Ten New York Law School (NYLS) graduates are among the country’s top music lawyers this year, according to Billboard magazine. The recognition comes as the music industry navigates emerging legal issues related to artificial intelligence, copyright, licensing, and artist rights—legal areas in which many NYLS alumni are helping shape the future.
As Billboard notes, this year’s honorees are advising the world’s biggest artists, record companies, and publishers through high-profile transactions, litigation, and unprecedented legal challenges. Attorneys were nominated by their firms and peers before being selected by Billboard’s editors.
Michael Guido ’80
Guido is a partner at Carroll Guido Groffman Cohen Bar & Karalian, an entertainment law firm that has represented recording artists, songwriters, producers, executives, and music companies for decades.
Robert Meloni ’80
Meloni is the owner of Meloni & McCaffrey, where he has built a practice representing clients across the entertainment industry.
Christine Lepera ’82
Lepera is a partner at Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp and one of the entertainment industry’s leading intellectual property litigators. A frequent Billboard honoree, she is widely recognized for representing artists, record labels, and music companies in precedent-setting copyright disputes.
Michael Selverne ’84
Selverne is Managing Partner of Selverne Bradford and has long been recognized as one of the industry’s leading music attorneys. He advises music companies and investors on high-value catalog acquisitions, financing transactions, and other complex entertainment matters.
Stephen Dallas ’00
Dallas serves as Senior Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs, Global Digital Strategy and Business Development at Universal Music Publishing Group. His work focuses on digital licensing and business strategy at one of the world’s leading music publishers, helping to navigate an industry increasingly impacted by technological innovation.
Elliot Resnik ’00
Resnik is an attorney at Raines Feldman Littrell, advising clients on entertainment and media matters spanning music, film, television, and digital media.
David Jacobs ’07
Jacobs is the founding partner of Jacobs Law Group, an entertainment law firm representing artists, executives, entrepreneurs, and companies across the music and media industries. This marks another appearance on Billboard’s list for Jacobs, who has previously been recognized for his work representing high-profile clients.
Shawn Kodes ’07
Kodes is Co-Chair of Asset-Backed Finance at Paul Hastings. His practice includes advising on complex music royalty and intellectual property-backed financing transactions, an increasingly important aspect of the music business.
Rob Faulstich ’13
Faulstich is Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs at Warner Music Group, where he advises on legal and commercial matters for one of the world’s largest recorded music companies.
Leon Morabia ’18
Morabia is a partner at Mark Music & Media Law, where he counsels artists, producers, songwriters, managers, and entertainment companies on transactional and business matters.
NYLS congratulates this year’s honorees on this outstanding achievement and celebrates their continued leadership in the music industry.