Charap and Finkelstein Named Top Music Lawyers by Billboard

Ross and Matt were chosen again for their high-level work with top industry names, including Mick Jagger and Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones and their music company, Promopub. Billboard also noted that the AFS partners played a key role in the US Copyright Office’s recently proposed rule to ensure the Mechanical Licensing Collective pays streaming royalties to artists and songwriters who invoke their termination rights, and that Matt represented BMG Rights Management in BMG’s acquisition of John Legend’s music publishing catalog and its acquisition of the late Harry Nilsson’s publishing catalog and income streams generated from his recordings.

Over nearly 50 years of practice, Ross has counseled his clients ― composers, songwriters, recording artists, independent music publishers, authors, and filmmakers ― on transactional, licensing, and litigation matters. Throughout his career, he has focused on recapturing his clients’ US copyrights and, more generally, buying and selling valuable music assets.

Matt represents large established international music publishing and rights management companies, new and upcoming players, and legendary and developing artists and songwriters. He represents buyers and sellers in the purchase and sale of recorded music catalogs, music publishing catalogs and related royalty streams, and assists songwriters and recording artists and their families with recapturing US copyrights. Matt also counsels clients in the entertainment, technology, media, and publishing industries, including on copyright matters.

Working together since 2007, Ross and Matt have negotiated, papered, and closed more than $1 billion in copyright and other intellectual property rights transactions. They are members of ArentFox Schiff’s Music, Media & Entertainment, and Copyright practices.

Billboard’s Top Music Lawyers for 2023 listings are based on firm and peer nominations and are chosen by the publication’s editors, and are considered an essential resource for the industry.

Read Billboard’s full article here.