Law of Sports, Entertainment and the Arts
Usually grouped together, specialized entertainment law firms handle all three areas. Here's how to find the best information.
By James Cahoy
When you speak of the law of sports, entertainment and the arts, it sounds like you are talking about three different legal areas. In fact, the law is very similar in all three cases, and the topics tend to be grouped together by the legal profession.
Entertainment law, sports law and art law all deal with issues including intellectual property matters, right of privacy, rights of publicity, contract, licensing and merchandizing.
Although lawyers often specialize in one of the three, law firms will work in all areas. Entertainment law firms will also be sports law firms. An art lawyer will have an office alongside a sports lawyer. There is quite a bit of blurring of the lines.
If you are interested in the law of sports, entertainment and the arts, you should know that:
1). When you are researching these areas of the law, you will note that most information and resources will be grouped under at least two of the headings, for example: entertainment and sports law, or art and entertainment law.
2). Many states commonly have sports and entertainment law sections within their state bars.
3). Although the largest number of lawyers in sports, arts and entertainment law tend to operate out of Los Angeles and New York City, there are lawyers covering these fields across the country.
Educate yourself on sports, entertainment and the arts law
There are many good websites that can help you learn more about sports law, art law and entertainment law.
Try: One of the best listings of resources on the arts, sports and entertainment law is the Alllaw.com site, which offers links to an extensive array of sports, entertainment and art law resources. The Findlaw site also does a thorough job of capturing sports and entertainment law resources. Finally, Megalaw.com breaks up the three areas into different resource pages, offering not just articles and publications but cases and statutes as well.
For more specialized research, go where the entertainment law, sports law and art law experts go
You can head to where entertainment lawyers, sports lawyers and art lawyers go when they have specific questions or issues
Try: The Villanova Sports and Entertainment Law journal offers one of the premier legal publications on sports and entertainment law. The website features links to specialized research areas and information on how to subscribe. The American Bar Association has a sports and entertainment law forum which serves as a resource for all lawyers practicing sports law, entertainment law or art law.
Find directories of lawyers in your area specializing in art law, entertainment law and sports law
Most good legal directories offer information about sports and entertainment lawyers
Try: Lawyers.com offers a listing by geographical location of sports lawyers, entertainment lawyers and art lawyers, with the latter two being combined. Hg.org features a directory for entertainment law firms, sports law firms, and art law firms worldwide.
- Remember that while sports law, entertainment law and art law often encompass areas of the law such as contracts, if you have an issue dealing with one of these areas, its best to hire a lawyer from a sports law firm, entertainment law firm or art law firm.
- If you're interested in pursuing being a lawyer in one of these areas, there's not a need for specialized training. Most law schools offer the education you need.
- Most, but not all of the major firms that practice sports law, entertainment law and art law are in New York and Los Angeles. Outside of those geographical areas, it tends to be individual lawyers that practice this law rather than entire law firms.
