Cast Wide:
In my third year of law school, I interned at a label called Sho’Nuff Records. A mentor of mine asked, “What are you doing to become a part of the community?” I hadn’t thought about that. I thought I would graduate, tell people I loved music, know I was smart and they’d hire me. I had contacts through the labels. I would go to open mic nights and meet people. I would work on small deals. I also worked with a company called Music Is My Business for about two years. I wasn’t getting a check from it, but I would meet people through that. I didn’t have a formula; I just cast my net wide.
A Little Knowledge:
When I graduated, I knew what I wanted to do but I had no help. I had to learn through trial and error. Once I got some traction in my career, several students reached out to me. At one point, I was taking everyone on, mentoring as much as I could. It got to the point where I couldn’t physically take the time to meet with everyone. And there are lawyers who have different insights and students should be able to benefit from those as well. I began to think about what I could create that could get information out there and provide access to a profession that seems to be secretive and closed off.
It’s Free!:
The first year, it was $25 for the whole year. There was one panelist who didn’t want to contribute his time because the students were being charged. I thought, if this is going to hinder my program in any way, I don’t want that to happen. I’m incurring all the costs to build the program and get information out there. I would love to see the program align with a brand or do strategic partnerships with corporations that can foot some of the costs.
Where To:
I would love for this program to be internationally recognized as the go-to resource for students who are interested in this profession. And I would love for music business programs and law schools with music law classes to use us as a resource for their students. Eventually, I see this program having seminars and programs in different states.
Get Out There:
There’s so much you can do to immerse yourself in the culture. Think broadly about how you can generate a good experience for yourself before you even become a lawyer. You’ve got ASCAP, BMI and SESAC doing tons of events. You’ve got NARIP, music conferences, concerts... All of that stuff is relevant. If you know the culture, the music, the trends, the charts, the language, the people, how they create, how they move, it makes you a solid consultant. Music law is not just about the paperwork but [also] being able to manage the careers of your clients.
