THE BIG STORY: Billboard’s annual list of Top Music Lawyers has arrived, offering a comprehensive look at the attorneys guiding superstar artists and music companies through the thorniest legal issues, from catalog sales to record deals to copyright litigation.
Among those highlighted was J. Douglas Baldridge, a partner at the law firm law Venable who has served for years as a top attorney for Taylor Swift. There’s no shortage of work: Over just the past year, Baldridge and his firm have helped the megastar buy back her masters, beat a copyright case, get a restraining order, fight a trademark lawsuit, fend off subpoenas and trademark her voice.
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Any attorney representing famous clients has an added layer of difficulty: public relations. After years of working for the most famous artist on earth, Baldridge knows that problem better than most.
“Every decision requires exacting focus not only on the legal strategy but also on how that strategy will be perceived,” Baldridge told me for the story. “It calls for an arduous and challenging process to respect not only the law but also the expectations of those who are the foundation and support for the art itself, the fans. Neither can yield to the other.”
