entertainment law


The music industry is changing constantly and at a more rapid pace than ever before. Keeping track of changes in entertainment law, from signing to a label to copyright issues, is vital for any person looking to get into the music industry . This panel deals with legal issues and trends specific to entertainment and music.





 

menu page

meet the panelists

JOHN T. ROBERTSON, J R . , ESQUIRE ROBERTSON LLC

Grammy Award Winning Producer/Label Owner: Since 1992, Robertson has also owned, counseled and managed numerous entertainment businesses including his tenure as President/General Counsel of Tug McGraw's (former Philadelphia Phillies / New York Mets relief pitcher) sports/entertainment management and marketing company (McGraw andCompany) (2001-2004), which company represented various sports personalities. He is currently CEO/founder of Powerhouse Entertainment Group, LLC and owner/executive producer of Grammy Award winning independent record label, Libertad/Universal Records, a multi-media record/music publishing/film company. He co-owned and counseled independent record/music publishing labels including Nailhead Entertainment Group (2009-with Obie O’Brien: producer/engineer Bon Jovi); Svengali/DCC Records (1998-2001-Pretty Poison) and Studio 4 Records (2000-2003) (with Grammy Award winning mixer/producer, Phil Nicolo: Train, John Lennon, Fugees). John also served as Sr. VP of Operations/Legal & Business Affairs to Judgment/RCA Records (formerly Ruffhouse/Columbia Records) (1999-2002). Robertson served two terms as Governor of the National Association of Recording Arts and Sciences (NARAS) (The Grammy’s) and was its former Secretary-Treasurer of the executive committee. http://www.jtrlaw.com/

MARC T. LEVIN RHOADS and SINON LLP

Levin represents and counsels clients in the music industry on a variety of legal and business matters. As a part-time musician himself, Marc brings his personal experiences gained through working within the regional community of artists, venues, entertainment companies, booking agents, managers and producers to his clients in order to provide a uniquely insightful attorney-client relationship. On behalf of his clients, Marc has negotiated, drafted and/or provided advice and guidance in numerous facets of the music industry including contracts and agreements relating to: Band Operating and Partnership, A&R Representatives, Label-Shopping, Performances, Management, Artwork Release, Production, Record Labels, Merchandising ,Touring. He also serves in the firm’s Litigation Department.

Christopher J. Cabott, Esquire Lloyd Z. Remick and Zane Management, Inc.

Cabott is an entertainment attorney and certified National Football League Players Association contract advisor with the Law Office of Lloyd Z. Remick and Zane Management, Inc. He received his B.A. from La Salle University in 2001 and his J.D. from Widener University School of Law in 2005.

Attorney Cabott represents a variety of individuals and entities in the music, film, television, media, literary, theater, licensing, and sports industries. Attorney Cabott is also the co-founder of the Zane Management Entertainment Workshops, which are a series of educational seminars that teach entertainment entrepreneurs the fundamentals of intellectual property, reducing business liability, contract negotiation, royalty management, and power networking skills.  Mr. Cabott writes a column in Unsigned Magazine, a periodical that is dedicated to educating recording artists about the business and legal aspects of the music industry. He is the co-author of Keeping Out the Little Guy: An Older Contract Advisor.s Concern, a Younger Contract Advisor's Lament, 12 Vill. Sports & Ent. L.J. 1. In addition, he lectures at various conferences and academic institutions on a number of entertainment and sports related topics.  Mr. Cabott is a member of the Widener University School of Law Alumni Board of Directors and the American Bar Association Forum on Entertainment and Sports Law. He is also an active participant in a variety of charity organizations, and was recently appointed as an adjunct professor at York College where he will teach entertainment law starting the spring 2008 semester.

While in law school, Mr. Cabott captained the winning team at the 2005 National Sports Law Moot Court Competition in New Orleans, Louisiana and was named the competition's Outstanding Oral Advocate.