LAURA WILSON-LEWIS

Entertainment Attorney
Wilson-Lewis Law
laura@wilsonlewislaw.com
@WilsonLewisLaw

Interview

• Where are you originally from?
  Born in London, England, and raised in Toronto, Canada

• Where do you currently reside?
  Toronto, Canada

• What prompted you to get into the entertainment industry?
  I entered law school with the goal of practicing intellectual property law. I earned an undergraduate degree in Physics from Alabama A&M University, a graduate degree in Medical Biophysics from Western University in London, Ontario, and I wanted to become a patent lawyer to help inventors protect their inventions. When I graduated from law school, I struggled to find an associate position in this niche area (and I did not want to write the patent agent exam), so my career went in a different direction. Happening in parallel, the music scene in Toronto was continuing to garner interest and opportunities from international industry leaders and audiences, and there became a need for people who understood the culture and the law. When my good friend, an artist manager in Toronto, asked me to review a contract for his artist, I saw an opportunity to engage in intellectual property law through copyright and help creatives protect their art. That's when I decided to start my law firm.

• Please outline the services you provide for clients and any specialties.
  I draft, negotiate, review and advise on agreements specific to the business of the music industry. I also assist clients to navigate the grants system in Canada, which, subject to varying eligibility criteria, provides financial support to creatives (for example: artists, songwriters) while they are developing their art.

• What type of clients do you typically represent? What factors do you consider when deciding which clients to take on?
  I typically represent recording artists, artist managers, songwriters and producers. My clients have a range of experience within the industry, but many of them are in the early stages of their career, with at least one song that has been commercially released or that is commercially satisfactory and soon to be released.

• What is one thing people would be surprised to know about your profession? What is one of the biggest misconceptions?
  There is a misconception that becoming a music lawyer is the achievement of peak success if you are a music fan. While there may be some occasional perks (at least there were, prior to tour cancellations and people sheltering in place), it is a complex, technical and ever-changing business and area of legal practice. One must be diligent to stay ahead of the steep learning curve, but there is great satisfaction in helping to protect your client as their star rises.

• What are some challenges or obstacles you have faced as an African-American in this profession?
  At my current intersection of race, age and gender, the desire to over-prepare and over-perform is ever present. Being relatively junior in the industry and in sole practice, I've developed deep reserves of patience and resilience that, among other things, have tempered my thoughts of having to prove myself when I felt like my abilities were questioned or undervalued. Maintaining my integrity and professionalism under these circumstances, and my confidence in my ability to advocate for my clients, have allowed me to gain and retain my clients' confidence and trust.

• What do you think can be done to improve diversity with regards to representation?
  We can improve diversity by representing clients across various genres of music, making referrals to other diverse professionals, and recommending diverse creatives when collaboration opportunities arise. I think it is also important to educate and empower the incoming generation of diverse lawyer candidates by finding ways to expose them to the business and the law through programs like workshops, arts incubators or mentorship opportunities, before or during law school. In Toronto, there are a number of cohort-based, year-long industry mentorship programs that build capacity among artists and budding executives by developing the hard and soft skills to help navigate the industry. I am involved in one such mentorship program, as a mentee, that is focused on building the capacity of women in the industry and it has been insightful and empowering. Creating a similar mentorship program for diverse lawyer candidates would require time and commitment from the entertainment law bar, but it has the potential to increase the number of diverse lawyer candidates who may be interested in building a career in this practice area. I am currently mentoring an aspiring law student (because I believe there is always information that you can share, regardless of what stage you are in in your career), and as I achieve future professional milestones, I look forward to sharing what I learn as freely as my mentors have shared with me.

• What advice would you have for other African-Americans looking to enter this profession?
  Build your team of mentors within the legal community and the music industry, in general. Find a way to bring value to them, be intentional and genuine about your relationships, and be respectful of their time. In my experience, senior lawyers on both sides of the border have been incredibly generous with sharing their insights, and have helped me to avoid some obstacles that they had to overcome along their journey. While you're looking to your seniors, remember to also look to your peers. The value of lateral mentorship should not be underestimated.

• What is the best way for people to get in touch with you?
  People can reach me via email at laura@wilsonlewislaw.com, and we can stay connected at @WilsonLewisLaw on social media.