| Profile |
John Simson practices in Washington, D.C., and represents filmmakers, songwriters, recording artists, publishers, management and independent record companies. He has spent his entire professional career engaged in the music industry and has unique expertise in the collection and distribution of international royalties, collective management of rights, reciprocal agreements and the implementation of international treaties including the Rome Convention and the WPPT.
Read John's Billboard Bulletin guest post entitled "Artist Revenue Stream Survey -- The Importance of Being Data."
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| Bar Admissions |
District of Columbia, 1979
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| Representative Clients |
Simson's past legal clients have included Harry Belafonte, Mya, Chuck Brown & The Soul Searchers, and The Seldom Scene.
Simson has worked with filmmaker Jim Brown since 1992 on close to 20 music documentary films, including the soon to be released "Legends of Folk: The Village Scene" a PBS fundraiser; "Three Pickers" (featuring Ricky Skaggs, Doc Watson, Earl Scruggs with special guest Alison Krauss); and "American Roots" a PBS special for which Simson received an Emmy nomination for music supervision.
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| Classes or Lectures |
American University Washington College of Law, Entertainment Law, 2002 to 2006, Adjunct Professor
Kogod Business School, Fall 2011, two classes on music business
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| Membership |
Leadership Music
NARAS
ABA
Folk Alliance
Washington Area Music Association, Co-Founder and Member
WALA
Americana Music Association
Country Music Association
Steering Committee DC Bar Arts, Entertainment and Sports Section
National Recording Preservation Foundation of the Library of Congress, Chairman
National Recording Preservation Board of the Library of Congress, Alternate Board Member
21st Century Consort, Board Member
Advisory Board of the New Music Seminar
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| Areas of Practice |
Collective Management of Rights
Copyright
Entertainment Law
Intellectual Property
Intellectual Property Rights Management and Exploitation
Music Law
Music Licensing |