Valensi Rose Managing Partner Michael R. Morris will serve as Moderator and Session Coordinator of a panel discussion on “Maximizing Revenue and Protecting the Music Artist” at the 2017 Entertainment Industry Conference presented by the CalCPA Education Foundation.
The annual event will be held on June 14 at the Olympic Collection in West Los Angeles.
Mr. Morris is also a member of the Planning Committee of the conference.
The high-power panel includes Natalia Nastaskin, Head of US Music Operations at United Talent Agency; Sarah Scott, Senior Attorney with LaPolt Law, P.C.; music industry veteran Deborah Klein; and David Weise, CPA, Senior Partner at David Weise and Associates.
One of the leading talent agencies in the world, United Talent Agency represents many of the most acclaimed figures in entertainment and media, including motion pictures, television, music, digital, broadcast news, books, theatre, video games, fine art and live entertainment. The agency is also globally recognized in the areas of film finance, film packaging, branding, licensing, endorsements and representation of production talent.
Natalia Nastaskin joined United Talent Agency in August of 2015, when it acquired The Agency Group, where she was CEO and General Counsel, to form UTA Music, a music touring and representation practice. The Agency Group, an independent talent booking agency, brought to UTA a roster of nearly 2,000 musicians, speakers and authors.
Responsible for strategic development and expansion of the UTA music group, Natalia has forged alliances for the agency with companies like Bandsintown, PledgeMusic, and Modern Works Music Group.
LaPolt Law, P.C. is a Los Angeles-based boutique law firm specializing in intellectual property and entertainment law, serving clients both domestically and internationally. The firm’s attorneys have an array of experience in music and the arts, and provide both legal and business affairs advice.
Sarah Scott for 11 years headed Business & Legal Affairs for Universal Music Group, in Canada, and was on the forefront of the online and mobile music market from its inception. Sarah oversaw artist recording contracts, label distribution deals, performance, licensing and sponsorship agreements for the company. As the company’s chief counsel, she led negotiations to establish industry standard songwriter royalty rates for songwriters with the major publishers and their societies.
In 2011 Sarah moved with her music executive husband to Los Angeles and accepted a position as Vice President for Sony Pictures Entertainment, where she was responsible for agreements with artists, labels, songwriters, composers and publishers for the creation of original music in the studio’s feature films and television shows.
Sarah joined LaPolt Law to represent recording artists, celebrities and entertainers in all of their negotiations – including recording agreements, management, endorsements, social media, personal appearances and live performances.
Deborah Klein is a Joint Venture music partner with Primary Wave, and for the past four years has been managing Melissa Etheridge, Cypress Hill, Plain White T’s, Powerflo and Middle Class Rut. With over 25 years of experience in the music business, Klein holds a law degree from Suffolk University with a concentration in entertainment law.
Prior to joining Primary Wave, as General Manager at Prospect Park Records Klein oversaw the management, marketing, sales, radio and tour promotion for acts such as Five Finger Death Punch, Army of Anyone, Mandy Moore and Korn. Deborah developed and implemented the Smashing Pumpkins worldwide marketing campaign and tour for Oceania, the band’s 7th Billboard top-ten album to date. Deborah has worked with Platinum artists Vanessa Carlton, Yellowcard, Flyleaf, Morphine, Sebadoh, Folk Implosion, and many others.
David Weise and Associates is a full-service business management firm serving clients from all areas of the entertainment industry, including a musicians, actors, athletes, writers, directors, producers as well as entertainment-related companies and executives.
David B. Weise, the firm’s Senior Partner, began his career with a national accounting firm. In 1992 he transitioned into business management, quickly developed his own clientele, and in 2005 he formed David Weise & Associates, Inc.
David’s clients include members of the music, television and motion picture, and sports industries. With over 20 years of professional business management experience, David has developed invaluable relationships within the entertainment industry.
Michael R. Morris, Esq., the managing partner at Valensi Rose, PLC, is a former trial lawyer for the IRS and a certified specialist in taxation law. He has blended his tax law expertise with a passion for music and entertainment into a unique practice. His experience in tax, estate planning, music, entertainment and general business law has enabled Morris to develop a broad-based clientele. His entertainment clients include producers, record labels, composers, music publishers, actors, talent agencies, motion picture companies, post-production houses and Grammy-winning recording artists.
Morris has served as the president of the California Copyright Conference and spoken at a variety of conferences and seminars. He has been named a “Super Lawyer” among Southern California lawyers for 2006-2016 by Los Angeles Magazine, and the Los Angeles Business Journal has named him among L.A.’s Top 100 Lawyers. He has received a Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating: AV Preeminent 5 out of 5.