The demand for media lawyers has increased as intellectual property lawsuits have become more common.
A media attorney typically focuses on providing a wide range of legal services to sectors of the entertainment industry. A media lawyer is usually well acquainted with the specialized legal body that regulates print, broadcast, electronic and other media. A media attorney typically plays multiple roles and has experience with everything from drafting and negotiating contracts to litigating or mediating entertainment disputes. A media attorney may also be called an entertainment attorney.
A media lawyer is usually well acquainted with the specialized legal body that regulates print, broadcast, electronic and other media.
Media lawyers generally engage in one or more types of media law. Some attorneys handle cases that address issues of defamation, contempt, media law privacy, or media law censorship. Other media attorneys handle cases related to freedom of information, confidentiality, and copyright. In general, a media lawyer focuses on transaction-based work, although some issues may be taken to mediation, arbitration, or court.
Media lawyers can represent book authors.
Media law is becoming more common in many countries, increasing the need for attorneys who specialize exclusively in entertainment law. As a result, media law school courses are beginning to appear all over the world. Typically, these programs focus on preparing future lawyers for the practice of media and entertainment law and policy. Media law schools can also provide prospective lawyers with in-depth knowledge of the law, customs, theories, and policies related to individual entertainment industries, such as television and radio, music, and film. Other areas of specialization include multimedia, publishing, theater and visual arts.
A media attorney with a focus on television and radio will typically handle broadcast licensing and regulatory matters, as well as intellectual property issues or disputes. Lawyers working in the music industry can negotiate producer and talent contracts. Additionally, they often address copyright issues, sync rights, and intellectual property issues. A motion picture media attorney can negotiate a variety of contracts, including talent, distribution, option, and film contracts. They can also handle chain of title issues, union disputes, production and distribution issues, and intellectual property and copyright issues.
Media attorneys who specialize in theatrical law can review rental and co-production agreements and are generally knowledgeable about copyright law. Multimedia lawyers handle everything from software licensing and intellectual property issues to video game development and production issues. A publishing and print media attorney typically reviews publishing or print media contracts, such as author, model, and advertising contracts. They usually have a background in copyright law. In addition to dealing with intellectual property issues, lawyers dealing with visual arts law can negotiate contracts for the delivery of artwork from artists to dealers.