John Simson Joins Lommen Abdo
7/12/2011
Well-known and respected artist advocate John L. Simson has been named “of-counsel” to Lommen, Abdo, Cole, King & Stageberg, one of the country’s largest entertainment law practices. John has re-established a law practice in Washington, D.C., where he most recently served as the founding Executive Director of SoundExchange, the performing rights organization formed to collect digital performance royalties for recording artists and sound recording copyright owners. Simson has spent his entire professional career engaged in the music industry.
“Basically, John has done it all and is invigorating his fundamental commitment to artist and music content advocacy by returning to the private practice of entertainment law. One would be hard-pressed to find a more knowledgeable and connected person in the music industry than John Simson,” states Ken Abdo, Senior Shareholder and Entertainment Department Chair at Lommen Abdo. “It has been a great privilege to work with John on various campaigns over the 15 years I have known him, and it is an honor to have him affiliate with our firm.”
“Though I will be consulting and pursuing other activities in the entertainment field, my basic commitment to arts advocacy is grounded in my legal education and vocation,” says Simson. “I have always been active in entertainment law, advocacy, policy and commerce. I sought to affiliate with a group of like-minded and experienced entertainment lawyers who are as excited and current about entertainment law as they were the first day out of law school. I found them at Lommen Abdo. Ken Abdo is a connected and indefatigable entertainment lawyer. In collaboration with other entertainment lawyers, including long-time mutual friend and New York City native, Bob Donnelly, Ken has built one of the most visible and respected practices in the country -- remarkable out of the Midwest.”
Simson adds, “I look forward to working with Lommen Abdo lawyers on progressive music and entertainment law and related copyright issues of which we share a common and passionate interest including re-examining traditional artist recording and other contracts, the payment of royalties to sound recording copyright owners for traditional (non-digital) radio broadcasts through the passage of the Performance Rights Act, and termination of transfer of music copyrights which should result in the return of copyright ownership to the authors of creative content. I am also keen to work with the firm on international royalty issues as I’ve been intimately involved in the attempt to repatriate royalties earned by American performers overseas, but which are not paid to those deserving performers. I have been impressed by how the Lommen Abdo lawyers were some of the first out in front of these issues.”
About John Simson
In 1971 John signed with Perception Records as a recording artist. His career has included a ten-year partnership in Studio One Artists, managing country superstar Mary Chapin Carpenter (1988 to 1995) and others. Simson has practiced entertainment law since 1980, and most recently was of counsel to the firm of Berliner, Corcoran & Rowe from 1990 through 1999. Simson joined SoundExchange in March of 2000 and served as its Executive Director from June of 2001 until December of 2010.
You can view John's bio or contact John at 202-460-9252 or jsmusic@verizon.net.
About Lommen Abdo
With offices in New York, New York, Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Hudson, Wisconsin, Lommen Abdo provides general legal services to individuals and businesses. With over 40 lawyers and 40 support staff, many who work on entertainment matters, the Lommen Abdo Law Firm offers one of the country’s largest entertainment law practices which include transactional, general intellectual property and litigation services. The firm is especially known for its music artist advocacy work. Its diverse client roster includes multiple gold, platinum and GRAMMY Award winning artists across many genres. Lommen Abdo lawyers have been instrumental in such pro-active artist community interest efforts including the repeal of the “works for hire” bill; distribution to artists of $55 million from recording company “suspense accounts”; the first Notice filing with the U.S. Copyright office for termination of transfer (reversion) of sound recording and music composition copyrights; and lobbying Congress for passage of the Performance Rights Act.