Top Entertainment Attorney Jodie Shihadeh is the founder of Shihadeh Law P.C., a boutique transactional entertainment law firm that practices in New York and Los Angeles.
The firm houses an impressive roster of clientele that consist of creators, entertainment companies, and industry executives including three time Grammy winning, multi-platinum producer/songwriter, J White Did It (Megan Thee Stallion “Savage”, Cardi B “I Like It”), Grammy nominated producer/songwriter, Roy Lenzo (Lil Nas X “Rodeo” & “Montero”), Songwriter, Paul Phamous (Dua Lipa, Nick Jonas), as well as Latin Grammy winning artist/producer/songwriter, El Guincho (Rosalia).
FWM: You opened your firm, Shihadeh Law, P.C., in 2020. Tell us about your background and what led you to launch your own firm?
I’ve always been really passionate about music and knew I wanted to work with artists in some way. It wasn’t until college that I discovered that you could be an attorney that represented musicians. I knew that was what I was meant to do. I then went to law school solely to be an entertainment lawyer and to represent artists. In Law school, I built my network within the industry by interning at a boutique entertainment law firm and major record labels. Upon graduating Law school, I secured a position at the law firm I had interned at, The Davis Firm. I worked there for 9 years, starting as an associate and eventually becoming Partner. I opened up and ran its Los Angeles office, and was bicoastal for several years before the pandemic struck.
While at the firm, I had built a strong client roster and wanted to grow it even more. I come from a long line of entrepreneurs in my family, so the inclination to run my own business is in my blood. That urge and entrepreneurial spirit, combined with the fact that we were all facing the scary realities and uncertainties of a global pandemic, made the timing ripe to launch my own business.
FWM: Did the pandemic boost the demand for your counsel?
Absolutely. The pandemic made it even more important for me to think creatively about how my clients can generate revenue while so many aspects of our industry were shut down. For instance, while touring was on hold, I worked with my clients to pursue other means of entertainment revenue, whether it was issuing NFTs, starting companies, or exploring catalog sales. They might not have considered these ideas had live shows been occurring. I also re-examined some of my clients’ older deals to consider whether we could renegotiate certain aspects of them to ensure that revenue was coming through. For example, some of my songwriter clients were in older deals that still required a minimum number of songs to be released in order to get an advance and move through the term. The requirements for these releases are usually so burdensome that they operate to keep a songwriter in a publishing agreement much longer than is fair or reasonable. Knowing that a lot of publishers have been newly inspired to revisit these antiquated provisions during this time, I have been renegotiating a lot of these types of deals for my clients so that they can be modernized and have more revenue flowing to them.
FWM: How has the pandemic affected the way you advise clients to navigate unforeseen obstacles?
As an entertainment attorney, my job relies on knowing the market trends of the music industry so that I can advise clients accordingly as they contemplate their next professional moves. The pandemic has caused the market to change so quickly in so many respects – deals I had on the table would suddenly change overnight because of the sudden shifts in the market due to a new projection of the pandemic. I really have had to pivot in how I advise clients on a daily basis in order to either protect them against any pitfalls that might suddenly arise in this climate or conversely to quickly take advantage of any opportunities they might receive because it could be fleeting if the pandemic takes a turn.
FWM: Your clientele consists of creators, entertainment companies, industry executives including three-time Grammy Winning Producer/Songwriters J White Did It and El Guincho, and Grammy nominated producer/songwriter Roy Lenzo. What are your core competencies as a lawyer?
Building businesses and assets with my clients. I view music as just one entry-way into becoming a global entertainer. I encourage my clients to “think big” when it comes to how they view the trajectory of their careers. Once the goals are established, we focus on pursuing opportunities and entering deals in the short term that establish the foundation to meet the goals set for the long term. I’m very focused on helping my clients to accumulate wealth from multi-layered revenue streams. The vast majority of my clients are members of minority groups, so I’m extremely mindful about the importance and long-term effect of building multi-generational wealth with them.
FWM: What will people notice about working with you?
Personal attention and efficiency. Helping my clients build their careers requires a close relationship with them. That personal attention helps me do a better job. I am also extremely efficient. I want to keep the deals moving. No one is getting paid and no careers are growing if I let deals take forever to close. That won’t happen on my watch.
FWM: You were recently featured in Billboard Magazine 2020, Top Music Lawyers. What does this mean to you?
I’m very proud of that. That recognition was certainly on my list of professional goals. I was 35 at the time, relatively young for that list, and also a female partner, also somewhat of a novelty in this industry. It was rewarding to be recognized for my work in that way. If ever I receive that recognition again, it will be even sweeter because it will be in my capacity as an owner of my own law firm.
FWM: What do you look for in a client?
A good work ethic and motivation. I work so closely with my clients’ teams but at the end of the day, we can’t want it more than the client. Even if the client has enormous talent, if the work ethic isn’t there and they’re not motivated to succeed, there’s really only so much that we as the team can do, and it can be discouraging to not meet goals that we’ve set at the onset.
FWM: As we move towards 2022, what is your vision for your firm?
Growth. In the first year of business, I’ve expanded the firm to have offices in both Los Angeles and New York. The practice has also grown to include film and television representation alongside music. I’ve worked enormously hard this past year to lay a structural foundation that allows for the firm to expand its clientele and the firm’s team to service the clients’ matters. I was really able to hit the ground running when I opened the firm’s doors and don’t have any intention of slowing down.
