Media to Law

Rebelling from my family's medical tradition led me to focus on an academic major that I truly loved and in which I excelled. Media communication courses were relevant to my life and at the same time, my chosen occupational background further complimented my class participation and performance. Finally, staying up late hours of the night after a rock concert, recording session, or radio show was significantly contributing towards progressing in my courses rather than hindering my class performance.

I was a recognized media guru in my community: radio DJ, northwest promoter, concert organizer, musician, and sound producer extraordinaire. Not only have I worked with tons of musicians & venues, I'm proud to say that I was by far one of the only females in the backstage area who WASN'T drinking, partying, or sleeping with the bands. I stuck out, especially during the nights where you would see the 5-foot 2-inch tall roadie girl hauling gear before and after the shows. To be honest, I just spent most of my college years coming up with ways never to spend money on another CD or concert ticket again.

Little did I know that through my experiences in the music industry and as an entertainment manager, I was already planning, negotiating, and advocating like a lawyer. This was apparent after taking a Media Law course taught by my academic advisor, an attorney licensed in the State of New York. It was my first real taste of the legal profession. My solid "A" grade was re-assuring, especially the fact that researching and writing my way towards acing an exam was more suitable to my abilities.

If my life goal will somehow involve the media, then the law will allow me to achieve the highest level of notoriety and classification. Becoming an intellectual property or media-entertainment lawyer would allow me to continue with a more professional behind-the-scenes role that I already have been fulfilling in the music industry.

In order to achieve this goal, I knew I would have to give up my rock and roll lifestyle to prepare for law school.  This meant getting serious about my studies, putting all concerts on hold, raising my GPA to graduate with honors, and most importantly gaining legal experience through internships and part-time paralegal positions at different types of law firms.

I completely changed my life and left the one I knew and loved for a better investment towards my future. I can be more than just a music promoter. I believe I can make a significant impact to the legal sector of the entertainment industry beyond the intellectual property realm of a particular medium.  

Through my experiences in the music industry, I've learned all I can from being on the road. It's now time for me to expand my education to law school to cover the next step.

Beyond my JD, I would like to begin working for a commercial record label to gain experience before starting my own entertainment management firm. Or another option would be to gain experience working for the Federal Communications Commission. I would also like to continue my education to receive an LLM in Media Law and someday become a professor of Media Law and Mass Communication courses. Ultimately, my goal is to become an attorney specializing in entertainment and intellectual property law, a career that will allow me to stay involved with the music industry without having to carry sound equipment up a flight of stairs.