Nixon Peabody LLP

  • People
  • Capabilities
  • Insights
  • About

Trending Topics

    • People
    • Capabilities
    • Insights
    • About
    • Locations
    • Events
    • Careers
    • Alumni

    Practices

    View All

    • Affordable Housing
    • Community Development Finance
    • Corporate & Finance
    • Cybersecurity & Privacy
    • Environmental
    • Franchising & Distribution
    • Government Investigations & White Collar Defense
    • Healthcare
    • Intellectual Property
    • International Services
    • Labor & Employment
    • Litigation
    • Private Wealth & Advisory
    • Project Finance
    • Public Finance
    • Real Estate
    • Regulatory & Government Relations

    Industries

    View All

    • Cannabis
    • Consumer
    • Energy
    • Entertainment
    • Financial Services
    • Healthcare
    • Higher Education
    • Infrastructure
    • Manufacturing
    • Non Profit
    • Real Estate
    • Technology

    Value-Added Services

    View All

    • Alternative Fee Arrangements

      Developing innovative pricing structures and alternative fee agreement models that deliver additional value for our clients.

    • Continuing Education

      Advancing professional knowledge and offering credits for attorneys, staff and other professionals.

    • Crisis Advisory

      Helping clients respond correctly when a crisis occurs.

    • DEI Strategic Services

      Providing our clients with legal, strategic, and practical advice to make transformational changes in their organizations.

    • eDiscovery

      Leveraging law and technology to deliver sound solutions.

    • Global Services

      Delivering seamless service through partnerships across the globe.

    • Innovation

      Leveraging leading-edge technology to guide change and create seamless, collaborative experiences for clients and attorneys.

    • IPED

      Industry-leading conferences focused on affordable housing, tax credits, and more.

    • Legal Project Management

      Providing actionable information to support strategic decision-making.

    • Legally Green

      Teaming with clients to advance sustainable projects, mitigate the effects of climate change, and protect our planet.

    • Nixon Peabody Trust Company

      Offering a range of investment management and fiduciary services.

    • NP Capital Connector

      Bringing together companies and investors for tomorrow’s new deals.

    • NP Second Opinion

      Offering fresh insights on cases that are delayed, over budget, or off-target from the desired resolution.

    • NP Trial

      Courtroom-ready lawyers who can resolve disputes early on clients’ terms or prevail at trial before a judge or jury.

    • Social Impact

      Creating positive impact in our communities through increasing equity, access, and opportunity.

    1. Home
    2. Capabilities
    3. Practices
    4. Entertainment and Media
    5. MusicEntertainment and Media

    Music

    We leverage top-tier legal experience to protect clients at the forefront of the music industry.

    Overview

    Nixon Peabody’s team of music entertainment lawyers advise clients across all facets of the music industry. Operating out of Los Angeles and Nashville, our attorneys are expert negotiators with a track record of putting together innovative and forward-looking deals for our clients. Nixon Peabody’s full-service capabilities uniquely position our music attorneys to counsel clients through complex entertainment transactions that intersect with tax, finance, litigation and intellectual property law. We are consistently recognized as industry leaders by Billboard, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter and Music Row Magazine, among others, further emphasizing our deep understanding and dedication in the field of music law.

    We represent a diverse roster of artistic and executive talent, including recording artists, songwriters, producers, mixers, content creators, booking agents, and managers. Our attorneys also have substantial experience advising record labels, music publishers, concert promoters, game developers, celebrity estates and production companies in their business and legal affairs. We take pride in working with clients that operate at the cutting-edge of Web3, artificial intelligence and block chain enterprises. As our clients explore and develop new music-driven technologies, they rely on us for specialized counsel and protection regarding copyright laws and music sampling law.

    Cumulatively, our attorneys have decades of experience drafting and negotiating record deals and music publishing contracts, as well as guiding our clients through the valuation, acquisition, and sale of music catalogs. Our experienced team is well-equipped to provide sound advice on a full range of industry matters concerning music distribution, music copyright law, touring, management, merchandising, licensing, joint ventures, and strategic partnerships. We also work closely with clients to develop legal strategies that safeguard and leverage the value of their intellectual property on an international scale.

    Representative Experience

    • Advise Grammy-winning recording artists, music producers, and songwriters on negotiating recording agreements, distribution agreements, publishing agreements, and catalog sales.
    • Provide counsel to the world’s leading concert promoters, talent agencies, music venues and festivals, and live-streaming companies.
    • Provide music counsel to top video game developers, publishers, and eSports companies.
    • Negotiate agreements related to every facet of the music industry, including but not limited to, music recording, music publishing, copyright termination, touring, merchandising, sponsorship and endorsement, talent and production, television, modeling, talent representation, licensing, content creation and monetization, and Web3 ventures.
    • Lead clients through the process of structuring and developing the launch of new business enterprises and strategic partnerships with multinational brands.
    • Provide strategic counsel to clients for their growth and expansion beyond the traditional entertainment industry.
    • Provide comprehensive trademark advice and intellectual property management.

    Recognition

    • Recognized in Variety’s Dealmakers Impact Report in 2022
    • Carron Mitchell recognized in Billboard's 2022 and 2023 lists of top music lawyers
    • Farrah Usmani recognized in Billboard's 2023 list of top music lawyers
    • Ellie Heisler recognized by the Hollywood Reporter as a 2022 Power Lawyer
    • The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) Women Behind the Music 2022 included Carron Mitchell as an honoree
    Carron Joan Mitchell - Entertainment lawyer - Nixon Peabody LLP

    “The Nixon Peabody music team is on the cutting edge of the industry helping clients to navigate the ever-changing digital entertainment landscape. We protect brands and position them for success across all new verticals.”

    Carron Joan MitchellPartner, Los Angeles

    Our Team

    See Full Team
    • Carron Joan Mitchell

      Partner
      • Los Angeles
      • Office:+1 213.629.6197
      • cjmitchell@nixonpeabody.com
      Carron Joan Mitchell
    • Farrah A. Usmani

      Counsel
      • fusmani@nixonpeabody.com
      Farrah A. Usmani
    • Monique Witter

      Associate
      • Los Angeles
      • Office:213.629.6173
      • mwitter@nixonpeabody.com
      Monique Witter
    • Ellie L. Heisler

      Partner / Team leader, Entertainment / Co-lead, Esports & Gaming
      • Los Angeles
      • Office:+1 213.629.6097
      • eheisler@nixonpeabody.com
      Ellie L. Heisler
    • Christina S. Chang

      Counsel
      • Los Angeles
      • Office:+1 213.629.6067
      • cchang@nixonpeabody.com
      Christina S. Chang
    • April Hua

      Associate
      • Los Angeles
      • Office:213.629.6173
      • ahua@nixonpeabody.com
      April Hua
    See Full Team

    Insights And Happenings

    View All
    • Alert

      Ninth Circuit clarifies attorneys’ fees calculus in class action cases

      July 6, 2023
    • Alert

      U.S. Copyright Office limits registration for AI-created Zarya of the Dawn graphic novel

      March 9, 2023
    • Alert

      iHeartMedia agrees to pay $400,000 to settle deceptive endorsement claims

      March 6, 2023
    View All

    Subscribe to stay informed of the latest legal news, alerts, and business trends.Subscribe

    • People
    • Capabilities
    • Insights
    • About
    • Locations
    • Events
    • Careers
    • Alumni
    • © 2023 Nixon Peabody. All rights reserved
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Statement of Client Rights
    • Supplier Diversity Program
    • Nixon Peabody International LLC
    • PAL