Considering an Entertainment Lawyer

Villainaire

New member
I've considered getting an entertainment lawyer, and I've heard from sources that entertainment lawyers can help shop material. Is this true? I'd appreciate any info from ANYONE who knows ANYTHING about this subject.
 
As always, depends on the specific lawyer, but yes, one of the functions of an entertainment lawyer is shopping material.
 
Would it be a stupid idea to get an attorney from a big city like NY, LA, or ATL if you lived in say... St. Louis. I would assume you'd be dealing with an attorney with more contacts in a bigger city, but I nothing about this subject.
 
Would it be a stupid idea to get an attorney from a big city like NY, LA, or ATL if you lived in say... St. Louis. I would assume you'd be dealing with an attorney with more contacts in a bigger city, but I nothing about this subject.

Attorneys are licensed by state; if they aren't a member of the bar in your state, they generally (very generally - exceptions of course abound) cannot deal with you as a client.

Aside from that, a musician's relationship with his attorney should be a close one, and that closeness would be seriously hampered if you had to hop a plane anytime you needed to meet.
 
Attorneys are licensed by state; if they aren't a member of the bar in your state, they generally (very generally - exceptions of course abound) cannot deal with you as a client.

Aside from that, a musician's relationship with his attorney should be a close one, and that closeness would be seriously hampered if you had to hop a plane anytime you needed to meet.

Hmm... I think you're right about this. I remember needing a lawyer for a ticket I got while in Indiana, but when I tried to get a lawyer here in Missouri (where I reside) they said I'd have to get a lawyer in Indiana.

Wow... being that I'm from MO, where would you suggest me looking for a lawyer at? St. Louis?
 
I suggest do some research, look in the credits of major releases from your city(or region). find out who they used and call them. lawyers are listed. I don't suggest going to the bar to find an entertainment lawyer, I suggest do the homework yourself.
 
Lemme clarify a couple if things for you here:

1. "lawyers" don't shop your music-- "people with connections to the people who are *looking for* music" shop music.

There is nothing specific about a lawyer that means they will have the ability to do this for you. The only thing that would make them appropriate for shopping your music would be if they deal with a lot of people at labels (or wherever else) who typically need music... Because then they would gave personal relationships with the people who are looking for music.

...but if you are just going by the normal job description of a "lawyer", then there is nothing that will guarantee or even imply that they will have any connections to shop anything.

A manager or an agent or anybody who works at a label or anybody who is friends with a lot of label people or a club/radio DJ or even a chick who sleeps around with record people will be able to "shop your music"...

...but I wouldn't expect a lawyer to be able to do it just based on te fact that he is a "lawyer"... It is 100% about the personal relationship.

A "lawyer" making a cold call to a label will be no better at shopping your music than if your mother called the label totell them how talented her son is.



2. Unless you are going to court or filing some legal documents or something like that, it does not matter if your "lawyer" is licensed to practice in your state or not. All that matters is that he knows how to read a contract, understand a contract and draft a contract. In fact, he doesn't even have to e a "lawyer" at all... You just need someone who can deal with your contracts.

...and as for "shopping your music"-- like I already said, that is not a normal function of a "lawyer", anyway.
 
2. Unless you are going to court or filing some legal documents or something like that, it does not matter if your "lawyer" is licensed to practice in your state or not. All that matters is that he knows how to read a contract, understand a contract and draft a contract. In fact, he doesn't even have to e a "lawyer" at all... You just need someone who can deal with your contracts.

...and as for "shopping your music"-- like I already said, that is not a normal function of a "lawyer", anyway.

Your other points are correct, but this is iffy. Drafting up contracts is generally considered the practice of law. That means that in most states, it is illegal for a nonlawyer to engage in contract drafting, and illegal for a lawyer to draft a contract for someone outside the jurisdiction he is licensed to practice in.
 
Your other points are correct, but this is iffy. Drafting up contracts is generally considered the practice of law. That means that in most states, it is illegal for a nonlawyer to engage in contract drafting, and illegal for a lawyer to draft a contract for someone outside the jurisdiction he is licensed to practice in.

(by the way, I used to be a staff attorney at a big label... But I am *not* giving legal advice here... Just my personal regular guy opinions)

anyway...

Drafting contracts is Somethingsuperior lawyers do...

But *you* can write up your own contracts or make changes to a contract somebody gave you...

If you have a friend who knows contracts... If your mother knows contracts... If the accountant at your office knows contracts... If an office manager knows something about contracts-- they can all write or change a contract.

A contract is any agreement between to people for the exchange of something of value...

When you sell your car, you have entered into a contract...

You do not *need* a lawyer to enter into a contract... But you just need to make sure that whover is advising you knows what they are thalking about...

...and you should know that there are plenty of *bad* lawyers who are idiots and will not draft or negotiate a contract properly for you. There are many lawyers who are simply bad at their jobs (just like in every other profession)
 
Back
Top