I had the amazing opportunity to
interview an Entertainment Lawyer who has great insight into the industry from
her years of experience. Julee L. Milham has been practicing
law since 1986 in the field of entertainment, intellectual property and
business law. Julee has practiced law in numerous states such as Florida, New
York, California, D.C and she is a approved arbitrator for intellectual
property matters with the American Arbitration Association. I asked some key questions
that any new professional would like to know from a lawyer with years of experience in the entertainment industry.
Here are important tips and takeaways that any new publicist or marketing specialist should know before diving into the business.
Tip 1: Don’t use other people’s work
“I see a several common mistakes for
marketing people. First, they often like to copy popular things thinking that
if they tweak it just a little they won’t be committing trademark or copyright
infringement, which is not true.”
Tip 2: Make sure your company name is
unique rather than suggestive because it will be a weak trademark!
She stressed this because when you are protecting your trademark you will have a greater level of protection if the
trademark is fanciful versus generic. Take Kodak for an example which is
considered a fanciful trademark versus Orlando Dry Cleaner is really generic.
Tip 3: Make sure you have a written
contract for everything and don’t rely on oral agreements!
“One problem EVERYONE has is their
failure to get copyright assignments for work done for them.”
Tip 4: Get a lawyer especially if
there are significant rights at risk.
It is always good to have a lawyer, they can guide you when drafting contracts and they can read contracts or agreements that come your way. This can be really beneficial and can save you from getting into a sticky situation.
Tip 5: Set a minimum requirements for
performance in all contracts!
This will protect you, if you have a
client that does not have a great work ethic and you will be able to end the
contract because they are not meeting the requirements that you have set.
Tip 6: Read what you sign and always obtain copies!
Make sure you read and are able to
understand the contract fully before you sign! Sometimes, contracts can have a
playful way with words and this will change the meaning of the overall
contract. It is always best to have someone else look over the contract to make
sure there is a clear understanding of the requirements and terms.
Tip 7: Don’t always rely on contracts/documents
on the internet.
Even though the internet is always a great source to use, it sometimes provides you with inaccurate information. Which you can not afford to use when dealing with your business.
Overall, those are my little insight tips that I have learned from my interview! Hopefully, these tips will come in handy to any new professionals in the industry. If you want more information on Julee or have some questions vista her website and she has a great FAQ section.
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