Entertainment Law

Entertainment law is often difficult to define as it is an area of the law in that is a conglomerate of other traditional areas of law that impact the entertainment industry.

In its most basic form, entertainment law is a mixture of intellectual property law (which includes trademark, copyright, patent law and rights of publicity) and business law tailored to the needs of the entertainment industry. Operationally, entertainment law often involves other well-established areas of law such as immigration law, employment law, bankruptcy law, securities law, civil litigation and others. The responsibilities of an entertainment lawyer typically include contract negotiation and drafting. Some entertainment lawyers also provide shopping services in which they will promote the services of their clients to industry participants such as record labels and publishing companies. Entertainment legal services are typically provided to the following entertainment industry sectors:

• Music – includes talent agreements such as recording agreements, endorsement agreements, publishing agreements, synchronization and master use agreements as well as copyright issues.

• Film – involving chain of title issues, errors and omissions insurance, talent agreements, production and post production agreements, distribution agreements and copyright issues.
  
  

• Broadcasting – covering television and radio broadcasting issues, licensing and regulatory issues.
  
  

• Theatre – includes license agreements, support agreements, cast agreements and venue agreements.
  
  

• Visual Arts – involves independent contractor agreements, artwork agreements (including consignment agreements) and industrial design.
  
  

• Mutimedia – includes new media issues, video game production, software agreements and various licensing issues.

Reema Major

(G7 Records/Universal Music)

Reema Major represents Toronto and is the newest female to enter the rap game.

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Eb Reinbergs, an entertainment lawyer based in Toronto, said such post-mortem success happens all the time. The death of the artist usually draws heavy media coverage, which either rekindles a fan's interest or sends others on a shopping spree to see what made that person so well liked in the first place, Reinbergs said.