professionals
Owen J. Sloane | Principal
osloane@gladstonemichel.com
(310) 821-9000
Owen J. Sloane, a Los Angeles-based entertainment attorney, co-chairs the firm's Entertainment & Media Group. He is one of the entertainment industry's most respected attorneys with more than 35 years of experience representing major artists and leading companies in the entertainment, Internet and music publishing businesses. For the past seven years in a row, Owen has been selected by his peers as a Southern California Super Lawyer in the area of Entertainment. Fewer than five percent of California attorneys receive this honor.
Owen handles a wide range of sophisticated and complex music industry transactions for recording and touring artists, songwriters, publishers, producers, record labels, and other entertainment clients. He has negotiated all forms of talent contracts, recording agreements, songwriting and publishing agreements, distribution agreements, sync licensing, sponsorship and song placement agreements, merchandising and touring agreements, and major live events. Owen also represents artists, promoters, producers and directors in the film and television industries.
Owen has been particularly successful at structuring and negotiating the licensing of digital media content. He is credited with negotiating some of the earliest agreements pertaining to the Internet, ring tones, video satellite delivery, mobile entertainment, broadband and wireless as well as some of the music industry's largest and most innovative recording contracts and the first artist-owned label in rock. A major focus of his practice is protecting the artist's copyright and intellectual property rights while providing for long-term revenue, career growth and creative control.
He currently represents American Idol alum Chris Daughtry who recently had the No. 1 album in the country, Rob Thomas, Matchbox Twenty, the Frank Zappa Estate, Suzanne Vega, Chester French, the Jay Livingston Catalog, as well as many other major artists and companies. Over the course of his career, Owen has also represented Elton John, Barry Manilow, Steve Winwood, Stevie Nicks, Bonnie Raitt, Kenny Rogers, Lindsay Buckingham, Radio Free Virgin, Jane's Addiction, Elliot Gould, Shelly Long and Academy award-winning cinematographer Haskell Wexler.
Owen also serves as an expert witness and litigation consultant on issues such as contracts, intellectual property rights, calculations of royalties, contracts for minors, and music industry custom and practices. He recently testified in cases involving the Bing Crosby Estate, Rod Stewart, Nine Inch Nails, Harrah's Las Vegas Hotel, the Baltimore Orioles, RealNetworks and Trent Reznor.
Owen has published scores of articles and has lectured at ASCAP, MUSEXPO, Digital Music Forum West, Hollywood Goes Green, Harvard, UCLA, Stanford, and other professional organizations. He has been quoted as an expert source in the Wall St. Journal, Los Angeles Times, Reuters and Billboard, among other publications.
Owen has served on the Board of the Los Angeles Chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences and the City of Los Angeles Grammy Host Committee.
Representative Experience
* Has represented Chris Daughtry since his appearance on American Idol, successfully
renegotiated original American Idol deals recapturing merchandising rights and negotiating a new 7-figure publishing deal.
* Negotiated first-ever deal involving concert recordings on USB wristbands, renegotiated multi-million dollar record and publishing deals for Rob Thomas and Matchbox Twenty.
* Represented Frank Zappa throughout most of his life, set-up innovative indie distribution and publishing deals outside the traditional model. Currently represents the Frank Zappa Estate in contracts, copyright, trademark and licensing matters.
* Renegotiated publishing deal for Suzanne Vega and set-up indie worldwide record distribution network for three new albums.
* Negotiated non-360 record deal for Chester French, sponsorship and endorsement with Adidas, and innovative Internet music marketing agreement.
