Entertainment Attorney Jobs

About This Music Career

Music and Entertainment Attorneys are responsible for handling the legal needs of those in the music and entertainment industries. Like all other Attorneys, Music Industry Attorneys graduate from law school and pass a bar exam. Those Attorneys who specialize in music and entertainment law need to have a thorough understanding of the music industry and all of the issues that impact it.

In the music industry, there are many service opportunities for Attorneys, including agreements, contracts, and negotiations, as well as copyrights, trademarks, sponsorships, and endorsements – of course, there are always lawsuits. Specific responsibilities will depend on the employment situation, where Attorneys working at record companies may have responsibilities different from those working at Music Publishers. No matter the situation, the lawyer is responsible for protecting the rights of his or her client.

As their range of responsibilities varies, Entertainment Attorneys work a lot on contracts, negotiating and preparing contracts, or reviewing those contracts that others have written. Examples include reviewing a management contract for a new artist, or negotiating new management contracts for established recording artists. Attorneys also sometimes prepare contracts for individuals who want to form a group – detailing how monies are split, what happens if a member decides to leave the group, and so on.

Because of the fact that music industry contracts have a specific language and can be quite complicated, the Attorney is responsible for explaining all points in a contract to his or her client. Entertainment Attorneys must review the contents of each contract, whether they have actually written it or not. If an Attorney notices that contract terms differ from what the artist had intended, then negotiations to change the contract's wording will have to be undertaken. Attorneys working at record labels don't only deal with artist contracts, but they may prepare and write contacts for a label's Songwriters, Producers, and maybe even label executives.

If an Entertainment Attorneys is working with promoters and promotion companies, they may either prepare performance contracts for artists who appear at venues, or they may review contracts prepared by the artist or his or her manager or agent. Contracts must contain ALL pertinent information including the location of the show, show times, show dates, and length of appearances; the contract must also include areas such as fees, advances and how payment will be made to the artist. To be complete, contracts might also include the order of appearance of artists, the name of the headliner, and more. Contracts even get as specific as stating how big the artists name will appear on the marquee and in advertisements, along with the price of tickets, and the type of advertising to be executed.

Basic performance contracts have riders added to them by artists, which specify additional contract items. A rider could be a simple document, one page in length, or could range up to 100 pages in length. For example, the rider might outline that an act must work with a specific type of instrument, or that they require certain backstage amenities. The rider can even be as specific as to stating the actual foods and drinks that should be stocked in the dressing room, along with the type of transportation required. Some artists are extremely specific, and may demand new toilet seats in dressing rooms, or rooms to be painted a certain color. No matter the request, the Attorney must ensure that each thing the artist asks for is in writing in the contract and/or the rider. And, the contract is signed by both parties in order for the contract to be valid.

Depending on the situation, some Attorneys apply for new song copyrights or other published material on behalf of the writer, label, or publishing company. Additionally, Attorneys might handle copyright or trademark infringement suits. Especially this day and age, recording artists might call an Attorney to handle situations where a tabloid or television show allegedly slanders them.

Music Industry Attorneys may help artists assemble their team, including managers, agents, and publishing companies. Attorneys can also secure endorsements, tour sponsorships, licensing opportunities, and more.

Salaries
New Entertainment Attorneys may earn about $60,000 annually, while others with experience, and are working for a large and prestigious law firm, or a major label, can earn $500,000 or more a year – there are some Attorneys who even earn more than $1,000,000 annually. Earnings can be made up of a salary or can be based on some negotiated amount tied to recordings, publishing rights, endorsements, sponsorships, public appearances, etc.

Employment
Employment prospects are fair for qualified individuals, and may be available at record labels, music publishing companies, booking agencies, management companies, promotion companies, and entertainment venues, among others. It is also common for some recording artists, songwriters, and entertainers to keep their own personal Attorney on staff. Attorneys can find work for law firms that specialize in music only, or with firms that specialize in a few different areas. Attorneys can also freelance or work on retainer, while others start their own practices.

Advancement
Advancement prospects are fair, as some can find positions in larger or more prestigious music-oriented companies. Others may advance by gaining more prestigious clients. Some build their practice by acquiring a larger roster of clients.

Education and Training

It is usually required of attorneys to have a four-year college undergraduate degree and an additional three years of law school - which must be approved by the American Bar Association (ABA). To apply to such law schools, applicants must take the Law School Admission Test, (LSAT). Then, in order to practice law, individuals must pass a written bar exam and be admitted into the bar of the particular state in which they wish to practice.

Useful courses might include contracts, tax law, business law, intellectual property and copyright law. There are even a number of law schools that offer special programs and a large number of classes in music and entertainment, including UCLA, USC, Stanford, NYU, Columbia and more.

Special Requirements
Attorneys specializing in the music industry, must pass the bar exam for the state or states in which they will be practicing. They must also be licensed and/or registered in that state.

Experience, Skills, and Personality
Attorneys working at large record labels or other large music companies might want their Attorneys to have three to five years of experience – at least – in music or entertainment law. Whereas a smaller independent label may require only a little more than a year of experience. Attorneys need to have superior written and verbal communications skills, and the ability to think analytically and objectively is imperative. They also need to be responsible, organized, professional, and must hold the highest standard of ethics.

Because there are so many different aspects of the music industry, Attorneys specializing in music need to have full knowledge of all aspects of the industry, along with a complete understanding of the special legal issues that face recording artists, musicians, singers, and songwriters. And like all attorneys, He or she must be able to keep sensitive information confidential; they must be extremely trustworthy.

Unions and Associations
Attorneys may be members of the American Bar Association (ABA), along with specific state bar associations. Other professional organizations include the International Association of Entertainment Lawyers (IAEL), which brings together Attorneys in the entertainment industry so they can pass information to each other.

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