It is hard to overstate the importance of attorneys in the music business given the complexities of recording contracts and the various other agreements artists are asked to sign. The most important thing to look for in an attorney to represent you is experience in the music business. Just because someone has a law degree (even from a top school) does not qualify him or her to represent you in the music business.

A good attorney with experience in the music business can keep you from making contractual mistakes they have seen that have happen to other artists. Attorneys usually charge by the hour or by retainer (a set monthly fee) and in the music business it’s fairly common for them to charge a percentage of the artist’s gross earnings, 5% is typical.