👋 LA Musician Newsletter
Are you a musician looking for legal advice around LA? Have a song coming out and need someone to review the contract?
With such a vibrant and diverse music scene, LA is home to the world’s best music and copyright attorneys.
Below are some of LA’s most well-regarded entertainment lawyers to help you navigate contracts, copyright disputes, sample clearances, and more.
Television and Film
Trying to wrap up a film project and need to clear a song? Want to prep your project for distribution on a streaming platform like Netflix or Amazon Prime?
These entertainment attorneys specialize in producing and releasing television and film projects in Burbank and Los Angeles.
🎬 Blake & Wang
BLAKE & WANG is a Los Angeles-based entertainment law firm founded by Brandon Blake and Li Wang.
They offer representation, development, and packaging services for television and film projects.
They also offer help for musicians in areas like:
- music contract review and drafting,
- negotiation and sync licensing,
- and intellectual property protection.
They advise every client with smart legal strategies by using their network of relationships in the business to help independent and major projects succeed.
🎥 Dinah Perez
Perez offers legal services for entertainment clients, including negotiation, drafting, and review of contracts related to film, television, music, and publishing. She helps navigate the production process from pre-production to distribution, primarily for films. She also specializes in music law.
Her services for artists, indie record labels, managers, and publishers, include:
- music contract review,
- drafting,
- and assistance with music licensing.
Dinah is a top choice in LA for a reason. Her guidance is always direct and valuable, making her a great choice for first-timers in the entertainment business too!
📹 Barnes and Thornburg
Barnes and Thornburg lawyers have assisted both American and international clients in the film and television industry.
They are experts in entertainment finance, including lending and other financial processes related to film production.
Their services include:
- advising clients on tax-advantaged financing for film projects,
- state and local film subsidies,
- and co-production agreements.
They can also help with rights and other issues under guild and union agreements, and negotiate talent and services agreements for actors and on-screen talent.
In addition, Barnes and Thornburg's lawyers have experience negotiating sponsorship and endorsement deals for film stars and TV personalities.
They have also worked on complex projects involving the clearance of multi-party rights in connection with the exploitation of intellectual property in film and television.
Music Sync Licensing
These attorneys will help you navigate licensing music for your projects or syncing a song to a film.
📺 Morris Music Law
Morris Music Law is a Los Angeles-based law firm that provides music legal services for all types of musicians.
They offer legal help to solo artists, bands, and recording and publishing companies, as well as services for film, TV, radio, and new media entities like Apple TV.
They offer a wide range of legal services such as contracts, copyright, trademarks, and LLC formation.
Some examples of their music contracts include
- 360 record deals,
- producer agreements,
- work for hires,
- band agreements,
- and music licensing.
Their clients are primarily songwriters, bands, labels, publishers, film and TV directors, producers, composers, writers, and music supervisors.
Music Business and Recording Contracts
Have a recording contract you need help reviewing?
🟩 King, Holmes, Paterno & Soriano
Success in the music industry requires navigating a complex business. And legal considerations are around every corner.
Record companies need legal help with things like incorporation, trademarks, copyrights, employment, and contracts.
Bands need to set up their own business structures and policies, and negotiate contracts for things like their music, tours, and merchandise. They also need to protect their intellectual property, like their songs and albums.
KHPS have decades of experience in the music industry, and some have even worked as professional musicians, record label managers, and recording studio employees.
KHPS has represented clients in important cases that have changed the music industry, and created new ways of doing business.
They help a wide range of clients in the music industry, including:
- singers and songwriters,
- bands,
- record labels,
- producers,
- managers,
- and executives.
🏢 Koenig
Sally Koenig is an experienced music law attorney who has represented numerous performers and content creators in the industry. She offers a wide range of legal services, including
- assistance with record deals,
- copyright and trademark protection,
- management,
- merchandising,
- and contract review, negotiations and modifications.
Koenig ensures that her clients maintain control of their rights and receive a fair consideration for their license or transfer.
Providing bespoke transactional entertainment law representation to companies, creatives, and rights holders, the firm offers the drafting, review, interpretation, and/or negotiation of a wide variety of agreements.
Music Sample Clearances
Clearing samples for your songs can be tricky. If your song contains unlicensed samples, it could be taken down due to a copyright strike - or worse, you could get sued!
Clearing your samples before you release a song is a crucial part of conducting business in the professional music industry.
Sorry-you can’t just upload it to Soundcloud!
💿 DMG Clearances
DMG Clearances specializes in top-quality sample clearance services. They have the expertise to guide you through the intricate process of music licensing and clearance to ensure your songs are cleared for commercial use.
The cost of their sample clearance services varies depending on the specific project and the number of samples that need to be cleared.
The initial consultation is free of charge.
Clearing the publishing and master starts at approximately $350.
DMG also offers:
- Ownership research
- Sample clip clearances
- Rush services
- Clearing a sample after release
Social Media and Influencers
🦁 Pitt Entertainment Law
Asa's mission is to protect clients' rights and ensure they are paid what they are worth.
Garrett Clayton, an actor and producer with over 6 million social media followers, recommends Asa for his passion, patience, and precision in making deals and working through agreements.
Asa has also worked with Favorite Finds, a TikTok account with over 1.3 million followers, and has been instrumental in locking in more deals for them than they have ever done in the past.
🔷 Boesch Law Group
Boesch Law Group (BLG) is a digital media firm based in Silicon Beach, specializing in social media law and technology-related disputes.
They offer legal assistance to clients who face issues such as defamation, theft of intellectual property, and cyber-bullying.
BLG's expertise includes:
- copyrights,
- trademarks,
- talent representation,
- and social media law.
They work with clients ranging from creatives to entrepreneurs, providing guidance and support in the rapidly expanding digital world. If you need legal protection for your online presence and livelihood, BLG is a trusted name that you can count on.
FAQs about hiring entertainment lawyers
What kind of services do entertainment lawyers provide?
Whether you need assistance with music contracts, copyright issues, or any other legal matter related to the entertainment business, there is an attorney in Los Angeles who can help. Some of the services offered by music attorneys in LA include:
- Entertainment Law
- Music Contract Review and Drafting
- Negotiation and Licensing
- Intellectual Property Protection
How much does it cost to hire a music attorney in Los Angeles?
The cost of hiring a music attorney in Los Angeles can vary depending on the level of experience and services provided. Some attorneys may charge a flat fee for specific services, while others may charge an hourly rate. It's important to discuss fees and billing arrangements with any potential music attorney before entering into an agreement.
What additional guidance can music attorneys provide?
In addition to offering legal services, music attorneys in Los Angeles can also provide valuable advice and guidance to help you grow and succeed in the music industry. They can offer insight into industry trends, help you make connections with other artists and labels, and generally help you move your career forward.
What should I do if I have questions or concerns about my legal rights and obligations as a music professional?
Legal issues in the music industry can be complex and confusing. Don't hesitate to reach out to a music attorney in Los Angeles if you have any questions or concerns about your legal rights and obligations as an artist or songwriter.