Matt Finkelstein

/My focus

I advise clients across the music, entertainment, technology, publishing, and other creative industries and empower them to accomplish their business goals. Working at the intersection of corporate transactions, copyright law, and emerging technology, I structure and negotiate sophisticated licensing, acquisition, and sale transactions, while guiding clients through a complex and evolving rights landscape. My deep industry experience and knowledge position me to translate intricate legal issues into forward-looking commercial strategies that protect creative assets and advance business objectives.

Music industry

The music industry is a core focus of my practice, and my work spans the full music ecosystem. I advise songwriters, recording artists, music publishing companies, record companies, rights management companies, funds investing in music assets, and concert venues on their commercial and legal matters. I have built one of the industry’s leading practices for the acquisition and sale of catalogs of recordings, musical compositions, royalty income, and music companies. For example, I represented BMG and its parent company Bertelsmann in the copyright and music law aspects of the multi-billion dollar BMG and Concord Music business combination. I also represented Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and their music publishing company in a landmark dispute before the US Copyright Office concerning the payment of digital mechanical royalties to songwriters and their families after they recapture US copyrights.

Copyright counseling

I counsel businesses regarding the creation, ownership, licensing, and use of works of authorship—musical compositions, sound recordings, books, computer programs, films, paintings, and photographs. I also provide valued insights into the ever-changing intersection of technology, the creative industries, and copyright law, including generative AI, the Music Modernization Act, and the Mechanical Licensing Collective.

Creators and copyright recapture

I advise songwriters, recording artists, and their families on exercising their termination rights under US copyright law to recapture copyrights in creative works and provide strategic counsel to them in respect of the management and sale of their recaptured rights.

Technology and generative AI

I represent companies across industries on evolving software and technology development, licensing, and procurement, including cloud services agreements, generative AI acceptable use policies, and first-of-their-kind agreements addressing the use of generative AI in advertising and marketing materials.

What sets me apart

Before becoming a lawyer, I worked in the music, entertainment, and technology industries, including at pioneering companies that enabled the secure downloading and streaming of music, audiovisual content, and e-books. My experiences leading global client-services teams and providing around-the-clock support, shaped the work ethic and client-first mindset I bring to my legal practice today. My distinctive combination of corporate and copyright expertise—paired with practical knowledge of my clients' industries—gives clients a single, consistent voice throughout a deal, from negotiation to closing.

/Representative experience

Matt joined Nixon Peabody in August 2026. The work listed here may reflect experience from prior firms.

• BMG / Bertelsmann—Multi-billion-dollar business combination: Represented BMG and its parent company Bertelsmann on copyright and music law matters in a business combination with Concord Music, valued in excess of $10 billion.
• The Rolling Stones—Mechanical Licensing Collective dispute: Represented Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, and their music publishing company in a landmark dispute, adverse to their original music publisher and the Mechanical Licensing Collective, regarding entitlement to digital mechanical royalties following recapture of US copyrights under the termination provisions of US copyright law—resulting in a rule from the US Copyright Office in favor of songwriters and their families.
• Beatles catalog acquisition: Represented the buyer in the acquisition of rights in Beatles songs.
• Fleetwood Mac royalties acquisition: Represented the buyer in the acquisition of royalties generated from Fleetwood Mac recordings.
• Simon & Garfunkel royalties acquisition: Represented the buyer in the acquisition of royalties generated from Simon & Garfunkel recordings.
• Pointer Sisters catalog sale: Represented the sellers in the sale of a portion of the Pointer Sisters recorded music and music publishing catalogs.
• John Legend catalog acquisition: Represented the buyer in the acquisition of John Legend's music publishing catalog.
• BMG—Largest acquisition spend in company history: Represented BMG in a transaction resulting in the acquisition of 23 music catalogs.
• Wise Music Group—International divestiture: Advised on the multinational (US, UK, Australia) sale of Wise Music Group's online music education division.
• Live event venues: Represent live event venues on performer engagement and music licensing matters.
• International marina company acquisition of marina management technology company: In a cross-border transaction, represented the buyer in the acquisition of a marina management technology company.

/Looking ahead

Generative AI is reshaping the creative industries, and copyright law is racing to catch up. I'm helping clients harness AI's upside, while protecting the intellectual property that powers their businesses.