The well-regarded team at Herald Avocats
utilises an in-depth knowledge of the music sector to represent notable industry clients in complex litigation. Co-head Jean Castelain is note for his a specialist knowledge of media and intellectual property law, while Juliette Félix maintains a strong reputation for representing clients – notably major record labels – in litigation that spans music and entertainment law.
Media and entertainment: Music in France
Herald Avocats
Responsables de la pratique:
Juliette Felix; Jean Castelain
Principaux dossiers
UGGC Avocats
UGGC Avocats acts for a notable client base, ranging from significant music industry figures to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The team advises on licensing agreements, content infringement and the negotiation of contracts, with a recent highlight supporting the development of a musical application that enables users to generate voices through AI. Anne-Marie Pecoraro
leads the team and is regarded as a ‘force to be reckoned with’ in the music industry, with strong expertise in the establishment of legal and financing schemes, the clearing of rights, touring, and issues pertaining to record labels, streaming platforms and management agencies. Rodolphe Boissau is also a key contact.
Responsables de la pratique:
Anne-Marie Pecoraro
Autres avocats clés:
Rodolphe Boissau
Les références
‘UGGC Avocats is our go to firm if we need advice on music law in France. They are very knowledgeable and quick to respond. Anne Marie Pecoraro is an absolute market leader.’
‘Anne Marie Pecoraro has been a force to be reckoned with for the past decades. She is an undisputed expert and also a very nice person.’
‘Our group has always worked with Anne-Marie Pecoraro for all legal questions, particularly relating to advertising law, media law, music law, intellectual property. We have always been satisfied with the service and knowledge of the field of music, and benefit from expert advice, particularly in industrial and literary and artistic property.’
‘Anne Marie Pecoraro has the qualities of a great lawyer, with an agile intelligence, and a formidable strategist. She is a woman of action. Rodolphe Boissau is very good, and is a lawyer of the highest level: possessing key personal and technical qualities. They are remarkable lawyers.’
‘Anne Marie Pecoraro is for many professionals our reference lawyer in all matters of music law. She is an authority on the market through her first-rate expertise. She stands out for her expertise, experience, and humanism.’
‘For years, I have worked to my great satisfaction with the team of Anne Marie Pecoraro and Rodolphe Boissau, who assist me on all the legal expertise required by the digital world. Anne-Marie Pecoraro has been established for years as the indisputable reference.’
‘I work mainly with Anne Marie Pecoraro, who offers a high level of expertise in the relevant matters combined with an excellent strategic mind. She analyses and foresees matters with intuition and strategy. Personality and professionalism make Anne Marie a great lawyer.’
‘Anne-Marie Pecoraro and Rodolphe Boissau are always at the forefront of innovation.’
Principaux clients
Paris 2024 Olympic Games
Nosonic
Jean-Paul Gaultier
Rafe Production
City of Music Philharmonic of Paris
Miles Benatasse
Dragone
Jeanine Roze Production
Philippe Aglae
SLAM
Paradiso Media
Maylin Pultar, so called Buffalo Girl
Kendell
CDC (Deposit and Consignment Fund)
Emmanuelle Haim and Concert d’Astrée
Echo Studio
Thierry Mugler
Mood Media
ELYX – ELYX Foundation; Twitter: @elyxyak – Yacine Ait Kaci
Principaux dossiers
- Supporting the development of the Mirage application, a playful and musical application that enables its users to generate voices using artificial intelligence.
- Advising the Dragone production group with regard to the creation and use of music for the live shows they produce and license around the globe.
- Supporting Paris 2024, the organisation in charge of the planning and organisation of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, in connection with literary and artistic property.
WAN Avocats
The dedicated IP team at WAN Avocats has strong credentials in the music sector, consistently excelling in matters concerning music, image rights and publishing law. Offering a full-service practice that spans contract negotiation, litigation and advisory services, the team handles a diverse range of clients within the music industry. Leading the team, Isabelle Wekstein-Steg utilises specialist IP expertise, advising artists, production companies and leading record labels. Of note, Wekstein-Steg advised on the agreement negotiations for a major international artist performing in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games opening ceremony. Nicolas Rzeznik and Amélie Gouazé are also noted.
Responsables de la pratique:
Isabelle Wekstein-Steg
Autres avocats clés:
Nicolas Rzeznik; Amélie Gouaze
Les références
‘Very good knowledge of the sector of activity, great availability to understand the customer’s needs and search for innovative solutions including beyond the question asked. The team is therefore clearly above other competing teams.’
‘Isabelle Wekstein-Steg has worked for the company for many years and therefore has a very precise knowledge of the history and issues of the files. She knows how to propose innovative and transversal solutions, going beyond the strict framework of literary and artistic property. She also has a good network of specialists from different sectors and abroad.’
‘Nicolas Rzeznik and Amélie Gouaze work very efficiently.’
Principaux dossiers
Barnett Avocats
Specialist IP firm Barnett Avocats advises an impressive roster of global clients, comprising major recording artists and record labels, on a wide range of contractual and litigation matters. A notable highlight involved advising the COJO (Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games) on all music law issues connected to the global event. Marc-Olivier Deblanc leads the team alongside Clémence Lapôtre.