Education
J.D., cum laude, from Yale Law School, 1965
B.A., with Honors and Distinction, Cornell University, 1962
Presentations and Publications
Panelist, "Global Publishing Forum," Sponsored by MUSEXPO (May 3, 2011)
Panelist, "Digital Music: Making Music, Money & Marketing," Sponsored by Digital L.A. (February 9, 2011)
Industry Profile of the Week: Owen Sloane, CelebrityAccess.com (October 12, 2010)
Panelist, "Legal Roundtables," Sponsored by BPI/UKTI Sync Mission (June 9, 2010)
Panelist, "Global Publishing Forum," Sponsored by MUSEXPO 2010 (April 26, 2010)
Panelist, "Legal Issues A to Z," Sponsored by ASCAP "I Create Music' EXPO (April 22, 2010)
Panelist, "Entertainment Business Panel," Sponsored by Baton Rouge Blues Week Festival 2010 (April 20, 2010)
Panelist, "The Music Industry's Response to Piracy: Intervention or Innovation?" Sponsored by Variety and International Esq. (November 19, 2009)
Author, "The Case for the Performing Rights Act," Los Angeles Lawyer (May 2009)
Panelist, "Ethical Issues for Entertainment Transactional Lawyers and Litigators," Beverly Hills Bar Association (April 21, 2009)
Author, "Navigating the New Music Business," Music Connection Magazine (January 2009)
Panelist, "Using Digital Media and Music to Promote Sustainable Causes: Building An Online Community and Audience," Hollywood Goes Green (December 8, 2008)
Author, "Performance Royalties: The Letter of the Law," Radio & Records (October 17, 2008)
Panelist, "The Big Picture: The Global Publishing Business," ASCAP "I Create Music" Expo (April 11, 2008)
Moderator, "Indie Roundtable," Digital Music Forum West (October 4, 2007)
Author, "Creating A Win-Win Situation," Inside the Minds: Entertainment and Media Contract Strategies, published by Aspatore Books (November 1, 2007)
Quoted, "Eminem, Customer Sue Apple," San Francisco Chronicle (August 1, 2007)
Quoted, "Apple's stock tumbles on rumors of production cuts," Los Angeles Times (August 1, 2007)
Quoted, "Eminem sues Apple as iTunes store hits 3bn downloads," New Zealand Herald (August 1, 2007)
Quoted, "Apple Sued by Eminem Publishers," Cyber Net News (July 31, 2007)
Quoted, "Eminem's music publisher sues Apple over downloads," Associated Press (July 31, 2007)
Quoted, "Eminem Suit Targets Apple," Detroit News (July 31, 2007)
Quoted, "Rap singer Eminem has accused Apple of copyright infringement in a multimillion-dollar lawsuit," C|Net News (July 31, 2007)
Quoted, "Eminem sues Apple: the sequel," P2PNet (July 31, 2007)
Attorney Profile, Music Connection Magazine (July 30, 2007)
Quoted,"Future Bright for Jordin Sparks," The Arizona Republic (May 25, 2007)
Quoted, "Midcourse Correction; A Band Struts Again, Under an M.B.A. Baton," New York Times (May 16, 2007)
Panelist, "Global Publishing Forum," MUSEXPO (May 1, 2007)
Quoted, "Bands Beating Bootleggers at Their Own Game," Seattle Times (March 28, 2007)
Quoted, "Concertgoers sing the blues over ticket prices," Detroit News (June 9, 2006)
Quoted, "Two execs quit Sony BMG Music in Power Struggle," Reuters (June 1, 2006)
Quoted, "Judge: iTunes isn't cheating the Beatles," San Francisco Chronicle (May 9, 2006)
Quoted, "Vanishing Act," San Diego Union (April 9, 2006)
Featured, "Entertainment Roundtable," California Lawyer Magazine (November 2005)
Quoted, "Hollywood's Calling: Part 2," Atlas Plugged (October 1, 2005)
Author, "The Changing Deal," Billboard Magazine (August 20, 2005)
Quoted, "Record Companies Scrap Over Miami Rapper Pitbull," Miami Herald (August 14, 2005)
