Looking for an entertainment or music lawyer or law firm?

As the managing entertainment and music lawyer of a boutique music and entertainment law firm, Zach's fees are based on the value he brings and the time he spends working for you.

You'll pay either a minimum flat fee or an hourly fee, or a small percentage of the money you earn as a result of the work Zach does for you on your entertainment related issues. Zach tries to charge flat fees for as many things as possible to be transparent about pricing and provide a greater value to you. When he can't do flat fees, he charges an hourly fee of $265.00 per hour for new clients. Flat fees and hourly rates for entertainment legal services start at a minimum of one billable hour per month. If you're likely to require long-term or extensive hours of work, you may be required to pay and replenish a monthly refundable retainer to cover your future potential billable fees and costs.

In addition, Zach will charge you for any time spent traveling if Zach or his firm's staff need to travel to serve you. Other costs or expenses to consider could include any travel and hotel costs, court costs, filing fees, and any other outside expenses charged by others to Zach or the firm on your behalf. Zach will get prior approval from you for these costs when possible and try to inform you of them as early as possible.

Specific prices and costs will be provided after your initial consultation with Zach.

Zach understands the financial struggles of creators and entertainers who are just starting out or having difficulties in the entertainment industries or music business. He attempts to keep his prices and attorney's fees as affordable as possible while still being compensated fairly.

If you can't afford the minimum flat or hourly fees, Zach offers payment plans when possible. In addition, when possible Zach's music and entertainment clients often have their legal fees paid for or reimbursed by the label, publisher, etc., that the client is in negotiations with as an additional part of the client's deal's signing advance.

Finally, Zach will sometimes take clients on a contingency fee basis, taking instead a small percentage of your earnings from any of your career or business deals or activities we help you with until you can afford to pay any larger hourly or flat fee amounts you might owe.

Payment plans and modifications for entertainment clients are assessed on a case-by-case basis and Zach would be happy to discuss options with you if needed.

You might think that you can save money by doing some things yourself instead of hiring Zach as your music or entertainment lawyer. Hiring Zach gives you the knowledge and confidence that you're getting the best expert advice and representation you can from an experienced entertainment and music lawyer, as well as Zach's resources and connections. In addition, Zach carries insurance for your protection.

If you were to try to handle things yourself, you risk not recognizing costly issues or missing out on opportunities to maximize your entertainment or music business related earnings potential. In addition, you risk paying much more later on to hire Zach to attempt to correct any errors. It is significantly more affordable to hire Zach early on than to do it yourself and risk needing to hire him later.

You might think that you need to hire other music or entertainment lawyers at a large firm to have the best chances for success and protection. After all, bigger is surely better right?

The reality is that large firms will not likely provide you with the best value and are rarely necessary. Not only are larger firms likely to be more expensive and rigid in how much they charge you, but you'll probably notice that they'll be less efficient. Large firms tend to have multiple entertainment lawyers unnecessarily doing the same work and aren't as quick to adopt the latest, most efficient technologies, increasing your costs. In addition, in our experience listening to former clients of larger firms, you'll likely be unable to get in touch with your music or entertainment attorney as often and quickly as you want and will ultimately feel like you are just another name or number on their client list.

Zach is selective about who he works with and the number of music business or entertainment industry clients he takes on. While Zach's firm might be smaller, he does this so that he can give you the personal attention you need, be available when needed, provide custom solutions and prices so that you can afford his services, and provide maximum value to you. In the rare event that you need the resources of a larger firm, Zach has relationships with many other firms that he can partner with to supplement his entertainment and music legal services.

While some entertainment or music attorneys might, Zach does not pitch, shop, or plug unsolicited songs or music, pilots, scripts, books, screenplays, or any other creative works to his current or former clients, or to any outside publishers, labels, studios, producers, artists, entertainers, etc. Zach helps music and entertainment clients who already have interest or past success in their industries. If you have interest, offers, or past success, he'd be happy to help you.

As long as you live in Tennessee, Zach can be your entertainment or music attorney and he regularly helps clients who live all across Tennessee not just in Nashville, though that's where Zach lives and his entertainment and music law firm is based out of.

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If you live outside of Tennessee but have a entertainment or music related matter involving doing business or entering into a contract with someone in Tennessee or a person or property in Tennessee, Zach still may be able to help you with that issue. If that's not the case, because Zach is only licensed in Tennessee currently, he may not be able to help you, but you should still reach out and Zach will review your particular situation and let you know if he can help you or not.

While this is not a typical arrangement, it is possible. To do so however requires certain conditions to protect you and Zach, including a written conflict of interest waiver.

Zach is very selective about who he accept as clients, especially when clients want to have dual representation by him. Often, because clients don't have an immediate need for both management and a music or entertainment lawyer, Zach will start out as one or the other, most often starting out as a client's entertainment or music attorney. Zach will always discuss with you the possibility and any risks of Zach acting as both your music or entertainment attorney and your personal manager if you're interested.

As a Nashville music and entertainment lawyer Zach only helps entertainers and creators with their careers, businesses and select personal matters, but does not handle criminal legal matters for clients who are accused of any criminal wrongdoing. Zach will gladly refer clients who need a criminal defense lawyer to another criminal attorney or firm when necessary. Zach will coordinate with his entertainment and music industry client's criminal defense lawyers and assist clients to the extent necessary if their potential criminal exposure also impacts their career or businesses.

Zach named his firm The Fruitful Firm because "fruitful" is the perfect description of the kind of relationship he strives to have with his clients, and hopefully clients have with him: an abundantly productive, beneficial, or profitable relationship that produces good results.