Entertainment Law? Forum

[vracovino]

Hey all,

I am currently in my third year of college at UCF. My GPA is right now at a 3.95 and I am going to be busting my ass to get a good score on the LSAT. Since I've joined the site I've become increasingly motivated to study hard and get where I want too be.

That being said, I am aiming for a law school in New York- either Columbia, NYU, Cornell or Fordham- and currently am deliberating whether I should go into intellectual property law or Entertainment Law. If I end up attending a New York T-14, is it realistic to expect a high-paying starting job if you pursue the entertainment law field? Is their ample opportunity for this to be a realistic field of study?

Thanks for all your input,

VA

[t-14orbust]

I am also interested in the answer to this question.

[TooOld4This]

"Entertainment" is an industry, not a field of law. Like every industry, it has a relatively standard set of issues and some others that are more specialized. What do you want to do? Deal work? Employment contracts? Licensing? IP issues?

[vracovino]

"Entertainment" is an industry, not a field of law. Like every industry, it has a relatively standard set of issues and some others that are more specialized. What do you want to do? Deal work? Employment contracts? Licensing? IP issues?

That makes sense- so within the "Entertainment industry" there is a need for lawyers, and those lawyers have specialized skills that fulfill a particular niche within Entertainment Law.

That being said, are there particular skills that are more valued than others? Also, are there specific Entertainment Law firms that handle all variations of "Entertainment Law", or do different firms handle different respective areas? I have a strong reading/writing ability and have always had an interest in music and film- which is kind of what turned me onto the idea of Entertainment Law. Out of what you listed, contract and deal work certainly sounds interesting. I wouldn't really want to be involved in IP Issues, although I would consider it.

[thewaves]

I would do more research on your own. Why NYU or Columbia if you want Entertainment Law? Do they have strong programs or feed into the industry? From the little that I've read, Entertainment Law is both about pedigree and networking/ties. The main industry is in Hollywood, obviously, so having a connection to California would be helpful. Whether that means it's worth it to choose UCLA over NYU is up to you.

[vracovino]

I would do more research on your own. Why NYU or Columbia if you want Entertainment Law? Do they have strong programs or feed into the industry? From the little that I've read, Entertainment Law is both about pedigree and networking/ties. The main industry is in Hollywood, obviously, so having a connection to California would be helpful. Whether that means it's worth it to choose UCLA over NYU is up to you.

I have personal, not professional, reasons for wanting to attend a New York law school. If I don't go there I will most likely end up somewhere in Florida (in-state).

That being said, I've read a few things about both Colombia and Fordham having quality Entertainment Law programs. Obviously California has more of a market- but that is sort of what my question entails. Is it realistic to think I can have a quality career working for Entertainment Law in New York on account of graduating from any of the aforementioned New York schools?

[treeey86]

I'm an in-house entertainment lawyer. I never took any sort of specialized entertainment program in law school.

The entertainment legal industry is just like any other legal industry in terms of hiring. Go to a good school, get VERY good grades, demonstrate an interest in and knowledge of the substantive law in the industry (in this case intellectual property, privacy, media, 1st Amendment, licensing, employment, contracts, etc), acquire applicable work experience during law school, and try to hustle your way into a firm or legal practice that handles legal work in the entertainment industry.

Movies and games are based out in California. TV production, commercials, and the other arts (playwrights, broadway, the opera, etc) are focused in NY.

[Devlin]

"Entertainment" is an industry, not a field of law. Like every industry, it has a relatively standard set of issues and some others that are more specialized. What do you want to do? Deal work? Employment contracts? Licensing? IP issues?

That makes sense- so within the "Entertainment industry" there is a need for lawyers, and those lawyers have specialized skills that fulfill a particular niche within Entertainment Law.

That being said, are there particular skills that are more valued than others? Also, are there specific Entertainment Law firms that handle all variations of "Entertainment Law", or do different firms handle different respective areas? I have a strong reading/writing ability and have always had an interest in music and film- which is kind of what turned me onto the idea of Entertainment Law. Out of what you listed, contract and deal work certainly sounds interesting. I wouldn't really want to be involved in IP Issues, although I would consider it.

If you can understand your contracts class and if you take some employment law and intellectual property classes you should be in shape to grasp the issues in "entertainment law."

However, this is a very narrow field and I would advise you not to go to law school solely for entertainment law.

[BigZuck]

OP, please define "entertainment law." Be specific. And then be specific about what about the specifics make you interested in "entertainment law."

[Balthy]

I'm also interested in ent law and did a bit of research a while back.

A few profiles of successful entertainment lawyers (Columbia alum):

http://www.law.columbia.edu/magazine/15 ... wood,-esq-


What's far more helpful, look up top boutique entertainment law firms and then just read a bunch of associate/partner bios. You'll notice quickly that they have a wide and diverse set of legal backgrounds. I agree with others that there's no sure path to ent law, and it's such a small and insular circle that you shouldn't count on it.

[Doorkeeper]

Don't go to Fordham.

[Devlin]

I agree with others that there's no sure path to ent law, and it's such a small and insular circle that you shouldn't count on it.

This is like trying to become a sports agent.

We had a sports agency come speak at our school. They were the third largest agency in the US and they have eight agents.


Odds are you will not be a sports agent or work in entertainment law. If any other area of law does not appeal to you then do not go to law school.

[vracovino]

I agree with others that there's no sure path to ent law, and it's such a small and insular circle that you shouldn't count on it.

This is like trying to become a sports agent.

We had a sports agency come speak at our school. They were the third largest agency in the US and they have eight agents.


Odds are you will not be a sports agent or work in entertainment law. If any other area of law does not appeal to you then do not go to law school.

I'm also interested in ent law and did a bit of research a while back.

A few profiles of successful entertainment lawyers (Columbia alum):

http://www.law.columbia.edu/magazine/15 ... wood,-esq-


What's far more helpful, look up top boutique entertainment law firms and then just read a bunch of associate/partner bios. You'll notice quickly that they have a wide and diverse set of legal backgrounds. I agree with others that there's no sure path to ent law, and it's such a small and insular circle that you shouldn't count on it.

These are really helpful replies.

I'm interested in other areas of law for sure, so it's not like this is a deal breaker for me. I just have always had an interest in the arts (film, music, literature) and I would love to be involved with them and implement them into my law career somehow.

[bombchells]

hey, i go to ucf as well

[zakthezia]

Spam

[Kafkaesquire]

I's almost thrown by this oxymoron.

[drummer94]

I'm also very interested in "entertainment" law, and from all the research that I've personally done on the subject, it's really about who you know when it comes to this stuff, and where you are. Fordham or NYU's entertainment law program is obviously going to benefit you more than southeastern wyoming state university technical college, and this is where I think entertainment law gets a pretty bad rap. I'm personally looking in to USC for it, due to the fact it's in LA and whatnot.

I'm pretty tired of the constant negativity regarding it, but I can totally see why it exists. Call me old-fashioned, but I truly believe if you get into the best school you can in a logical geographic area for this type of law, make the best grades possible, meet the right people, then we'll be in the ballpark of what we want to do.