Empower executives to achieve business goals through strategic counsel, creative solutions, and efficient services. Enable top management to identify and handle legal risks. Ensure compliance with laws and industry standards. Oversee the quality, efficiency, and distribution of legal services internally and externally. Drive innovation and spearhead change management initiatives. Develop analytics capabilities for visibility into department performance. Adopt cost-saving strategies, monitor expenses, and ensure financial transparency and accountability. Collaborate with multinational stakeholders throughout company and music industry. Negotiate and draft major talent-related contracts, including 360, multiple rights, recording, digital distribution, joint ventures, master purchase, asset transfers, assignments, assumptions, terminations, and amendments; sample and interpolation licenses, exclusivity waivers, and releases with producers, guest artists, songwriters, musicians, photographers, and visual artists; music video-related contracts, including videographer, location, and guest appearance agreements, as well as releases for the use of third-party voice, image, and likeness, copyright, and trademark; live performance contracts, including concert promoter, vendor, stage designer, guest appearance, award show releases, master use licenses, and crew agreements; and marketing-related agreements, including sponsorships, campaigns, brand partnerships including cross-industry collaborations, merchandising, and sync licenses. Alongside litigation counsel, formulate strategy, prepare witnesses for deposition, answer written discovery, and review and revise pleadings. Coordinate with outside counsel on registration and protection of intellectual property, catalog purchases, and contests and sweepstakes. Lead, train, supervise, and mentor a team of lawyers, interns, and staff. Foster a culture of high standards, continuous professional growth, and well-being.

As captured outside counsel to Rimas Entertainment, LLC from December 2018 to June 2021, and together with the General Counsel, served as the architect of the workings of Rimas’ legal department by designing, establishing, implementing, overseeing, and continuously improving the department’s operational flow and protocols. Trained, instructed, and supervised junior lawyers, interns, and staff. Negotiated deals and drafted agreements that included the following: guest artist, producer, concert promotor, live event performance, sponsorship, vendor, name & likeness, master use license or purchase, composition license or purchase, exclusivity waiver, video production, digital distribution, exclusive recording, publishing, and 360. Authored and created templates for the use of the legal department. Collaborated across company departments, through teamwork and ongoing communication, including with: Rimas’ publishing, distribution, marketing, accounting, IT, human resources, and the c-suite – as well as the company’s 501(c)(3) foundation. Fostered working relationships with other professionals in the industry, including working with accountants to change the company’s approach to royalty compensation, and music experts to identify the use of samples or interpolations. Addressed and resolved infringement issues (e.g. takedowns). Empowered representation by outside counsel in litigation matters by providing discovery support, consulting on strategy, and helping defend and prepare witnesses for deposition. Other work included counseling and representing clients in litigation and/or transactional negotiations involving marketing ventures, commercial disputes, construction, property loss, and personal injury. Tasks included investigations, written discovery, depositions, witness development, motion practice and in-court representation, and mediation and settlement. Managed legal budget, staffing, working with vendors, client billing, and accounting.

Developed and co-produced the Miami version of Social Media Week (subsequently acquired by Adweek) consisting of an annual conference focused on cutting-edge digital strategies and practices in marketing and communications. Established and managed relationship with partners, sponsors, vendors, influencers, and others. Fundraised. Set and oversaw event budget. Directed and supported the efforts of production team members working on event. Researched and kept abreast of key industry players and latest developments in social media and communications technology. Formulated event programming. Recruited knowledgeable and engaging speakers. Prepared discussion outlines and moderated panel presentations. Community outreach. Employed social media and other marketing strategies to promote Social Media Week Miami.

Provided business consulting services and legal representation to Eventcrowd. Negotiated and drafted sponsorship, vendor, and speaker deals. Prepared contest rules. Ensured contract and legal compliance. Represented the company in litigation.

Taught law students how to write for litigation and transactional matters while empowering them to recognize their individual talents, training them on how to overcome their problem areas, and preparing them to successfully navigate the realities and business aspects of professional practice.

Defended Fortune 500 companies (Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation, Shell Oil Company, and Pfizer Pharmaceuticals, to name a few) in claims filed by individual plaintiffs in every phase of litigation in state and federal courts. This included in-court advocacy during trial and motion hearings, mediation and arbitration, depositions, strategy meetings with clients and others, case investigations and analysis, exhibit gathering, vetting and recruiting of expert witnesses, discovery practice, and legal research and writing (including drafting of opening/ closing statements, direct/ cross examinations, motions, pleadings, and client and demand letters). Established and ensured compliance with case budget. Instructed and supervised junior lawyers and staff. Worked with some of the best lawyers and top-notch legal teams in the nation in the joint-defense of a major international industry; and in doing so collaborated and faced-off with expert witnesses world-renowned in their respective fields, many whom were critics or activist against my client’s corporate existence. Served as the eyes and ears of such major international industry by authoring daily trial reports for industry insiders during the unfolding of a major trial of first impression that I had worked thoroughly and which our side won. One among few partners selected to market and promote the firm, its lawyers, and services while also nurturing relationships with, and addressing the needs of international corporations and potential clients.

Represented a diverse clientele, made up of people of different nationalities, race, gender, age, etc., in litigation against big corporations, such as Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines and Carnival Corporation. Prepared clients to testify at depositions and in court. Extensive discovery practice, including answering interrogatories and responding to requests for production, and nearly daily court appearances to prosecute or defend motions.