A recent Near Truths column noting certain prominent music attorneys managed not to include a single woman. Although the names therein were in no way advanced as the only lawyers of note, it’s clear this was an error in need of rectifying. In the wake of #
TimesUp and
#MeToo, we have been among the industry publications calling for greater inclusion and better representation; in this regard the aforementioned column failed our own standard utterly. That mistake will not be repeated.
The last decade or so has seen remarkable changes as a great many extraordinary women moved up the ranks of the leading music companies. But a similar transformation in the legal community has not been sufficiently heralded by us.
It’s with this in mind that we present this list showcasing some of the brightest and most successful entertainment lawyers in our industry, and yes, they are all women.
We also note that three of the top execs in the business—
UMG EVP
Michele Anthony,
Sony Music EVP/General Counsel
Julie Swidler and
Capitol Music Group COO
Michelle Jubelirer—were attorneys in private practice before making the leap to the boardrooms of the majors. They have often been the legal players sitting on the other side of the table from the all-stars listed below, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Anthony’s wide-ranging duties cut across all facets of UMG’s business, and she’s one of the group’s top policy-making execs, not to mention a tireless advocate for the company’s myriad philanthropic efforts. Swidler ranks as one of Sony’s key execs and plays a similarly major role in policy; she’s also been strongly engaged in charitable work and activism. Jubelirer has been and continues to be one of the top two execs at CMG, with oversight of all key divisions and a deep involvement with the company’s artist roster. She, too, has devoted herself wholeheartedly to civic engagement.
We also note such label legal minds as
Martha Braithwaite,
Alison Finley,
Saheli Datta,
Nicola Levy,
Stephanie Lundwall Yu and
Tracy Kies.
Attorney
Kamala Harris had this to say in her first speech as Vice President of the United States: “American aspiration is what drove the women of this nation throughout history to demand equal rights and the authors of the Bill of Rights to claim freedoms that had rarely been written down before. A great experiment takes great determination. The will to do the work and then the wisdom to keep refining, keep tinkering, keep perfecting.”
The women featured here are role models, champions of artists’ rights and leaders of the biz.
Adams and Reese LLP
Linda Edell Howard | Partner & Entertainment and New Media Team Leader
Based in Nashville, Howard leads the firm’s full-service entertainment and copyright team and provides a concierge copyright service for estates including that of
Fats Domino. Has closed TV deals such as
American Idol and
The Voice. Clients include
Desmond Child,
J.D. Souther,
Tom Douglas,
Don Everly and
Reeves Gabrels.
Carroll Guido Groffman Cohen Bar & Karalian, LLP
Rosemary Carroll | Founding Partner
Gender equality has always been paramount for Carroll’s firm, which has striven to maintain the same number of male and female attorneys. Her clients include
Lucinda Williams since 1989,
Patti Smith since 1994,
The War on Drugs,
Phoebe Bridgers,
The Strokes and
Iggy Pop. She also serves on the executive committee of
She Is the Music, an industrywide movement to empower female creators.
Gillian Bar | Partner
Bar’s name was added to the letterhead in 2019, reflecting her importance to the firm and heightened profile. She counts among her clients
Arcade Fire,
The National,
Jack Antonoff,
Gracie Abrams,
Omar Apollo,
MorMor,
Cavetown,
Sleater Kinney and
Goth Babe.
Renee Karalian | Partner
Karalian relocated from NYC to L.A. and reinvigorated the firm’s West Coast office. Her name was added to its letterhead in 2019. Her clients include
Julia Michaels,
Playboi Carti,
Emile Haynie,
Mustard,
Kid Cudi,
Kamasi Washington,
Baby Keem,
Steve Lacy and
Serban Ghenea.
Carter + Woodard
Uwonda Carter Scott | Partner
A transactional attorney advising in business law and entertainment affairs, Carter just announced a new partnership with fellow Atlanta-based lawyer
Donald Woodard, launching a Black-owned powerhouse entertainment firm. Carter’s music clients include
Generation Now’s
DJ Drama and
Lakeshow Morrison,
Lil Yachty,
Lil Baby,
Metro Boomin and
Kelly Rowland.
Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks, P.C.
Sonya Guardo | Partner
Guardo has negotiated a wide array of transactions for artists such as
Mariah Carey and
Lady Gaga, including Gaga’s residency at
MGM. Her clients include
Idina Menzel and
Priyanka Chopra as well as up-and-comer
Grace Gaustad.
Hertz Lichtenstein Young & Polk LLP
Jamie Young | Partner
Young represented the estate of
Tom Petty in recent disputes and mediation, helping settle the matters and establish a new team and operating structure for them to do business. She’s represented
Celine Dion and
Stevie Nicks for decades, and her other clients include
Fleetwood Mac,
AJR,
Perry Farrell,
Chris Isaak,
Tom Morello,
Melissa Etheridge and
DJ Shadow.
The Justice Dept.
Jennifer Justice | CEO/Founder
After representing such artists as
Mark Ronson,
Slipknot and
Jay-Z and serving as General Counsel/EVP at
Roc Nation, Justice founded a female-focused advisory, consulting and law firm dedicated to fighting for financial equity for female talent and professionals. In music, she represents execs such as
Caron Veazey, negotiated
Samantha Kirby’s deal, handled behind-the-scenes sexual-harassment claims and has begun taking on artists like
Rozzi and
SayGrace.
