Counsel

What Counsel does

Counsel LLP is a San Francisco-based, full-service boutique law firm founded in 2007 that specializes in entertainment, creative, and digital media law. The firm serves a diverse client base that includes recording and performing artists, record labels, music publishers, songwriters, producers, film and television talent, video content creators, authors, and startups operating in VR, digital media, cannabis, and gaming. Practice areas span Entertainment & Creative Law, Digital Media & Technology Law, Intellectual Property, Corporate Law, Music Catalog Sales, Litigation, and "Beyond Law" — a non-traditional service line that bundles business development, fundraising strategy, celebrity/influencer partnerships, licensing, and content acquisition work.

Counsel LLP operates as a private limited liability partnership under traditional law-firm economics, generating revenue through hourly and project-based legal fees on matters that range from routine IP protection to complex music catalog M&A transactions. The firm has no external private-equity or venture capital backing and is owned entirely by its equity partners. The team's competitive positioning rests on industry pedigree: multiple attorneys hold prior in-house counsel experience at major music companies (Sony Music, Universal Music Group, Capitol Records, and Warner Music Group), and founding partners include a co-founder of IODA (later acquired by Sony Music) and a 40-plus-year music law veteran who has received the ABA Forum's Ed Rubin Award.

The firm runs from a single San Francisco office with attorney admissions across California, New York, Tennessee, Washington, Oregon, and Colorado, enabling cross-state representation for entertainment clients concentrated in Nashville, Los Angeles, and New York markets. Headcount is reported in the 51–100 employee range, comprising seven equity partners, three Of Counsel attorneys, four associates, and a Director of Operations with additional support staff. The business model is relationship-driven and referral-dependent within tight entertainment-industry networks, with no public marketing motion or distribution channels evident beyond the firm's website and partner-level industry involvement (ABA Forum leadership, adjunct faculty positions, and MusicCares volunteer work).

Name

Counsel

Legal name

Counsel LLP

Website

https://counselllp.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Counsel LLP is a San Francisco boutique law firm founded in 2007 serving recording artists, record labels, songwriters, film/TV talent, content creators, and entertainment-tech startups with full-service entertainment, digital media, IP, corporate, catalog-transaction, and litigation work.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Entertainment and Digital Media Law Services

NAICS

Offices of Lawyers (541110), Legal Services (5411), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (54), Music Publishers (512230)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111), Services-Allied To Motion Picture Production (7819)

akta.pro primary industry

Music Legal Services (Artist/Label/Publishing) (MPAIAGAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Sync Licensing Agencies & Representatives (MPAIALAA), Contracting, Licensing & Rights Management (Music/Performance Releases) (HSACAHAM)

Keywords

• Entertainment law services
• Digital media law
• Intellectual property law
• Music catalog transactions
• Copyright litigation

Headquarters

HQ city

San Francisco

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Core offering

Counsel LLP is a full-service boutique entertainment and digital media law firm that provides legal representation, transactional, IP, and litigation services to recording artists, record labels, songwriters, producers, film and television talent, video content creators, and startups in the VR, digital media, cannabis, and gaming sectors. The firm also offers non-traditional "Beyond Law" services including business development, investor introductions, fundraising strategy, and licensing support across music, film, television, and digital media verticals.

Product overview

Counsel LLP offers a single integrated platform of legal services tailored to the entertainment and digital media industries. The firm provides seven distinct but interconnected practice areas: Entertainment & Creative Law (core legal representation for artists and industry professionals), Digital Media & Technology Law (startup and tech company counsel), Intellectual Property (copyright, trademark, and trade secret services), Corporate Law (entity formation through M&A), Music Catalog Sales (catalog transactions and due diligence), Litigation (dispute resolution), and Beyond Law (business development and strategic advisory). These services are designed to work together holistically, enabling the firm to serve clients across all aspects of their creative and business ventures.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Entertainment & Creative Law Legal representation for recording and performing artists, record labels, songwriters, producers, film and television talent, video content creators, event promoters, visual artists, and authors. Specializes in music publishing asset sales, blanket licensing, rights procurement, and business development.
• Digital Media & Technology Law Legal services for digital media companies and gaming spaces, including corporate formation, specialized agreements drafting, intellectual property protection, content issues, and assistance with angel and VC investment procurement.
• Intellectual Property Advice and services for copyrights, trademarks, and trade secrets, including licensing agreements, enforcement of rights, dispute resolution, and registration services.
• Corporate Law Full suite of corporate law services for entertainment and technology clients, ranging from LLC and corporate formation to complex venture financing and M&A deals.
• Music Catalog Sales Due diligence and transactional services for music publishing catalog sales and purchases, representing both rights holders and funds.
• Litigation Legal representation in entertainment industry disputes, including copyright, trademark, and right of publicity claims, breach of contract, fraud, and other business disputes.
• Beyond Law Non-traditional legal services including business development, corporate formation, celebrity and influencer partnerships, business model strategy, investor presentations, fundraising strategy, licensing, and content acquisition.

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Latham & Watkins LLP: Global AmLaw 5 firm with a significant entertainment, sports, and media practice serving major labels, studios, and content companies — represents the broader competitive threat as a deep-pocketed incumbent expanding into entertainment specialty work.
• Reed Smith LLP: Global AmLaw 100 firm with one of the largest dedicated entertainment and media industry practices, including the famous Music Industry Group — broader incumbent competing directly with Counsel LLP on music M&A and entertainment transactions.

Direct peers

• Bloom Hergott Diemer & Cook LLP: Beverly Hills-based boutique entertainment and media law firm serving talent, studios, and producers — direct competitor in entertainment representation, where Counsel LLP founder Jonathan Blaufarb previously served as partner.
• Pryor Cashman LLP: NYC-based full-service law firm with prominent entertainment, music, and IP practices serving artists, labels, publishers, and entertainment companies — directly comparable competitor in entertainment transactional work.
• Davis Shapiro Lewit & Hayes LLP: National boutique entertainment and music law firm with offices in NYC, LA, and SF — direct competitor in the same entertainment-focused legal niche, where Counsel LLP founder Jonathan Blaufarb previously served as Managing Partner of the SF office.
• Ziffren Brittenham LLP: LA-based boutique entertainment and media law firm serving talent, studios, and entertainment companies — comparable boutique alternative with similar client base and specialization.
• Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP: LA-based law firm with one of the largest entertainment and IP practices in the US — comparable in music, film/TV, and IP transactional work though larger in scale and broader in practice scope.
• Frankfurt Kurnit Klein + Selz PC: NYC-based mid-sized law firm with leading entertainment, advertising, and IP practices serving talent, brands, and content creators — comparable boutique alternative to large firms with similar entertainment industry focus.
• Davis+Gilbert LLP: NYC-based law firm with one of the most prominent advertising, media, and entertainment practices — directly comparable as a similarly-sized specialty firm serving music, publishing, advertising, and digital media clients with deep industry expertise.

Emerging players

• King Holmes Paterno & Soriano LLP: LA-based boutique entertainment, music, and media law firm representing artists, songwriters, producers, and entertainment companies — comparable boutique alternative with similar artist-side representation focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Counsel