The Entertainment Law Initiative was established by the Recording Academy® to encourage discussion and debate around legal affairs in the ever-evolving music industry and how they impact creatives and the greater music community. In partnership with the nation’s top entertainment law practitioners and schools, the initiative offers year-round networking and career development events for professionals and cultivates the next generation through connection and educational opportunities for students.
| 23-24 Entertainment Law Initiative Executive Committee | 23-24 Entertainment Law Initiative Advisory Council |
|---|---|
| Laurie Soriano (Chair) | Ken Abdo |
| Kris Ahrend | Jay Cooper |
| Sandy Crawshaw-Sparks | John Frankenheimer |
| Susan Genco | Jeff Harleston |
| Renee Karalian | Joel Katz |
| Michael Kushner | Chuck Ortner |
| Dina LaPolt | Don Passman |
| Wade Leak | Michael Reinert |
| Angie Martinez | Ron Wilcox |
| Tanya Perara | |
| Julian Petty | |
| Leron Rogers | |
| Henry Root | |
| Bobby Rosenbloum | |
| Julie Swidler | |
| Jeff Walker | |
| Robert Windom | |
| Stephanie Yu |
Read about the most recent professional development and networking event below:
Click the link below to watch ELI’s fall 2022 collaborative panel with GRAMMY U:
How Independent Artists Can Protect Their Work
Keep an eye on this page for announcements about upcoming ELI professional and student events, online programs, and other opportunities.
Entertainment Law Initiative GRAMMY® Week Event
The 26th Annual ELI GRAMMY Week Event will be held on Friday, Feb. 2, 2024 in Los Angeles.
The Recording Academy is thrilled to announce that our 2024 ELI Service Award honoree is Michael Kushner, Executive Vice President of Business & Legal Affairs of Atlantic Records, and our keynote speaker for the event will be Michelle Jubelirer, Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Capitol Records. See more details on this announcement here:
Table sponsor packages are currently available for $3,250 and up. Contact Neil Crilly if interested, neil.crilly@recordingacademy.com. Single admission tickets will be available for purchase soon.
The annual ELI GRAMMY Week Event gathers professionals and creators alike to celebrate, hear from industry leaders and allies, and acknowledge achievements of music business trailblazers through the ELI Service Award, an accolade presented to a legal professional or entity who has demonstrated commitment to advancing and bettering the music community through service. See below for recaps of past events:
2019 Entertainment Law Initiative Event With Dina LaPolt, Tina Tchen, Steven Tyler & More
Entertainment Law Initiative Writing Contest
2024 Submissions Now Open
The annual ELI Writing Contest challenges law students to identify and research a pressing legal issue facing the music industry today and outline a proposed solution in a 3,000-word essay. A nationwide panel of music law experts judge the papers in a blind process to select one winner and two runners-up.
See Official Contest Rules for entry requirements and full prize packages.
Help us spread the word with our Writing Contest Social Media Toolkit!
This fall, we hosted a Writing Contest Info Session featuring past winners Christopher Chiang and Sona Sulakian and ELI Executive Committee members Laurie Soriano and Stephanie Yu. Check it out on our YouTube page here.
ONE WINNER
$10,000 tuition scholarship
Two tickets to the 66th GRAMMY Awards®
Two tickets to the 26th Entertainment Law Initiative
Two tickets to MusiCares® Person of the Year
Los Angeles roundtrip airfare and hotel accommodations for winner and guest
Paper Publication in the ABA Entertainment & Sports Lawyer Journal
Mentorship session with an ELI leadership attorney
TWO RUNNERS-UP
$2,500 tuition scholarship
Mentorship session with an ELI leadership attorney
SUBMISSION DEADLINE Jan. 3, 2024 | 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET
WINNER & RUNNERS-UP NOTIFIED Jan. 18, 2024
EVENT DATES
26th Entertainment Law Initiative Feb. 2, Beverly Wilshire Hotel
MusiCares Person of the Year Feb. 2, Los Angeles Convention Center
66th GRAMMY Awards Feb. 4, Crypto.com Arena
2023 Winner & Runners-Up
Winner: Aron Lichtschein, NYU School of Law, New York, NY
“Tickets To Ride: NFTs And The Future of Concert Ticketing”
Runner-Up: Gina Maeng, Georgetown Law School, Washington, D.C.
“Keep Calm And Rock On: A Federal Crowd Management Law For The Live Music Industry”
Runner-Up: Amanda Sharp, University of San Diego School of Law, San Diego, CA
2022 Winner & Runners-Up
Winner: Sona Sulakian, USC Gould School of Law, Los Angeles, CA
“Protecting The Artist: Licensing In An AI-Generated Music Market”
Runner-Up: Chelsea Cohen, LMU Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, CA
“Welcome To The Metaverse: Solving Old-World Licensing In A Whole New Universe”
Runner-Up: Michael Harrigan, Stetson University College of Law, DeLand, FL
2021 Winner & Runners-Up
Winner: Sophia Sofferman, University of Miami School of Law, Coral Gables, FL
“It’s My [Recapture Right], And It’s Now Or Never…”
Runner-Up: Evan Biegel, St. John’s University School of Law, Queens, NY
“Tuning The Role Of Artificial Intelligence In Musical Work Infringement”
Runner-Up: Alberto Vargas, University of Chicago Law School, Chicago, IL
2020 Winner & Runners-Up
Winner: Christopher Chiang, University of California, Los Angeles, CA
Runner-Up: Graham Fenton, University of California, Los Angeles, CA
Runner-Up: John Gilbertson, Drake University Law School, Des Moines, IA
“Play It Again, Sam: The Free-Market Case For Government Intervention In The Music Streaming Sector”
For all inquiries or to be added to the ELI mailing list, please contact ELI@recordingacademy.com