Loren MulraineAssociate Professor of Law
Belmont University, College of Law
loren.mulraine@belmont.edu
Loren Mulraine teaches entertainment law, copyright law, intellectual property and other related courses at Belmont University in Nashville, TN. Prior to Belmont, he taught for 14 years at Middle Tennessee State University. Mulraine has found success as a songwriter and worked on the Grammy-winning project Tribute: The Songs of Andrae’ Crouch.
Is there a learning curve for teaching entertainment law
It has something to do with the basic ability to engage an audience and really communicate. Over the years, we interviewed a lot of people at MTSU who looked really good on paper, but we had them do a teaching session, and it was clear they couldn’t connect with students. To a certain degree, you can improve that, but as with many things in life, there are people better cut out for it from the start.
What is the most rewarding aspect of teaching
The most satisfying experience is when students are successful not just in the classroom, but professionally. Some students who are lawyers now came to school not even knowing they were interested in law. There are students now working for music or publishing companies. There are students in Hollywood with film companies. When you see those types of stories, it doesn’t get any better than that.
What is the most challenging aspect
You have to recognize that you’re not going to reach everybody at the same level at the same time. If you’re a new teacher, you get frustrated when you do what you thought you had to do, but you didn’t connect. If you’re doing it the right way, the challenges should become fewer and farther between as you progress.
How have entertainment law programs evolved
When I started in 1988, most schools had two or three courses related to entertainment or copyright law. More and more now have specific music business and entertainment law certificates. We offer a whole plethora of courses including trademark, patent, copyright, mass media. All are interrelated, and the more background you can have in your specific area of interest, the better off you will be. Most law firms really want to make sure you’re helping them make money. The more time they don’t have to use training you, the better. In choosing a law school, look at the curriculum and see if there’s a course that relates to entertainment law.
What advice would you give to entertainment law professors
Try teaching part-time or adjunct just to get your feet wet and see if you really enjoy it. After one semester, you’ll know if you want to keep doing it. Understand what your subject is, really well, and try to translate that into the teaching world. In addition, it’s okay to admit you don’t know everything. Students respond favorably when you say, “I haven’t contemplated or experienced that. Say “Let me look that up” as opposed to pretending you know something when you don’t.
What is the most successful type of entertainment law student
They participate. Learn by doing, whether it’s songwriting or copyright law or music publishing. You learn by listening to what I say, but you’ll learn more if you turn it into a doing thing. Speak, raise your hand, ask questions, try to answer them and put into practice what you learned in the classroom.
