Legal Services For Entertainment Clients

General

General review of activities, business structure, and practices to ensure compliance with laws and to protect clients’ rights
Negotiation, drafting and/or reviewing various entertainment industry contracts, agreements and forms
Litigation of adversary matters

Basic and/or comprehensive trademark searches
Federal, international or Florida trademark registration(s) for artist name or company name
Policing your trademark against infringers using your artist, company, or product name, or a similar name
Defending you against allegations of trademark infringement
Branding
Merchandise manufacturing, distribution and sales agreements
Trademark and Intellectual Property Clearance and Licensing

Copyright searches
Copyright Registrations for:
- Sound recordings (Sounds on the recording)
- Single tracks
- Bundle tracks
- Musical compositions
- Lyrics
- Cover art
- Performances
- Liner notes
- Computer software
- Website design
- Website content
Forming publishing companies
Publishing agreements
Co-writer agreements and inter-band agreements
Policing your copyrights against unauthorized sampling, cover songs, copying of lyrics, and other forms of copying
Defending you against allegations of sampling or other forms of copyright infringement
Sample clearance/Copyright Clearance and Licensing
Assistance with paying and/or collecting mechanical royalties for cover songs
Assistance with registration with performing artist organizations (ASCAP, BMI, SESAC)
Video game licensing agreements
Licensing of music for use in film, radio, video, and commercial use
Referrals to CPA’s to account for sales or audit sales for royalties

Consultation for businesses including independent companies and band relations
Forming corporations, LLCs, partnerships, and trusts
Business entity contracts: Partnership Agreements, Shareholders’ Agreements for Corporations, Operating Agreements for LLCs, Inter-Band Agreements, etc.
Releases/Waivers/Work-Made-for-Hire Forms and Agreements for studio musicians, cover art artists, writers, web designers, photographers, and producers to sign to ensure that rights to their creative work belong to our clients
Filing initial tax forms to obtain Federal Tax I.D. numbers (FEI/EIN numbers)
Filing initial tax forms to elect to be taxed as a partnership, LLC, S-Corp. or C-Corp.
Forms and agreements used to operate a recording studio business or music/video production company
Website terms & conditions
Business licenses
Credit card processing/Obtaining a merchant account
Investment/Loan Agreements
Business cards, fliers, graphics, artwork and corporate or artist identity and branding
Referrals to CPAs for accounting, audits and tax related issues

Agreements for and involving performance venues, shows (for promoters, artists or venue owners)
Permitting and compliance with other government requirements for concerts and events
Contract Riders
Defending injury claims related to concerts and events
Disputes with Ticketmaster and other ticketing agencies
Compliance with “Anti-Rave” laws and ordinances
Outsourcing/referrals for tour services (transportation, licenses, permit check, ticketing)
Nightclub licenses, leases, and purchase agreements
Liquor licenses
Investment/Loan Agreements
Intellectual Property clearance

Contracts for and between artists, producers, production companies, record companies and/or distribution companies
Structuring recording deals
Investment/Loan Agreements
Referrals to producers and recording studios
Getting out of recording contracts
Enforcing recording contracts
Legal actions to collect unpaid royalties
Defending legal actions to collect unpaid royalties
Referrals to CPAs to account for sales or audit sales for royalties

Video production agreements
Model Releases, Waivers, and Model Agreements
Releases/Waivers/Works-Made-For-Hire Agreements for videographers, photographers, editors, producers, and writers
Investment/Loan Agreements
Permitting for shooting (Don’t get caught with your pants down like Erykah Badu)

Use of celebrity names, images and likenesses
Lawsuits to protect celebrities’ rights to their names, images, and likenesses
Defending lawsuits brought by celebrities for use of their names, images and likenesses
Lawsuits regarding injury to paparazzi (prosecuting and defending)
Celebrity endorsement contracts
Merchandise manufacturing, distribution, sales agreements and celebrity license/royalty agreements
Formation of merchandise production, distribution, sales, or celebrity license/royalty companies
Video game licensing agreements
Clearance and Licensing