Responsables de la pratique:
Marc-Olivier Deblanc; Clémence Lapôtre
Principaux clients
John Malkovich & Anastasya Terenkova
Paris 2024 (COJO)
DJ Felix Jaehn
Jamais 203
Justin Bieber
GMT Productions
Agence Gloria
Pigalle Production
Un Plan Simple
Association des Superviseurs Musicaux
Jérôme Rebotier
Trisomie 21
Union des Manageuses et Manageurs de la Musique
French Flair
Sheila
Goran Bregovic
Principaux dossiers
- Assisting John Malkovich and Anastasya Terenkova in connection with securing the rights for their show “Report on The Blind”.
- Advising the COJO (Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games) on all music law issues.
- Defending the interests of world-famous German DJ Felix Jaehn in a musical work infringement case in front of the Paris Tribunal.
CMS Francis Lefebvre
The team at CMS Francis Lefebvre advises national and multinational companies on various commercial and copyright matters in the music sector, utilising cross-department expertise from the firm's IP and technology, media and communications departments. Florentin Sanson, who was promoted to partner in 2024, leads the music team and has strength drafting and negotiating production and exploitation agreements for podcasts and musical, audiovisual, cinematographic and advertising works.
Responsables de la pratique:
Florentin Sanson
Principaux dossiers
- Advised CTS Eventim on the acquisition of companies from the Vivendi group that are part of latter’s festival and international ticketing activities.
Nomos
NomoS leverages deep-rooted knowledge in music production to represent large record companies, including Sony Music and Warner Music, in both advisory and litigation work. The team also has strong ties to key music industry union groups, notably SNEP, IFPI, CSDEM, and CEMF. Eric Lauvaux co-heads the team, assisting producers and publishers of cultural content in navigating the digital environment. Fellow co-head Hélène Delabarre represents key players in the media and entertainment sector in litigation and also advises on acquisitions in the music sector. Florence Dauvergne and Sylvain Naillat are also recommended.
Responsables de la pratique:
Eric Lauvaux; Helena Delabarre
Autres avocats clés:
Florence Dauvergne; Sylvain Naillat
Les références
‘We work with Eric Lauvaux who is very responsive and efficient, attentive and proactive. I appreciate his skills and reliability.’
‘Very professional, knowledgeable in IP and new technologies, strong in strategic advice.’
‘Extensive experience and excellent expertise in the field.’
‘Responsiveness, skills, quality relationships.’
‘Pragmatic, business-oriented and very responsive team.’
‘Eric Lauvaux: very business oriented, an expert in music law.’
‘The NomoS team are always very competent and we are always very satisfied with the services provided.’
‘We are particularly satisfied with Héléna Delabarre as well as Florence Dauvergne.’
Principaux clients
Because (Editions + Music)
BMG Rights Management France
CEMF (Union of French Music Publishers)
CSDEM (Music Publishing Trade Union)
David Gilmour
IWAY
SNEP (National Union of Phonographic Publishing)
Soulbeats Records
Sony Music
Warner Music
The Walt Disney Company
We Love Green
Kobalt
Principaux dossiers
- Represented the two American publishers of the Black Eyed Peas “Whenever” – BMG RM and SONY MP – against two French songwriters claiming this song was infringing their work.
- Advised Because Music on the acquisition of the catalogues of Purple Money, a music production and publishing company.
- Advised BMG RM France on the acquisition of the Martin Solveig catalogues, owned by two different labels in France and the UK.
111 avocats
111 avocats advises global clients, including Amazon Studios, on services contract negotiations and label management issues. The team is particularly active in advising on legal issues surrounding audio-visual works, with founding partner Elsa Huisman assisting US platforms and studios in their deployment in France. Benjamin Giniez and Emmanuelle Bergeret are other key names.
Responsables de la pratique:
Elsa Huisman; Benjamin Giniez; Emmanuelle Bergeret
NEXT AVOCATS
Boutique firm NEXT AVOCATS advises on various aspects of music law, with a particular depth of expertise surrounding the live music industry. A notable highlight involved representing clients in combatting the marketing of illegal tickets for live music shows. Étienne Papin harnesses extensive experience to advise many of France’s leading live show organisers and Stéphanie Foulgoc has developed a practice surrounding the exploitation of music, acquisition of rights for original music and the negotiation of broadcasting rights.
Responsables de la pratique:
Etienne Papin; Stéphanie Foulgoc
Les références
‘High-performance, dynamic and available team for optimal responsiveness.’
‘Etienne Papin and Stéphanie Foulgoc: expert advice and responsiveness. Very good understanding of the challenges of our organisation.’
‘Next’s partners are very operational and very competent, they know the market in which they operate very well and provide very precise and attentive assistance, both in the relationship with foreign colleagues and with the end client.’
Valther
Valther is a boutique firm offering legal advisory, contract drafting and litigation services to a wide range of clients across the media and entertainment landscape. The team leverages specialised IP, copyright and trademark expertise, with Xavier Près acting for notable public operators within the cultural sector, including the Philharmonie des enfants. Vincent Varet is recognised as 'extremely precise and responsive', providing strong intellectual property and IT law expertise.
Responsables de la pratique:
Xavier Près; Vincent Varet
Les références
‘Speed and upstream work allow for precise meetings from which informed decisions always result.’
‘Vincent Varet is extremely precise and responsive, which allows files to move forward very quickly. His analyses are very well-informed and all appointments are particularly efficient and fast.’
Principaux clients
Philharmonic des Enfants