John Simson has advised clients on copyright and business issues in film, television, music and the visual arts for more than 30 years. He has been involved in the music industry since 1971 when he was signed to a recording agreement as a singer-songwriter.
Over the years, John has developed a unique insider’s perspective of the entertainment industry through his work as a producer, musician, music supervisor, manager and entertainment lawyer.
Prior to joining Fox, John served as of counsel to the entertainment department of a Midwest law firm. He also co-founded SoundExchange, a company that collects royalties from internet and satellite radio services on behalf of recording artists and record labels, and served as its executive director of from 2001 to 2010.
In addition, John handled the career of five-time Grammy® winner, Mary Chapin Carpenter and served as special adviser to Harry Belafonte for music and television projects. Previously, John taught Entertainment Law at Washington College of Law and Georgetown University Law Center.
John has been at the forefront of the battle for artist’s rights and their efforts to be compensated for their work online. He has been featured in numerous media outlets and is a frequent lecturer on music industry and copyright issues.
John was recently nominated by the U.S. Patent and Trademark office to serve as an advisor on a collective management of rights project in Asia.
EDUCATION :
- State University of New York at Buffalo Law School (J.D., 1978)
- State University of New York at Albany (M.A., 1975)
- State University of New York at Albany (B.A., 1974)
MEMBERSHIPS :
- ABA IP Subcommittee on Music and Live Performance, Chair
- The District of Columbia Bar, Arts, Entertainment, Media and Sports Law Section, Chairman
- Washington, D.C. Chapter of The Recording Academy, Past President
BOARD OF DIRECTORS :
- National Recording Preservation Board of the Library of Congress, Chairman of the Board
- CINE, the Musicianship and the Music Manager’s Forum, Board Member.
BAR ADMISSIONS : District of Columbia
Cost
Rate : $$$