ELI connects top entertainment law professionals and students through networking, career development, education, and advocacy for music creators.
The Entertainment Law Initiative was established by the Recording Academy to encourage discussion and debate around legal affairs in the ever-evolving music industry and how they impact creatives and the greater music community.
GRAMMY Week Luncheon
The Annual ELI GRAMMY Week Luncheon brings together professionals, creators, industry leaders and allies to honor trailblazers shaping the music business. As the premier annual gathering of entertainment attorneys, the event celebrates practitioner achievements, features insights from legal thought leaders, and champions students pursuing careers in music law. Sign up for our mailing list to receive updates about ticket sales and event details.
ELI Writing Contest
In partnership with the American Bar Association, the ELI Writing Contest awards exceptional legal writing with scholarships, mentorship from industry leaders, and tickets to exclusive GRAMMY Week events.
The contest invites law students to explore a critical legal issue facing today’s music industry and propose a solution in a 3,000-word essay. Submissions are evaluated through a blind review by a nationwide panel of music law experts, who select one winner and two runners-up.
ELI Writing Contest Winners
Congratulations to the winners of the 28th Annual Entertainment Law Initiative Writing Contest!
Following a thorough evaluation process, and with the invaluable contributions of our graders, we are pleased to recognize the authors of the winning and runner-up essays. These submissions were distinguished by their exceptional originality, depth of research, and relevance to the music industry’s legal challenges.
Winner
Justin Fisher
Law School: St. Thomas University College of Law, 3L
Essay: "Uneven Stages: How Inconsistent State Taxation Undermines the Entertainment Industry"
Runners-Up
(listed alphabetically)
Anika Kazi
Law School: Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, 2L
Essay: "The Missing Guild: Why Songwriters Need Collective Bargaining Rights In The Streaming Era"
Derek Song
Law School: University of California School of Law, Los Angeles, 3L
Essay: "From Voice Imitation to Data Exploitation: Reclaiming Musician Identity Through Biometric Privacy"
Read Past Winning Papers
Winner: Melanie Sallis, Georgia State University College of Law, Atlanta, GA
“Beyond Takedowns: Expanding Music Monetization Tools to Support All Artists”
Runner- Up: Angelina Craig, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law
“Words On Trial: The Use of Rap Lyrics as Evidence”
Runner-Up: Olivia McHenry, Davie, Florida, Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law
“Hidden Fees and Scalpers Are the Worst, So Put Fans First: Why the Fans First Act Is a More Resourceful Option Over Structural Relief of Live Nation-Ticketmaster"
Winner: Olivia Fortunato, Cardozo School of Law, New York, NY
“Post-Mortem Right Of Publicity And Technological Advancements”
Runner-Up: Matthew Citron, UCLA School of Law, Los Angeles, CA
“BMI’S For-Profit Model And Consent Decree Regulation”
Runner-Up: Emily Cohen, Duke University School of Law, Durham, NC
“A “Perfect Storm” For Reworking The Copyright Test”
Winner: Aron Lichtschein, NYU School of Law, New York, NY
“Tickets To Ride: NFTs And The Future of Concert Ticketing”
Runner-Up: Gina Maeng, Georgetown Law School, Washington, D.C.
“Keep Calm And Rock On: A Federal Crowd Management Law For The Live Music Industry”
Runner-Up: Amanda Sharp, University of San Diego School of Law, San Diego, CA
“Addressing The Music Industry’s Biggest Broken Record: Why Blockchain, Smart Contracts, And NFTs Are An Unmatched Solution To The Music Industry’s $424 Million Unmatched Royalty Problem”
Winner: Sona Sulakian, USC Gould School of Law, Los Angeles, CA
“Protecting The Artist: Licensing In An AI-Generated Music Market”
Runner-Up: Chelsea Cohen, LMU Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, CA
“Welcome To The Metaverse: Solving Old-World Licensing In A Whole New Universe”
Runner-Up: Michael Harrigan, Stetson University College of Law, DeLand, FL
“Beyond A Reasonable Doubt: How Blockchain Technology Can Shift The DMCA’s Burden Of Notification Away From Copyright Owners”
Winner: Sophia Sofferman, University of Miami School of Law, Coral Gables, FL
“It’s My [Recapture Right], And It’s Now Or Never…”
Runner-Up: Evan Biegel, St. John’s University School of Law, Queens, NY
“Tuning The Role Of Artificial Intelligence In Musical Work Infringement”
Runner-Up: Alberto Vargas, University of Chicago Law School, Chicago, IL
“Bare Responsibility Or Reasonable Opportunity? In Defense Of A Defendant-Conscious View Of ‘Access’ In A Digital Age”
Winner: Christopher Chiang, University of California, Los Angeles, CA
“Copyright Protection Designed for Music’s Illusory Innovation Space: A Sliding Scale Framework of Broad to Thin Protection”
Runner-Up: Graham Fenton, University of California, Los Angeles, CA
“Taming The Ticket Market: How A Closed Ticketing System Can Beat Back Scalpers And Recapture Lost Revenue”
Runner-Up: John Gilbertson, Drake University Law School, Des Moines, IA
“Play It Again, Sam: The Free-Market Case For Government Intervention In The Music Streaming Sector”
LEADERSHIP
Renee Karalian (Chair)
Kris Ahrend
Erica Bellarosa
Sandy Crawshaw-Sparks
Waleed Diab
Dina LaPolt
Wade Leak
Angela Martinez
Amanda Molter
Tanya Perara
Julian Petty
Leron Rogers
Bobby Rosenbloum
Laurie Soriano
Julie Swidler
Jeff Walker
Donald Woodard
Stephanie Yu
Ken Abdo
Jay Cooper
John Frankenheimer
Susan Genco
Jeff Harleston
Michael Kushner
Chuck Ortner
Don Passman
Michael Reinert
Henry Root
Ron Wilcox