Entertainment Law

Successful artists, musicians and other entertainers realize the importance of managing your act’s career from the very beginning. It may seem too early to worry about agreements, copyrights and contracts. Don’t make this mistake. The beginning of the formation of a group of artists is the exact time you want to make sure you protect the band members and their intellectual property. For instance, when a group of musicians form a band, an automatic partnership exists. These partners may take actions, consciously or unconsciously, which can cause other partners to be held accountable. An agreement does not have to be in writing to be binding. Consulting with an experienced entertainment law attorney can make all the difference in the success of the business side of your art. Ben Scales devotes a significant portion of his law practice to the area of entertainment law.

Within your own act, you need to be concerned with creating a valid, well thought out partnership agreement. Who will own the rights to your songs? Who will own the publishing rights? What will happen if someone joins or leaves the group? What will happen to the act’s assets if the group dissolves? These are questions that can be answered much more easily at the beginning of an act’s career with the help of an experienced and knowledgeable entertainment attorney.

In the entertainment industry, things often move very quickly. Your act needs to be prepared for both opportunities and unfortunate circumstances. Even if you aren’t currently making sizable amounts of money, it is forward thinking and industrious to plan for what happens when you do get your “big break”. You will need competent advice quickly. You need an attorney with both the experience and knowledge of your specific act, and how your act fits in to the entertainment industry.

In short, artists spend countless time and resources improving and refining their art. Ben Scales is an experienced entertainment law attorney and a musician. Contact him to discuss how all your hard work can be protected and maintained throughout the career of an act and beyond.