Legal Advice Webinars for Musicians

Rights and permissions in music

The music industry revolves around rights and permissions - from performing rights and mechanicals to the copyrights in a piece of music, and from publishing rights and synchronisation. This webinar provides whirlwind tour of all the different types of music rights and permissions, and some pertinent considerations surrounding their use.

The webinar was hosted by Jamie Watt, Partner at Harper Macleod LLP, and recorded in January 2021.

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Disputes, legal letters and court action in Scotland

This webinar gives looks at various methods of dispute resolution  when it comes to various types of legal disputes in music business. The advice covers practical concerns surrounding litigation, legal letters and threatening action. You will also learn how to resolve problems without having to go to court.

The webinar was hosted by Jamie Watt and Graham Horsman from Harper Macleod LLP, and recorded in December 2020.

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Contract issues: events beyond your control

This webinar guides musicians through different aspects of contracts - how to stay in the contract, how to get out of the contract, and how to protect yourself from events beyond your control, such as legal restrictions (pandemics, loss of licence), government and local authority guidance, death, illnesses, band splits and others. Learn about typical contractual clauses and their relevance, the importance of your actions and ways to solve the issues.

The webinar was hosted by Jamie Watt and Laura McCorquodale from Harper Macleod LLP, and recorded in December 2020.

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How do you trade while being in a band

This webinar examined the various ways in which you can trade in the music business as a music band or an ensemble, such as a sole trader, through a company, or via a partnership, and their advantages and disadvantages. Learn how to find out who owns song lyrics, music composition, recording and the label and what determines the duration of copyright. Discover what regulates the relationships in your band even if you haven't put anything in writing and what would work best for your circumstances.

The webinar was hosted by Scott Kerr, Partner at Harper Macleod LLP, and recorded in February 2021.

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Building a brand in music

This session looks at music marketing, merchandising, logistics and legalities surrounding your brand in music. Learn how you can protect your brand, online and offline, and about legal considerations when it comes to interacting with your fans, such as data protection.

The webinar was hosted by Jamie Watt, Partner at Harper Macleod LLP, and recorded in March 2021.

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Maximing income from your music business

This webinar explores the key actions each musician should undertake to ensure that their income is as high as it could be. This session looks at various sources of income for musician, such as record selling, music publishing, live performances, merchandising and others. Learn how to minimise non-payment risk and how to recover what you're owed through the wording in agreements, the processes and choices you employ.

The webinar was hosted by Jamie Watt, Partner at Harper Macleod LLP, and recorded in September 2021.

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Music sampling, covers and using other musicians' work

This webinar looks at where the law stands when a musician's material contains work created by someone else, whether it is a drum loop, melody, or otherwise. Covering traditional music, missing rights holder issues, the UK IPO's orphan works scheme is being addressed, as will using people's names and image rights, and third-party brands in or in relation to music and promotion.

The webinar was hosted by Jamie Watt, Partner at Harper Macleod LLP, and recorded in October 2021.

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Watch the Youtube playlist of legal webinars