King, Holmes, Paterno & Soriano, LLP
Leslie Frank | Partner
In addition to serving as day-to-day counsel for
Metallica and
blink-182, Frank has grown her practice to include
Steve Aoki,
Zedd,
Skrillex and diverse up-and-comers from
Ghostemane to
Avery Lynch to
Kelsey Lu.
Marjorie Garcia | Partner
Garcia led the firm’s expansion of its Latin music department, building a roster of clients that includes
Juanes,
Los Tigres del Norte,
Gloria Trevi,
Jesse & Joy,
Raymix,
Nacho,
Pabllo Vittar,
Carla Morrison,
Sofia Reyes,
Hear This Music,
Snow Tha Product,
Fuego,
Maejor,
Andres Torres & Mauricio Rengifo and
The Marias.
Laurie Soriano | Partner
Soriano focuses primarily on contract negotiations and troubleshooting, as well as serving as the general legal advisor to many creative individuals and companies. Her clients range from legacy artists like
Carole King,
Carly Simon and
Taj Mahal to such current acts as
Calvin Harris,
twenty one pilots,
Marilyn Manson,
Frank Ocean,
Bon Iver and
Kim Petras.
LaPolt Law, P.C.
Dina LaPolt | Founder/President
Owner of LaPolt Law P.C., a rare instance of a music firm of its stature founded by a sole female attorney, LaPolt represents numerous high-profile clients, including
Steven Tyler,
Mick Fleetwood,
21 Savage,
Deadmau5 and
Cardi B. Her extensive legislative advocacy has spanned the passage of the
Music Modernization Act and the co-founding of
Songwriters of North America (SONA).
Sarah Scott | Managing Attorney
Scott manages the boutique firm’s nine attorneys and works to strategize and grow the businesses of the above clients as well as
Kiefer Sutherland and
Hilary Duff (for music and branding),
iann dior,
Tyga,
SAINt JHN and
Galantis.
Law Firm of Lawson McKinley
Shay Lawson | Managing Attorney
Atlanta-based Lawson represents
Offset for deals outside of music. Her other clients include
Sheldon Ferguson,
Henny Tha Bizness and
Groove, as well as
Chinara Butler. She also signed on as a partner of the
Black Music Action Coalition at its inception and serves as advocacy co-chair for the Atlanta chapter of the
Recording Academy.
Law Offices of Angela N. Martínez
Angie Martínez | Attorney at Law & General Counsel,
Ozuna Entertainment
Based in Miami with various entertainment clients, Martinez represents such artists as
Ozuna,
Luis Fonsi,
Camilo,
Manuel Turizo,
Darell,
Mau y Ricky,
Ricardo Montaner,
Mike Bahia and
Greeicy. In 2020 she was named a Leading Lady of Entertainment by the
Latin Grammys and one of the Wonder Women of Latin Music by the
Latin Alternative Music Conference.
Loeb & Loeb LLP
Debbie White | Partner & Vice Chair, Music Industry
NYC-based but avowedly bicoastal, barrister White has a global footprint with her burgeoning practice. Among her clients: China’s largest tech/entertainment company,
Tencent, Korean powerhouse
Big Hit and
BTS,
Primary Wave,
The Who,
Christina Aguilera,
Duran Duran,
Melanie Martinez,
Cannons,
Regina Spektor, major biz execs and corporations including
Citi and
Uber. She also does significant work on Broadway, representing producers of such shows as
Pretty Woman and
Jagged Little Pill.
Denise Stevens | Partner
Based in Nashville with a focus on entertainment, copyright and trademark transactions, Stevens has a significant record of institutional transactional work, including music-catalog sales and acquisitions of all sizes. She counts among her artists
Carrie Underwood,
Lauren Alaina,
Loretta Lynn,
Amy Grant,
Chris Tomlin,
Michael W. Smith,
Robert DeLong,
Teyana Taylor,
Anthony Hamilton and
Chip Esten.
Tiffany Dunn | Office Administrative Partner, Nashville
Nashville-based Dunn’s practice focuses on transactions in entertainment and intellectual-property protection and enforcement. Her clients include
Luke Combs,
Kane Brown,
Midland,
Runaway June and
Old Crow Medicine Show as well as the legacies of
Johnny Cash,
B.B. King and others. She also works with the
Grand Ole Opry.
Myman Greenspan Fox Rosenberg Mobasser Younger & Light LLP
Audrey Benoualid | Partner (music)
Benoualid has run point for partners’ clients, negotiating and papering major music-related transactions for artists including
Ariana Grande,
Justin Bieber,
Jennifer Lopez,
Justin Tranter and
Troye Sivan. Her own roster of clients includes
Peach Tree Rascals,
Brocker Way,
Verzache,
Brett McLaughlin,
Big Taste,
Allie X and
CLAY.
Rimon Law
Jill Berliner | Partner
Representing and handling transactions for individuals and companies across music, sports and entertainment, Berliner counsels clients including
Foo Fighters,
Smashing Pumpkins,
Beck,
Nirvana and
Soundgarden, the latter in general and in connection with the dispute with the estate of
Chris Cornell.
Ziffren Brittenham LLP
Kelly Vallon | Partner
Vallon has built a client roster that includes
Olivia Rodrigo,
Kai,
Hether,
Amorphous,
J. Rey Soul and
Grace Weber while working with firm clients like
Beyoncé,
Pharrell Williams,
Travis Scott,
Jennifer Hudson,
Rosalía,
Becky G and
Justin Timberlake. She also serves on the executive committee of
She Is the Music.
