Business people negotiating, signing a contract, close-up.
As in any industry, you may not know the ins and outs of the laws involved and you may never need to. This is the territory of the entertainment lawyer, and one of the many benefits of hiring one. Here are three other benefits of hiring an entertainment lawyer.
1. Industry Expertise
The entertainment industry is a complex infrastructure. The industry is an umbrella for many different kinds of productions, from fine art to movies. This broadness means the laws related to the industry are equally complicated. That’s why there are lawyers who specialize in various aspects of the entertainment industry. For example, an attorney like John Branca would have extensive experience and expertise in his or her chosen area of entertainment law, whether that be music, film or something else. An experienced entertainment lawyer can help you successfully navigate the field you’re working in because he or she should be well-versed in the laws pertaining to that specific industry.
2. Litigation and Negotiation
These are skills every lawyer should have, but litigation and negotiation can be a bit different in the entertainment industry. Attorneys in this industry must be able to skillfully negotiate the terms of contracts to be in your favor. Entertainment litigation tends to focus mainly on intellectual property disputes. Intellectual property cases can be particularly complicated, and entertainment lawyers are trained and experienced in these cases.
3. Qualifications
While any lawyer can help you parse out the terms of a contract and offer advice about decision-making, you really need an entertainment lawyer to get the best quality help. It’s like when you’re involved in a criminal case. A divorce lawyer might be able to help, but you’d probably be looking for an attorney experienced in criminal law instead. Look for a lawyer who has a degree from an accredited institution with entertainment law in its curriculum, who also has qualifying experience in the field. A good example of the kind of qualifications you should look for is entertainment lawyer John Branca, who heads the Music Department at the Ziffren Brittenham law firm, attended the UCLA School of Law and has an extensive career record that includes music industry magazine publication and the founding and sale of various record labels, among other work.
An entertainment lawyer can help you get your start in the entertainment industry you want to pursue. Entertainment law can be complex and a good attorney can aid you in making the best professional decisions and agreements for your career.