best entertainment law school? Forum

[CaliforniaGurl]

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[ScaredWorkedBored]

You don't need a JD to be Jerry McGuire or Ari Gold. The majors all have mailroom (mailrooms? who is still sending mail?) programs that pay you $25/hr regardless of what degree you have.

Which major agency pays $25 an hour for the "apprentices"??

http://www.deadline.com/2009/07/more-ne ... stant-pay/

[kpuc]

If you're pretty sure that you want to work in LA and in an area related to the film industry, is it worth going to UCLA/USC instead of higher ranked schools?

[Stupendous_Man]

Which major agency pays $25 an hour for the "apprentices"??

http://www.deadline.com/2009/07/more-ne ... stant-pay/

Right my bad. I meant to type $15/hr based one what a friend is making, but it seems that the reality is even lower. Only seems to help my point though doesn't it?

If you're pretty sure that you want to work in LA and in an area related to the film industry, is it worth going to UCLA/USC instead of higher ranked schools?

Depends on how much higher I guess. Choosing a school should be based on a lot of factors. Rank is hugely important, there's a point where your degree is so mobile you really don't need to worry about where you might want to end up. Then there's also the consideration of scholarship, because if you get into a much higher ranked school chances are you are getting decent $ at UCLA/USC, if that's important to you.

I'd say if you want to end up in LA, you can certainly do much worse than a UCLA/USC degree. You've got the alumni connections, you have 3 extra years to start making contacts and build a life in LA, and these schools aren't exactly sneezed at out here. That being said, would any of us have turned down HYS just because we thought we wanted to live in LA? Probably not. Would I personally have chosen my school over schools ranked a few spots higher? Yes.

[anyuta]

I LOVE SPAM!

[WhydidntItry]

Whats wrong with University of Miami? They offer a JD/Masters in Music Business. If you are trying to work in the recording industry, this sounds like an ideal dual degree. I was considering it, but I don't know if I want to take out the extra loans/be unemployed for an extra year.

[Patriot1208]

Whats wrong with University of Miami? They offer a JD/Masters in Music Business. If you are trying to work in the recording industry, this sounds like an ideal dual degree. I was considering it, but I don't know if I want to take out the extra loans/be unemployed for an extra year.

ideal for unemployment and debt?

[predent/prelaw]

You don't need a JD to be Jerry McGuire or Ari Gold. The majors all have mailroom (mailrooms? who is still sending mail?) programs that pay you $25/hr regardless of what degree you have.

Which major agency pays $25 an hour for the "apprentices"??

http://www.deadline.com/2009/07/more-ne ... stant-pay/

You can't work you way up from mail room anymore. My last decade plans for moving into agent position at William Morris or CAA
A) Work as an internal auditor for one of the studios build up contacts that way.
B) Work in legal for studio build up connections that way
C) Work in legal for Agency
D) Start an agency or breakaway from small agency with awesome client list both of these are very hard. To create good clients you really have to be the one to discover them which is like winning the lottery. To breakaway from an agency with clients is very hard because most will have you sign non-compete clause unless they are dumb asses
E) work for casting director
F) Through you life into NY or LA night life and do drugs in the bathroom stalls at high end clubs like bungalow 8 in NYC and Hyde in LA though most of these contacts and promises from future clients or contacts are mostly the white pony talking and will amount to nothing. (my friend did this)
The agencies don't give a crap about you unless you can bring something to the table.

[Lwoods]

When I was a senior in college, a prominent NY entertainment lawyer spoke to one of my producing classes. Afterward, I approached him and asked how one could break into entertainment law. His response?
*Get the highest LSAT you can
*Go to the best law school you get into
*Work for the best firm you can get a job at
*Lateral to an entertainment firm

I didn't totally understand his advice then, but now after having worked for a V50 firm, I get it. Having worked in entertainment as well, though, I also know how vital it is to be a part of that world. For music, you want to be in Nashville or LA (or maybe Austin?). For theatre and television, NY or Chicago. For television and film, LA. USC has a top film school; NYU and Yale have top Drama programs. They also all have top law schools (with USC being the weakest of the three, of course). Not sure if they'd help you network within the music industry, but the music industry is a clusterf*ck. Proceed with caution.

