Generally, the best approach is to ask people you know who are in the music business and who have previously hired an entertainment attorney. Find out whether they had a good experience, whether the legal matters the attorney handled were similar to the legal matters you need help with, and whether the attorney’s fees were reasonable. 2.
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Feb 05, 2016 · So just tell the truth at all times! 8. Pay your bills on time. A surefire way to avoid putting a damper on your relationship with your lawyer is to pay your bills on time. Your attorney is running a business, just like you are. But always remember to check your statement first.
Jun 25, 2020 · Ask An Entertainment Attorney: 6 Common Questions. Even if you’re great at music, plunging into the business side of the music business can …
In any area of the entertainment industry, the more successful you become, the more you can be sure that lawsuits will soon follow. With attention comes risk, and in today’s digital era where entertainers definitely need to promote themselves online, there are many legalities to consider when you begin your journey.
Just as if you were scouting talent for any position, one of the most important questions to ask is the candidate’s specific area of expertise. The entertainment world is vast, and each different profession has different legal worries to consider.
Whether or not your candidate has exact experience representing your sport or artform may not matter if their resume exceed expectations. The second most important question to ask during the selection process of your lawyer is, who have they previously worked with? Verify their claims online to see if their stories match up with their reputation.
Certainly, you should consult with an experienced entertainment attorney before you sign a contract of any significance. An experienced entertainment attorney can also be very useful as a sounding board for ideas and strategies you have, and as a source of contacts to music business professionals who can help you move ahead in the music business.
1. Referrals. Generally, the best approach is to ask people you know who are in the music business and who have previously hired an entertainment attorney. Find out whether they had a good experience, whether the legal matters the attorney handled were similar to the legal matters you need help with, and whether the attorney’s fees were reasonable.
Published since 1977, Music Connection magazine is a monthly music trade publication catering to musicians, industry pro’s, and support services. Music Connection exists to serve artists and music people, to offer connections to the unconnected and to provide exclusive information that can help our readers take their music to the next level.
Entertainment attorneys also work with actors’ agents for contracts regarding upcoming projects. They negotiate with the agent and producer for the actor’s compensation. Some entertainment attorneys are also agents, managers or publicists.
Education. Like other attorneys, an entertainment attorney spends three years earning a law degree after receiving a bachelor’s degree. But an entertainment attorney chooses to focus on entertainment, most often graduating from a law school that offers a specialization in entertainment law.
They act as general counsel for established artists, helping with marketing and merchandising deals, as well as real estate transactions and tax issues. Also, they help artists secure the rights to use music that other artists have written, complying with copyright laws.
They work on financing agreements for sponsorships, bank loans, co-production investments, grants and other types of investments. They prepare agreements for appearance releases, location releases, and licenses. They may also help clients join unions, guilds, and other professional associations if needed.
It’s when a creator or producer begins to work with others on their project, share ideas with their best friends, or talk to others in the entertainment industry before putting their ideas to writing and have them copyrighted, that projects can be stolen. It’s possible after a submission has been made by a talent agency or by a network ...
General partnerships still expose a producer to liability and while limited partnerships are better if structured appropriately, they are still not favored. Corporations can be used, however, the most favored form of entity by film producers today are LLCs.
With law degrees both in California and in Great Britain, Sebastian Gibson is rated as a “Superb” lawyer, their highest rating, by Avvo. He has written for the Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journal newspapers and is a published author with offices in Palm Springs/Palm Desert and Newport Beach.
In most of the U.S., participating in online gambling is illegal. Your financial loss that you hope to recoup in a lawsuit would come from your participation, which, in most instances, would be illegal. This would be similar to suing because you were ripped off by a drug dealer or... Read More
If you videotaped it by yourself for yourself, and not as part of a job or as a work for hire, you most likely own the Copyright to the video itself. If the video was made as part of a job or for a client, then that employer most likely owns the Copyright on the video itself. The second issue is whether you would have the legal right to use the images of the people in the video. Was... Read More
The right of publicity is the issue you must contend with. You can use the famous person's name in the title if and only if you do not imply endorsement or approval of your book by the famous person. You should have a preface in the book that says clearly and unmistakably that the tribute and the book are not authorized by the famous person. You should give credit by... Read More
Entertainment lawyers are sometimes called on to evaluate financial plans, production budgets, business plans, and creative pitches. This experience can be valuable for moving from legal work to a business development or hybrid business/legal role, such as in the business affairs department of a studio or network.
Junior associates generally work with senior associates or directly with partners. However, junior associates can gain responsibility quickly for some deals, including drafting and negotiating simpler production agreements, such as releases, talent agreements and independent contractor agreements. Law firm entertainment attorneys also consult ...