Quoted, "Music by the Slice: The Single, Written of as a Dead Format, is Starting to Make a Comeback - Thanks to the DVD," Billboard Magazine (March 4, 2005)
Author, "Publishing Income and Agreements Come in All Shapes and Sizes," American Songwriter (September 1, 2004)
Quoted, "Peerless Leader: Can Oprah and Her Fellow Jurors Put Celebrity Aside?" Dallas Morning News (August 18, 2004)
Quoted, "Just blowin' in the wind," USA Today (August 10, 2004)
Quoted, "Movies Inspiring New Rounds of Musicals," Billboard (July 31, 2004)
Author, "Developing You Brand," American Songwriter Magazine (July 1, 2004)
Quoted, " Drama in the court ten years later," The Dallas Morning News (June 12, 2004)
Quoted, "The Web: The effect of illegal downloading," UPI – United Press International (February 18, 2004)
Author, "No Sense Singing the Blues, You Can Fight'em [and join ‘em too]," American Songwriter (January 1, 2004)
Quoted, "Sex In Music: Is It Still Hot? Industry Speaks Out!" Stars Entertainment.com (July 7, 2003)
Author, "Publishing: Where's The Money?" American Songwriter (July 1, 2003)
Quoted, "Sing A Song Of Movie Musicals," CNN.com/Entertainment (March 27, 2003)
Quoted, "Band Plays The Odds - Brevard's Buck32 looks for sweet taste of success," Florida Today - People (June 2, 2002)
Quoted, "A CD Spins Full Circle At AOL - A Hard-to-Peg Band Named Wilco Was Out - Then Back In," The Wall Street Journal (May 8, 2002)
Quoted, "Can The Album Survive Digital Music?" Forbes.com (February 22, 2002)
Quoted, "Sloane's Vendetta," Music Connection (February 18, 2002)
Quoted, "The Beat," Billboard (January 26, 2002)
Quoted, "Wheels & Deals," HITS (January 25, 2002)
Quoted, "Online Delivery - A Step Closer To The Death Of The Disc?" One to One (January 1, 2002)
Quoted, "Networks Changing Their Tune," The Dallas Morning News (December 3, 2001)
Quoted, "All They Want For Christmas," Hostingtech (December 1, 2001)
Quoted, "Friends of Radio," Gavin (November 16, 2001)
Quoted, "The Contributions Of Canada To The World Of Entertainment Have Been Many Making It From Canada Is No Mean Feat," Amusement Business Spotlight (July 30, 2001)
Quoted, "The PR Evolution of Napster - How the File-Sharing Service Became A Runway Hit," The Public Relations Strategist (June 1, 2001)
Author, "U.S. Copyright Office Looks Closely at Audio Licensing," Firehouse (April 2, 2001)
Quoted, "Virtual Venom," The Plain Dealer (March 9, 2001)
Author, "The Challenge of Making Napster Legit," Firehouse (March 5, 2001)
Author, "Client Conflicts In Show Business," California Lawyer (March 1, 2001)
Quoted, "Year In Music: I'm Suing!" Katrillion (December 20, 2000)
Author, "For Just A Song: The High Cost of Copyright Infringement - Will You Have To Pay The Price?" MP3 (November 28, 2000)
Quoted, "Music Contracts: How The New Fine Print Spins A Web Of Deception," Music Connection (July 3, 2000)
Author, "Changing Face of Recording Contracts," MP3.com (May 9, 2000)
Author, " They're Playing Our Song," Los Angeles Daily Journal (April 10, 2000)
Quoted, "Sound Byte," Los Angeles Daily Journal (April 10, 2000)
Author, "How To Pitch Your Work," American Songwriter Magazine (September 1, 1999)
Author, "Copycat Grooves," Los Angeles Daily Journal (May 15, 1998)
Author, "Infringement Stage Left," IP Magazine (March 1, 1998)
Quoted, "Napster Takes On Two-Faced Persona In Response To Lawsuits," IP Magazine (March 1, 1998)
Author, "Concert Tours: The Role of Lawyers and Agents," International Association of Entertainment Lawyers, MIDEM (January 1, 1998)
Admissions
California
Tennessee
U.S. District Court, Central District of California