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Will Lewis
OVERVIEW

Will Lewis

Of Counsel

Nashville

1600 West End Avenue
Suite 800
Nashville, TN 37203-3494

P 404-264-4083

F 615-621-6099

A litigator and transactional lawyer for more than 25 years, Will Lewis focuses his practice on the representation of music industry executives, musicians, performing artists, music producers, electronic music artists, video and concert production companies, music venues, and other commercial entities in the music industry.

OVERVIEW

A litigator and transactional lawyer for more than 25 years, Will Lewis focuses his practice on the representation of music industry executives, musicians, performing artists, music producers, electronic music artists, video and concert production companies, music venues, and other commercial entities in the music industry.

Will engages in virtually all forms of music industry contract negotiations including recording, publishing, production, label ventures, executive compensation, digital, branding and sponsorship agreements, and assists in resolving licensing and other industry-related issues and disputes.

His private practice strength is enhanced by the time he spent as chief legal officer at a 15,000-employee company and its subsidiaries. In that role, Will oversaw the legal aspects of multimillion dollar acquisitions and other transactions, negotiated commercial agreements, assisted with cybersecurity policy development and implementation, and resolved commercial disputes.

Passionate about education, Will was an adjunct professor of entertainment law at The College of Charleston for seven years until re-locating to Atlanta.

Before attending law school, he worked at King World Productions in Los Angeles, followed by a year of teaching at Walwourth Barbour American International School in Kfar Shmaryahu, Israel.

Helping his understanding of his clients’ needs, Will is a visual artist and a musician, who plays the guitar, piano, saxophone, and sings. He is adventurous in that he is a private pilot and advanced SCUBA diver. He is also an athlete, having completed three Ironman Triathlons and eight marathons, as well as being a former NCAA Division I pitcher for the University of South Carolina Gamecocks baseball team.

Professional and Community Involvement

Board member, Carolina Studios

Member, American Bar Association Forum Committee on Entertainment and Sports

Member, American Bar Association Music and Personal Appearances Committee

Member, International Association of Entertainment Lawyers

Member, The Recording Academy-Nashville Chapter

Member, Tennessee Bar Association

Member, Nashville Bar Association Entertainment Sports and Media Law Committee

Member, New York State Bar Association Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law Section

Former board member, Carolina Film Alliance

Former member, South Carolina Bar Professional Responsibility Committee and Ethics Advisory Committee

Honors

Martindale Hubbell, AV Rated

EXPERIENCE
PRESENTATIONS
  • “What Artists and Entertainers Need to Know About Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) - Invited Panel Member,” Sponsored by the Arts & Business Counsel of Greater Nashville, Continuing Legal Education Series, April 21, 2021
  • “Discussion of NFTs and Cryptocurrency with co-founders of WLM Group, LLC,” The C.L.I.M.B. Podcast with Johnny Dwinell and Brent Baxter, April 13, 2021
  • “Persuasion Theory in Entertainment Litigation,” 31st Annual North American Law Summit – Entertainment/Sports/IP, Cancun, Mexico, Nov. 16, 2019
  • “Intersection of Contract and Litigation When Transactional Attorneys Screw Up,” 29th Annual North American Law Summit – Entertainment/Sports/IP, Montego Bay, Jamaica, Nov. 11, 2017
  • Moderator, “The Monetization of the Global Music Business – from Creators to Major Industry,” MIDEM Int'l Music Conference, Cannes, France, June 5, 2016
  • Co-presenter, “Recording Agreements 101,” 25th Annual Entertainment Law Institute Texas Bar CLE, Austin, TX, Nov. 6, 2015
  • “Production Agreements 101,” 25th Annual Entertainment Law Institute Texas Bar CLE, Austin, TX, Nov. 6, 2015
  • Panelist, “New Artists: In the Beginning,” Charleston New Music Confab, Charleston, SC, Aug. 28, 2015
  • “Legal Issues regarding Live Streaming of Concert Festivals ,” MIDEM Int'l Music Conference, Cannes, France, June 6, 2015
  • “The Streaming Revolution in the Entertainment Industry,” International Association of Entertainment Lawyers and Entertainment Law Journal, Hastings Law School, San Francisco, CA, Nov. 10, 2014
  • "The Final Cut: Regulation of Sex and Violence in the Entertainment Industry," American Bar Association Forum on Entertainment and Sports Industries Annual Meeting, Marina Del Rey, CA, Oct. 10, 2014
  • Copyright Ownership and Streams of Income for Singer/Songwriters, College of Charleston, Music Department, March 18, 2014
  • Entertainment Law and Practice, University of South Carolina School of Law, March 3, 2014
  • "Sex, Violence and the Constitution" and "Hot Topics in Film and Television Law," Second Annual South Carolina Bar Entertainment and Sports Law Symposium, Charleston, SC, Nov. 8, 2013
  • "Copyright Infringement and Fair Use" and "Musician Royalty Streams," University of South Carolina Darla Moore School of Business Intellectual Property Leadership Briefing, Isle of Palms, SC, May 29, 2013
  • "Ethical Issues for Entertainment Lawyers" and "Contractual Issues in the World of Performing Artists," South Carolina Bar Entertainment and Sports Law Symposium, Charleston, SC, Oct. 25, 2012

These presentations occurred prior to joining Barnes & Thornburg.

Publications
  • "A Dive into the Amazingly Beautiful Ocean of NFTs, Blockchain Technology, and the Legal World that May or May Not Govern, "Arts and Business Counsel of Greater Nashville Continuing Legal Education, 2021
  • Co-editor, “The Monetization of the Global Music Business – from Creators to Major Industry,” FRUKT Source, International Association of Entertainment Lawyers, 2016
  • Co-author, "Producer Agreements 101," Entertainment Law Institute, Texas Bar Association, 2015
  • "Live Streaming of Concert Festivals: What Producers and Promoters Should Know," The Streaming Revolution in the Entertainment Industry, FRUKT Source, International Association of Entertainment Lawyers, 2015
  • "The Next Big Hit – Protecting and Exploiting (In a Good Way) Your Musician-Client's Intellectual Property," South Carolina Lawyer Magazine, South Carolina Bar, July 2014 (Video of Interview regarding the same may be found here.)

These publications occurred prior to joining Barnes & Thornburg.

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