New York, NY. Nixon Peabody LLP has boosted the depth of its Entertainment & Sports team, hiring veteran music and intellectual property transactions attorney Matt Finkelstein, who joined the firm as a partner to lead its Music practice.
Matt advises clients in the music, entertainment, technology, publishing, media, art, and various other industries on business matters involving creative works, including licensing, acquisition, and sale transactions, as well as a wide array of copyright-related matters. He has a particular focus on the music industry and has built a highly regarded, internationally recognized practice representing buyers, sellers, creators, and investors in transactions involving the purchase and sale of recorded music and music publishing catalogs, royalty streams, and other music assets.
Matt’s practice builds upon the transactional strength of Nixon Peabody’s Corporate practice group; the deep industry knowledge and relationships of its Entertainment & Sports team; and its Intellectual Property practice group’s ability to protect, enforce, defend, and commercialize copyright and trademark rights around the world. Matt’s client portfolio of legendary songwriters and recording artists, renowned music publishers and record companies, concert venues, and companies in other industries that build or utilize creative works will now have access to the firm’s integrated services across global brand management; copyright, trademark, and brand litigation; and intellectual property transactions.
“Matt is one of the most recognized transactional lawyers in the music industry, with a client roster and track record that speak for themselves,” said Nic Mayne, co-leader of Nixon Peabody’s Entertainment and Sports team, which includes the Music practice. “His arrival deepens our firm’s longstanding music capabilities and enhances our service to clients across the music ecosystem. As clients navigate new technologies and revenue streams, Matt brings the industry fluency and transactional sophistication needed to help them move forward.”
In addition to his extensive private practice experience, including leading the award-winning Music practice and the Copyright practice at his prior firm, Matt brings a client-service perspective shaped by his earlier career in the music, entertainment, and technology industries that includes some of the first companies involved with enabling the secure downloading and streaming of music, audiovisual content, and e-books.
In July, Matt was named a Billboard “Top Music Lawyer” for the fifth consecutive year, recognizing his high-profile, multidisciplinary work, including his representation of Bertelsmann and BMG in the monumental multi-billion-dollar BMG and Concord Music business combination transaction. Recent past recognitions include honors for his advocacy work on behalf of Mick Jagger and Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones and their music publishing company. He is ranked by Chambers Band 1: Media & Entertainment: Music and is recognized by The Legal 500 as Tier 1 for Intellectual Property (Copyright).
Nixon Peabody also welcomes Los Angeles associate Taylor J. Coley, who joins Matt as a member of the Music practice and Corporate group. Their arrivals continue the recent growth of Nixon Peabody’s Entertainment & Sports team, which added Boston counsel Rick Goulding, who co-chaired his prior firm’s Sports & Entertainment team, and Los Angeles associates Loren Shokes and Samantha Wainaina earlier this year.
“Matt’s addition, along with the other talented attorneys we’ve recently welcomed, reflects our continued investment in our Entertainment & Sports team and the innovative, collaborative approach that defines its work across departments and offices,” said Todd Tidgewell, leader of the firm’s Corporate practice group, which includes the Entertainment & Sports team.
Matt earned his JD from St. John’s University School of Law and BA from Union College.
