The Top Music Lawyers of 2022
Olivia Owen Handling everything from albums, tours and merchandise to brand partnerships and NFTs, these are the lawyers hired by the industry’s biggest names.
David Byrnes
Image Credit: Courtesy of Subject Ziffren Brittenham
UCLA School of LawByrnes oversees major deals in fashion, broadcast television, documentaries and catalog sales for some of the biggest names in music. Among his top performers, Kelly Clarkson remains ubiquitous, adding another NBC show, American Song Contest, to a schedule that includes her own daily talker, The Voice, new music, tours and more. Beyoncé, Pentatonix and Blake Shelton are also clients — as are the estates of Tom Petty, Mac Miller and Kurt Cobain. Says Byrnes, “We continue to survive COVID and numerous logistical challenges through another abnormal year.”
Damien Granderson
Image Credit: Courtesy of Subject Granderson Des Rochers
Albany Law SchoolCounsel to Nicki Minaj, H.E.R. and A$AP Rocky, Granderson cut deals for Latin star J. Balvin with McDonald’s, Miller Lite and Fornite. He also linked music management firm Solid Foundation with audio-sharing site SoundCloud to identify promising new artists.
Most interesting client who isn’t one of mine … “Jean-Michel Basquiat.”
My work-from-home wardrobe … “Sergio Tacchini tracksuits.”David Lande
Image Credit: Courtesy of Subject Ziffren Brittenham
Penn LawLande brought BTS and Coldplay together for chart-topper “My Universe;” negotiated Beyonce’s “About Love” campaign with Tiffany & Co. and repped Justin Timberlake in his return to the Trolls franchise, as both star and music producer. “Through the pandemic there’s been an increased urgency in handling all matters,” Lande says. “Pre-pandemic we thought were in a 24/7 business. Now we truly are.”
My podcast would be about … “Travel. I love (and miss) adventure and experiential travel.”
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “A politician or climate scientist. We should be doing more to protect our climate from global warming. It’s the most significant threat we face.”Dina LaPolt
Image Credit: Courtesy of Subject/Benjamin D Brooks LaPolt Law
John F. Kennedy University School of LawWhen LaPolt’s not negotiating for clients — like Offset’s deal for HBO’s The Hype, Keifer Sutherland’s recording contract; Mick Fleetwood’s publishing sale to BMG; and deadmau5’s numerous NFT collaborations — she’s advocating for musicians on Capitol Hill. She continues to fight for fair payment for creators through 2018’s Music Modernization Act (which she helped shepherd into law) and worked with Rep. Ted Deutch (D-Fla) to ensure music professionals were eligible for pandemic relief via The CARES Act. New clients include The Kid LAROI and rapper YG.
Film I’m excited about … “Peace, Love & Respect, the Afeni Shakur biopic.” (She is co-producing.)
My work-from-home wardrobe … “Lululemon and Cardi B sneakers by Reebok.”Doug Mark
Image Credit: Courtesy of Subject Mark Music & Media Law
USF School of LawBillie Eilish, her brother Finneas, chart-topping songwriter benny blanco and American Idol alum Lauren Spencer-Smith are among Mark’s top clients. He says nascent platforms continue to create opportunities. “There’s new capital invading the music space, lots of new companies,” says Mark, who is looking forward to projects due soon from blanco, Spencer-Smith and Tik Tok phenom Sarah Cothran (“As The World Caves In”) who he calls “a 21st Century Patsy Cline.”
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “A soccer agent”
My work-from-home wardrobe … “Camo sweats with a Badgers T-shirt.”James McMillan
Image Credit: Courtesy of Subject/ANTONIO HOLDER JR James E. McMillan PC
Thurgood Marshall School of Law, Texas Southern UniversityA go-to attorney for rising hip hop and rap artists like YBN Nahmir, Cordae and SK8 — also a label chief with his Art@War imprint on Atlantic Records — McMillan makes clear “multiple income streams are imperative.” Former clients include Machine Gun Kelly and Bobby Shmurda, (who he helped in a recent masters deal with Epic). He says his most important recent work has been balancing opportunities for clients, “while being mindful of physical or business limitations they were facing amid the pandemic.”
My podcast would be about … “I’d do a deep dive on key entertainment headlines involving artists/music issues and respond in the capacity of a lawyer, manager and head of a record label.”
Most interesting client who isn’t mine … “Kanye West because he’s incredibly talented and fearless. There are myriad legal issues with all of his creative endeavors — fashion, music — and, of course, personally.”Aaron Rosenberg
Image Credit: Courtesy of Subject Myman Greenspan Fox Rosenberg Mobasser Younger & Light
Harvard Law SchoolRosenberg says he’s “thrilled to finally get Justin Bieber’s massive tour up and running” (including five sold-out dates in L.A.), as well as the stage-to-screen adaptation of Wicked, starring longtime client Ariana Grande, filming in London this summer. Negotiating the sale of John Legend’s publishing catalog to BMG, and helping Grande launch beauty line r.e.m. were recent personal highlights. “I enjoy building things with clients,” says Rosenberg. “John has stood by me since I graduated from law school.”
Most interesting client who isn’t mine … “Lil Nas X because he means so much to so many different communities. He’s breaking down barriers.”
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “An architect.”Paul Rothenberg
Image Credit: Courtesy of Easton Schirra Rothenberg Mohr & Binder
Columbia Law SchoolKnown for scrupulous research of past deals (“so I can see how they got there”), Rothenberg has repped Charlie Puth since his DIY days and just paired him with Frito Lay for a Super Bowl ad. Marshmello and Chloe x Halle are also among his stars.“I like to get my clients as deeply involved in the business side of their careers as they are in the creative,” says Rothenberg. “Of course, it’s not always possible, but the more engaged they are in negotiations, the better I can make sure I’m fighting for the things that are most important to them.”
My work-from-home wardrobe … “I don’t think I ever really worked from home, but I was the only one at the office usually. So it was pretty safe. Either way, jeans and a polo typically and a nice pair of sneakers.”
Album I’m excited about … “Charlie Puth’s new album. ‘Light Switch,’ the first single, is a smash. Logic is coming out of retirement releasing Vinyl Days, the final album of his original Def Jam deal.”Sarah Scott
Image Credit: Courtesy of Subject/LaPolt Law LaPolt Law
Western University School of LawScott, previously an exec at Sony Pictures and UMG Canada, can now add managing partner to her resume. She joined LaPolt Law in 2017 and quickly helped double the firm’s size to 10 full-time attorneys. Her recent work for A-list artists includes Cardi B’s role as Playboy’s first ever Creative Director in Residence and Saweetie’s Crocs shoe line — and she’s been a pace-setter in updating royalty models to include profit-sharing and equity partnerships for artists with the brands they promote.
My podcast would be about … “Finding humor in the relatable events of our everyday lives, like Seinfeld!”
My work-from-home wardrobe … “Very ’90s inspired: checkered shirts and track pants”Debbie White
Image Credit: Courtesy of Subject Loeb & Loeb
NYU School of LawFor global mega-stars BTS, White set up a partnership with McDonalds for signature meals in 50 countries. She also landed new publishing and label homes for Diane Warren and Duran Duran; repped Singapore’s JJ Lin in a soundtrack deal with Marvel; and ensures the music’s just right in Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine projects. Music licensing for Uber and Citibank are also among her top projects.
My podcast would be about … “The best sushi spots in the world.”
If I weren’t a lawyer, I’d be … “A reporter. I love meeting interesting people and listening to their stories.”A version of this story first appeared in the March 30 issue of The Hollywood Reporter. Click here to subscribe.
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