What Does a Music Lawyer Do?
At some point in your career as a musician, you may find yourself in need of a music lawyer. Unfortunately, if you don’t know what music lawyers do, you may not recognize the need when it comes along. To help you out, we have assembled a brief synopsis of what a music lawyer is and the kind of cases they can help with.
Music lawyers, also called Entertainment lawyers, specialize in the area of the law that deals with the entertainment industry. While many of these lawyers also work with laws pertaining to television, movies and other entertainment media, some of these attorneys focus their efforts specifically on the field of music.
They commonly handle cases associated with contract issues, recording issues, copyright infringement and licensing issues. They often handle cases for both recording artists, music publishing companies, distribution companies and recording labels so it is always best to make certain that you research any music attorney you may be considering to avoid a conflict of interests.
Music Law covers a very wide scope of matters. Examples of cases where a music lawyer might be necessary include:
If the recording company you signed with has broken the terms of your contract.
If a music publishing or distribution company is offering your song for sale without your consent.
If an advertising company is using your song to advertise products without your consent.
When peer to peer network users infringe on your copyrights, (See RIAA versus The People) you may be eligible for reimbursement for your losses through the court system.
While we all hope that we will never need the services of a music attorney, it is a very distinct possibility for many talented musicians. When the time comes that you need the services of a music attorney, knowing what their function is and the type of cases they handle can be very important.
