what would you need an entertainment lawyer for as a writer

In such cases, an entertainment lawyer should be brought on to advise on the terms. Or perhaps you’re a writer whose work has potentially been stolen or plagiarized. An entertainment lawyer can evaluate whether that is the case, and if so, potentially move forward with litigation.

Full Answer

What does an entertainment lawyer do?

Entertainment lawyers negotiate and write contracts, deal with intellectual property issues, and practice employment and labor law. For example, entertainment lawyers negotiate and document film stars' compensation, musicians' recording contracts, and authors' publication deals, as well as movie distribution and rights.

What degree do I need to be an entertainment lawyer?

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.

Do you need a literary lawyer?

You may well also need a literary lawyer if you have a legal problem arising from your writing career.

What kind of attorney do I need to represent a writer?

Retain an attorney whose regular professional practice actively focuses on or includes representing writers in the publishing world. How do I know if I need a literary lawyer?

When do I need a lawyer?

Of course this short essay cannot cover all that a lawyer does, nor can it touch on all of the possible areas where a lawyer's involvement might be contemplated. But we'll hit the highlights and hopefully set up a pattern that can be extrapolated to other areas. When do you need a lawyer?

What can a lawyer NOT do?

Sometimes choosing a lawyer isn't the best option, like picking someone to do your laundry. And there are times when you can't have your lawyer do the task for you, no matter what.

How to Find a Lawyer

By law a lawyer can only practice law within the jurisdiction their license allows them. Usually this is within a state's borders. A lawyer can only take a client that has some connection to that jurisdiction, either residence or business ties, usually.

What is an Entertainment Lawyer

Entertainment lawyers provide legal assistance for artists, employees, companies and individuals involved in all areas of the entertainment industry including, but not limited to, film, radio, television, music, publishing, theater and digital or multimedia entertainment.

How is an Entertainment Lawyer Different Than General Practice Lawyer

Knowledge of relevant cases, statutes, regulations, and collective bargaining agreements typically constitute sufficient competence for General Practice lawyers however, the same does not hold true for entertainment attorneys.

Why Use an Entertainment Lawyer

If you are a member of the entertainment industry, whether an industry executive, recording artist, song writer, film director or actor, you will want to hire a lawyer who is not only able to

Areas Entertainment Lawyers Cover

The areas entertainment attorneys cover are vast. An entertainment lawyer can focus on any or several of many practice areas such as intellectual property, corporate law, labor law, arbitration, alternative dispute resolution, litigation, estate planning, real estate, criminal law, international law, matrimonial law, taxation and immigration law.

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.

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.

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 the best book about music?

There’s a great book called All You Need to Know About the Music Business by Donald Passman. That’s a terrific book to read because it gives a real overview of how the industry is. Figure out what kind of music you like. If you can find great music and bring it to a company or develop it yourself that’s super valuable.

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 you have to wait for someone to hand you something?

You have to go out and do it yourself, and then you have value in the entertainment industry. That’s creating value.”. “Don’t wait for someone to hand you something. When you’re in school you should try to get internships to learn how the industry is set up.

What are some less obvious examples of situations where you really need to contact an entertainment attorney?

Every situation is different and some people can do more on their own just due to experience, but there are a few key situations where an attorney should absolutely be consulted that are often overlooked:

What else can an entertainment lawyer do?

In addition to the traditional negotiation of the deal documents, some attorneys also assist with packaging and pitching scripts. Usually this means that they have an established network that might include producers, agents, managers, talent and possibly even financiers.

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.

What does "literary lawyer" mean?

This means an attorney whose area of practice is or includes the publishing industry, and who regularly represents writers in contractual negotiations and in legal matters/problems in their writing careers. Like many other forms of business, the publishing world is specialized.

How does a lawyer work?

A lawyer works on the basis of hourly fees, rather than a commission on your earnings ( a commission is how an agent works). You will be billed for any time the lawyer spends working on your behalf, and the bill you receive should itemize how the time was spent. The lawyer should clarify with you up front what his/her fees are, ...

What is the role of an attorney?

Also, keep in mind that a lawyer’s role is limited and specific. An attorney doesn’t market and sell your work, advise you about the marketplace, or strategize your next career move with you; he advises you about legal matters.

Can a literary agent advise on legal issues?

Finally, a literary agent isn’t qualified to advise you on legal problems, though he might offer an opinion. When a legal problem arises in your business, you need a lawyer to assist you, not someone with no legal qualifications whatsoever.

What is entertainment lawyer?

Entertainment lawyers or entertainment attorneys serve authors and other types of talent such as actors and actresses in a similar capacity to literary lawyers and literary attorneys. The main difference is they’re not focused solely on writers.

What is a literary agent?

Literary agents are primarily responsible for developing and managing the careers of writers. Click here (no cost) to see my detailed Guide to Literary Agents along with my information about how to Get a Literary Agent and Finding a Literary Agent.

Do literary lawyers get book deals?

In other words, literary lawyers or literary attorneys don’t advise their clients about their writing, nor do they try to get them book deals. They simply give advice about legal matters and, in some cases, represent their authors’ interests in arbitration, court cases, or other types of situations and proceedings.

Is an attorney a lawyer?

The definitions vary a bit by location, but they overlap a lot. Basically, all attorneys are lawyers but not all lawyers are attorneys. If you want to know more about that topic, just Google “The difference between lawyers and attorneys.”.

Does Random House have a lawyer?

Most authors published with major publishing houses like Random House have literary agents, but they don’t usually have literary lawyers or literary attorneys, and they don’t usually have entertainment lawyers or entertainment attorneys.

Do agents tell the author about the legal fee?

If that happens, the agent will usually tell the author about it in advance because the legal fee will usually have to be paid by the author ( out of pocket or deducted from the author’s royalties). You’ll likely see language about this scenario in your author/agent agreement. 3.

Do literary agents need lawyers?

However, most literary agents aren’t lawyers or attorneys. Therefore, if an author needs “legal advice,” he or she may need to pay for the services of a literary lawyer or literary attorney to augment the efforts and abilities of his or her literary agent. Literary lawyers or literary attorneys serve authors in a different capacity ...