Overview
Bill Hochberg is a recognized specialist in music and media law. As a thought leader, he writes regularly in Forbes and has contributed to other pre-eminent publications including The Atlantic and Wired. Bill hosts the Music Law Beat podcast, where he dives deep with guest A-list attorneys and others on industry-changing issues. He also speaks at key forums such as South-by-Southwest. From recording and publishing deals to film, TV and experiential projects to copyright disputes and catalog valuations, Bill handles many and varied music and media matters with a pragmatic and innovative approach that has delivered outstanding results for clients. He is named on Billboard’s Top Music Attorneys list, is rated as a Super Lawyer and sits on boards of the New England Conservatory and at New Music USA, helping talented composers and instrumentalists move their careers ahead. Bill lives in Los Angeles with his wife, a bilingual educator at a Los Angeles elementary school, and for fun Bill plays iconic TV themes with his band The Twilight Tones.
Education
- J.D., Northeastern University School of Law
- B.A., Brandeis University
Admissions
- State Bar of California
- United States Appeals Courts, Second & Ninth Circuits
- Federal District Court, Central District of California
Significant Engagements
- Represents Curtis Mayfield estate regarding recording, publishing, copyright, trademark, international music law matters, and documentary.
- Counsel to a major global social networking service, negotiating a wide variety of talent, marketing, and content transactions, brand partnerships, media deals and diverse other matters.
- Represents world-renowned legacy artists regarding a wide range of music and media matters.
- Represented the Bob Marley estate and music entities in multiple licensing deals, rights concerns, and regarding international music law issues.
- Legal counsel to innovative and acclaimed rapper Hopsin.
- Handles litigation and transactional matters for prolific K-Pop writer and producer Hyuk Shin.
- Looked after Guns N’ Roses member Dizzy Reed and negotiated book deal for former Guns N’ Roses member Steven Adler — a New York Times best seller.
- Handled matters for world-renowned film composer Lalo Schifrin (Mission:Impossible), including an international distribution deal for re- records of his original film and TV theme masterpieces.
- Handled Henry Mancini estate’s music and media matters, including complex music publishing matters.
- Represented Fifth Harmony pop group in various litigation-related matters.
- Negotiated music licenses for award-winning director Gurinder Chadha to enable inclusion of Bruce Springsteen’s lyrics and music in the film “Blinded By The Light.”
- Attorney for Jeffrey Steele, multiple BMI Songwriter of the Year and one of Nashville’s top songwriters.
- Defended singer Eddie Money in wrongful termination suit by former drummer, where appeals court found that a band leader has a First Amendment right to hire and fire band members.
- Represented Brazilian music publisher Fermata do Brasil in matters involving lyric translations and disputes regarding famous Bossa Nova works.
- Handled legal matters for Grammy-winning producers and songwriters the Stereotypes including dispute with former manager and business partner.
- Protected co-writer of ‘50s “doo-wop” hit “Earth Angel (Will You Be Mine)” in federal copyright and contract authorship challenge, obtaining summary judgment victory.
Bill Writes in Leading Worldwide Publications on the Business and Law of Music
“Song Stock Exchanges Could Be The Next Big Music Biz Buzz” Forbes, June 27, 2023
“Gibson’s Strumming The Blues In Litigation Over Iconic Guitar Shapes” Forbes, September 20, 2022
“Beatles For Sale – What Would Their Song Catalog Fetch Today?” Forbes, December 30, 2021
“Chill Hop, Jazz Hop, LoFi, Whatever You Call It, It’s Catching On With Gen-Z” Forbes, September 8, 2020
“When Robots Write Songs” The Atlantic, August 7, 2014
“Just How Much of Musical History Has Been Lost to History” The Atlantic, September 26, 2013
“Guitar Hero, Rock Band, and the Rock n’ Roll Money Machine” Wired, August 2008
“Copy Instruments, Not Music” Wired, July 2006
“Hip-Hop and the Liberation of Women in Kabul” Pacific Standard, September 7, 2016