An entertainment lawyer is a legal professional who specialises in the entertainment industry. They provide legal advice for the entertainment field, such as film, television, music, theatre, and sports.
The role of a lawyer is to protect their clients’ legal rights. They negotiate and draft contracts. These contracts may include talent, licensing, distribution, and production agreements. They also handle intellectual property matters, including copyright and trademark issues.
Entertainment lawyers often work closely with artists, musicians, actors, producers, directors, and other industry professionals. They help clients navigate complex legal issues, such as contract disputes, royalty disputes, and rights clearance.
Arts lawyers may also assist with other legal aspects of the creative industries. For example, shopping agreements (for financing), and labour and employment issues.
What You Can Expect from an Entertainment Lawyer
Identifying legal issues that are relevant to entertainment law
It is important to quickly identify issues that may affect a client’s legal rights. For instance, contract terms that may not be enforceable, unclear drafting, intellectual property infringement and giving away important legal rights.

Other issues could be related to the structure of businesses that have been set up for the deal. A lawyer may recommend a different company structure to protect assets and take advantage of tax benefits.
Helping creative teams work through legal problems
An entertainment lawyer can help creative teams work through legal problems in several ways:
1. Legal Advice
An entertainment lawyer can provide legal advice and guidance to creative teams regarding various legal issues they may encounter. This includes contract negotiations, intellectual property rights, licensing agreements, and more. They can assist the team in understanding their rights and obligations and guarantee the protection of their interests.

2. Contract Drafting and Review
Creative teams often enter into contracts with various parties, such as artists, producers, distributors, and sponsors. An entertainment lawyer can create and review contracts to ensure fairness, legal validity, and protection of the team’s interests. They can also negotiate contract terms on behalf of the team to secure the best possible deal.
3. Dispute Resolution
In the event of a legal dispute, a lawyer can represent the creative team and help them resolve the dispute. This includes resolving contract disputes, royalty disputes, copyright infringement claims, and more.
4. Rights Clearance
Creative teams often need to obtain rights and permissions for using copyrighted materials, such as music, images, or video clips. An entertainment lawyer can assist in obtaining necessary clearances and licenses. The team must ensure that they legally use materials without infringing on someone else’s rights.
5. Business Structuring
An entertainment lawyer can help creative teams with the legal aspects of setting up their business entities. They can advise on the most suitable business structure, such as forming a company, a joint venture or a trust. This may work to protect the team’s assets and take advantage of tax benefits.
How has Prosper Law helped our clients?
Fixed fee entertainment legal professionals
Prosper Law provide legal advice for the arts, music and entertainment industries for fixed fees. This means that we take time to understand our client’s requirements. We will then provide a detailed scope of work with a fixed fee quote.
Unless our clients want different or more legal services, our fixed fee quote won’t change. Our pricing is transparent and affordable
An understanding of the creative landscape
We have worked with clients from different backgrounds and industries. Our experience working in the arts industry gives us an edge when it comes to contract negotiations and protecting our clients.
Quick turnaround times
We pride ourselves on quick turnaround times for our legal work. If our clients have a hard deadline; we will meet it.
Click here if you would like to read about the things that authors must know about publishing contracts
Prosper Law is Australia’s online law firm. We provide free 15 minute legal consultations. We also provide our clients with fixed fees, so you know exactly how much you are paying from the start. Contact our experienced entertainment lawyers on 1300 003 077 or at enquiry@prosperlaw.com.au
