a license before they can show copyrighted music to their audience. Copyright law isn’t easy to navigate, however.

Who is a music lawyer?

A music lawyer is a specialized lawyer who understands your music industry well. These professionals are well-trained and can handle a wide variety of legal matters in the music industry. The following are some of the common aspects that a legal professional may look at:

What does a music lawyer do?

Hiring a professional music lawyer will benefit your music career in numerous ways but it is critical to identify and hire the right qualified and experienced one. However, do you know the right time to hire a music lawyer?

What is a music attorney?

As a music attorney, sometimes referred to as an entertainment lawyer, you're responsible for handling an assortment of legal issues for clients working in the music industry. In this career, you will help your clients with legal issues ranging from copyright to contract legality to trademark issues. Many music attorneys have a background in music, ...

Where is the music business located?

The business of music is still predominantly located in places like New York City, Los Angeles, and Nashville. You may want to consider schools in these towns or schools that have strong entertainment law programs. Look for areas where there is a concentration of music labels or music agents.

Do music lawyers have a background?

In fact, many music attorneys have a background in music before practicing law. You may have previous experience managing and booking bands or artists, or you may have experience as a musician, giving you first hand experience on how to become successful in the industry. To best represent your music clients, it helps if you are aware ...

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.

Is it a bad idea to sign an agreement between band members?

It’s never a bad idea to sign an agreement between band members regarding a few key issues. Principally, who owns the copyright on the songs, how royalties are distributed, and who owns the band name are the matters at stake.

Can you sign a management deal without a lawyer?

Never, ever, ever sign a management deal without having a lawyer go over it and explain it. The language is very dense and difficult to understand and most importantly, the clauses within them will affect your career for literally years.

Who Does Music Law Impact?

Federal, State and Local Laws May Apply

Licensing and Publishing

Broadcasting

Live Performance

Other Areas of Music Law

Who Practices Music Law?

Why Become A Music Lawyer?

• For attorneys who enjoy contract lawand negotiations, music law may be a good fit. A lawyer who advises their client in all areas of music law may have a well-rounded practice. Lawyers who enjoy music may enjoy working on behalf of those in the music industry. Music law can be academically challenging, and it can involve many different types of law...

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Keeping The Beat with Music Law