Right now, though, your top priority should be getting as close to a 4.0 GPA as you can. That is the one thing you can control at this point in your academic career. You need a 3.7+ to feel comfortable applying to any top law school, so don't screw around. B's won't cut it. I don't say that to scare you but rather to assure that you are better prepared than I was as a college freshman.
You should also look into internships in the music industry right now. And if you can incorporate your love of music with helping people, do that, too.

Best of luck!

[trudat15]

You don't need a JD to be Jerry McGuire or Ari Gold. The majors all have mailroom (mailrooms? who is still sending mail?) programs that pay you $25/hr regardless of what degree you have. Some people theorize that having a degree helps you move out of there, but a lot of people who get out of there don't have advanced degrees. Being an agent is not being an entertainment lawyer, and you need to make sure you understand the difference or have very generous parents before you commit $200k in law school loans for a $25/hr paycheck afterwards to sort mail.

Not sure what majors you are talking about, but ICM/WME/CAA - I think it's closer to $13/hour. Plus OT.

[ResolutePear]

Whats wrong with University of Miami? They offer a JD/Masters in Music Business. If you are trying to work in the recording industry, this sounds like an ideal dual degree. I was considering it, but I don't know if I want to take out the extra loans/be unemployed for an extra year.

ideal for unemployment and debt?

TBF, UM is a good choice *IF* you are going to work and live in Miami.

They have a good alumni base - *BUT* be prepared for 6-figure debt, with their scholarships.

[Jericwithers]

Looking for anyone with info on living in LA for a girl who is looking to break into hollywood. Willing to run the gambit to do so. Please, any numbers/people/connections is appreciated. While I am only a lowly rising 2L right now, I will pay off any help triple fold in the future just let me know.

[Danteshek]

Looking for anyone with info on living in LA for a girl who is looking to break into hollywood. Willing to run the gambit to do so. Please, any numbers/people/connections is appreciated. While I am only a lowly rising 2L right now, I will pay off any help triple fold in the future just let me know.

If you are serious, transfer to a law school in Los Angeles.

[Bildungsroman]

Looking for anyone with info on living in LA for a girl who is looking to break into hollywood. Willing to run the gambit to do so. Please, any numbers/people/connections is appreciated. While I am only a lowly rising 2L right now, I will pay off any help triple fold in the future just let me know.

How can you be a rising 2L in April? I thought a rising 2L was someone in the summer b/w 1L and 2L.

[Jericwithers]

Looking for anyone with info on living in LA for a girl who is looking to break into hollywood. Willing to run the gambit to do so. Please, any numbers/people/connections is appreciated. While I am only a lowly rising 2L right now, I will pay off any help triple fold in the future just let me know.

How can you be a rising 2L in April? I thought a rising 2L was someone in the summer b/w 1L and 2L.

I am an optimistic person; I will rise so long as I don't fail over the next 4 weeks

I would transfer but I want someone to network me in first.

[chasgoose]

Get a job in the entertainment industry (preferably at an agency or management firm) as an assistant. Interact with entertainment laywers on a daily basis (as they are part of your "team" for whatever client you are working with). Develop a working relationship with these people (aka so they know who you are/someone higher up knows who you are who will vouch for you 3 years later). Get a JD at UCLA/USC (so you can stay in LA) while maintaining your entertainment industry connections . Go back and use your connections to get a job. Profit.

[thedive]

Awhile ago I saw a couple online postings from a very respectable sports agency. They said that competitive applicants should have a minimum 5 years of corporate law experience. Not sure if that is representative of the whole industry or the entertainment law industry but I found it interesting.

[Stupendous_Man]

So back to the topic at hand, last night USC's entertainment law society was hosted at CAA, and some huge names came to our event specifically to mentor us. Each mentor was assigned two students, and there was a free-for-all mixer. I got a good amount of cards and wisdom, and more importantly now some big names in the industry (Head agents, VPs of production, Business Affairs Execs, in-house counsel) have seen my face and can recognize my name. They were all USC alumni from way back. I don't know of any other school that is doing that, and I can't tell you how valuable that is in an industry where you have to know someone to break in.