Jobs in Entertainment Law
Law students and lawyers interested in entertainment law can find employment opportunities with traditional law firms or through arts, media and entertainment companies. They can also take on related, non-legal roles in the entertainment industry. Interested individuals can build their resumes during law school and continue to search for entertainment law jobs through professional associations and targeted networking opportunities.
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Law School Preparation
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Law school students can prepare for jobs in entertainment law by selecting relevant classes and gaining related work experience through internships. Entertainment law requires knowledge of many legal topics, including intellectual property, business law, contracts, negotiation, and laws related to specific industries, such music, film, art or museums. Aspiring lawyers can also prepare for entertainment law jobs by taking summer internships or semester-long externships for academic credit. Law students should consider whether they would prefer to work at law firms or with non-legal companies after they graduate, and apply for externships and internships accordingly.
Law Firm Jobs
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Some law firms have departments that specifically focus on serving clients with entertainment law matters. These departments vary in size, depending on the needs of the firm's clients and the potential for new client matters. Job openings may arise more frequently at firms with large entertainment-law practices. Other law firms exclusively handle entertainment law cases and provide services as boutique practices. Law firms in geographic locations with strong entertainment industries, such as New York or California, tend to have more jobs available in entertainment law.
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Jobs Outside of Law Firms
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Law graduates who do not wish to practice with traditional law firms may pursue jobs with the legal departments at arts and entertainment companies, or create their own jobs in the entertainment industry as talent agents, business managers and other roles. Though talent agents do not need to have law licenses in order to represent clients, some law graduates apply their legal training and negotiation skills to become agents. In some states, such as California, professionals must have agent licenses in order to represent clients. Law students interested in non-traditional legal jobs in entertainment law may benefit from internships with in-house legal departments at media companies or production studios, or with talent agencies.
Resources
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Lawyers can identify law firms with entertainment-law departments by searching the Directory of Legal Employers published by the National Association for Law Placement. The NALP directory allows job seekers to search for law firms based on search criteria that includes geographic location and practice area. Lawyers should also network with established attorneys who specialize in entertainment law. Many state bar associations have entertainment law sections to bring together lawyers with similar professional interests. Additionally, the American Bar Association has a national section for member attorneys who represent clients in the arts and entertainment industries. Professional associations often promote events and continuing education classes through which lawyers can build their networks of industry contacts and learn about potential jobs in entertainment law.
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References
- Southwestern Law School: Entertainment Law and Media Law Courses
- UCLA School of Law: Student Opportunities in Entertainment and Media Law
- Mark Litwak's Entertainment Law Resources: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) - Career Advice
- ATA: Association of Talent Agents
- NALP - The Association for Legal Career Professionals: NALP Directory of Legal Employers
- State Bar of Wisconsin: Sports and Entertainment Law Section
Resources
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