Kenneth Abdo


Full Name Kenneth J. Abdo
Email ken@lommen.com
Phone 612-336-9316
Fax 612-339-8064
Vcard Click to open or right click to download and save this vCard.
Profile Ken Abdo is a Vice President of the Lommen Abdo Law Firm and Co-Chair of the Entertainment Law Department. In over more than 20 years of practice, he has helped build the largest, most visible and successful entertainment law practice in the Midwest. Ken’s practice is limited to entertainment law, and his primary focus is on all music law transactions. He is a known artist advocate and leader within the national entertainment law community. He is a popular author and lecturer. A life-long multi-instrumentalist/songwriter and former disc jockey, Ken has a love and deep knowledge of music, music business and music law.

He has served as legal counsel to artists which most recently include, among others, Jonny Lang, Michelle Branch, Garrison Keillor, Anna Nalick, Johnny Rivers, Sugarland writer/performer, Kristen Hall and Austin City Limits. He has been listed in the Super Lawyer® list in Entertainment Law and a “Minnesota Leading Attorney” every year since 1994. He is AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell (highest competency) since 1992.  For more information than you need to know on Ken Abdo, click on this link to read the article published in the Spring 2005 newsletter of the William Mitchell College of Law.

An article on Ken Abdo which was published in the American Bar Association’s Forum in the Entertainment and Sports Industries quarterly publication.
Bar Admissions  Minnesota, 1983
U.S. District Court District of Minnesota, 1983
Representative Clients Anna Nalick (Columbia); Billy McLaughlin (Narada/Virgin Records); Bobby Vee (Liberty); Garrison Keillor (Rounder); Gingerjake; Jessica Harp (Maverick); Jimmy Thackery (Telarc Records); Johnny Rivers (Soul City Records, Inc.); Jonny Lang (A&M/Interscope); Kristen Hall (Sugarland); Austin City Limits; Luther Allison (Alligator Records); Michelle Branch (Maverick); Prophet Omega (Capitol); Reeve Carney (Interscope); The Replacements (Twin Tone/Reprise); Rockie Lynn(Universal); Steven Anderson (American Gramaphone); Tagine (Bluhammock); Tiny Tim; Music Estate; Vienna Teng (Rounder); Warner/Chappell Music Publishing, The Emmy® Award winning, made for TV movie, “Deep In My Heart”, starring Anne Bancroft and Gloria Reuben (CBS); The Off-Broadway play “Triple Espresso;” Major market radio disc jockeys, TV anchors, program directors and managers.
Published Works "The Economics of Developing & Maintaining an Entertainment Law Practice," Entertainment, Publishing & Arts Handbook, 2005 - 2006; State Bar of Wisconsin Annual Conference Journal, 2004

“Shopping Record Deals for Lawyers:  A&R Approach and Ethics Issues” ABA Entertainment and Sports Lawyer, Summer 2005

“Entertainment Law Ethics,” Entertainment, Publishing and The Arts Handbook, Thomson/West, 2005

“Entertainment Law Ethics,” ABA Entertainment & Sports Lawyer, 2005

"Agents, Managers and Lawyers:  A Roadmap for the Entertainment Attorney," Entertainment Law:  Cases and Materials (3d ed.), Matthew Bender & Co. Inc., 2003

“Entertainment Law Ethics,” Practicing Law Institute, 1999 - 2003

“The Practical Musician - A Legal Guidebook to the Music Industry,” Minnesota CLE, Contributing Author, 1993

“Law & Business of the Entertainment Industries,” 5th Edition, Praeger

Classes or Lectures Adjunct Professor of Entertainment Law, William Mitchell College of Law, 1992 to 2003

American Bar Association Forum on the Entertainment & Sports Industries Annual Meetings, USA

American Bar Association Your Lawyer Division, New York, New York

American Law Institute, Los Angeles, California

Atlantis Music Conference, Atlanta, Georgia

Beverly Hills Bar Association, Beverly Hills, California

Billboard Music & Money Symposium, New York, New York

Colorado Sate Bar Association, Denver, Colorado

Emerging Artists & Talent in Music (EAT’M), Las Vegas, Nevada

Hamline University Law School, Adjunct Professor, St. Paul, Minnesota

Institute of Production & Recording, The, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Minnesota Association of Professional DJs, Bloomington, Minnesota

Minnesota Institute of Legal Education, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Minnesota’s Journal on Law & Politics, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Minnesota State Bar Association, Art & Entertainment Section, Minnesota

Minnesota State Bar Association, Continuing Legal Education, Minnesota

National Sports Law Institute of Marquette University School of Law, Marquette, Wisconsin

Ohio State Bar Association, Cleveland, Ohio

Philadelphia Music Conference, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Practising Law Institute, Los Angeles, California

Recording Academy, The, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Resources & Counseling for the Arts/Springboard for the Arts, Minnesota

Sedona Conference on Independent Music & Film, Sedona, Arizona

South by Southwest, Austin, Texas

Southwestern University School of Law, Los Angeles, California

State Bar of Wisconsin Annual Convention, Madison, Wisconsin

University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota

University of Minnesota School of Law, Minneapolis, Minnesota

University of St. Thomas School of Law, Minneapolis, Minnesota

University of Texas at Austin & The Texas Bar Association, Austin, Texas

William Mitchell College of Law, Adjunct Professor, St. Paul, Minnesota
Membership  National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences/The Recording Academy®, (presenter of the Grammy® Awards) Chicago Chapter, Governor, 2005 - Present; Voting Member (musician/producer)

The Recording Academy®, Entertainment Law Initiative Executive Committee, Charter Member; Chair, 2006

American Bar Association Forum on the Entertainment & Sports Industries:  National Forum Chair, 2003 - 2005

American Bar Association Forum on the Entertainment & Sports Industries:  National Music Division Chair, 2000 - 2002

American Bar Association Forum on the Entertainment & Sports Industries:  “The Entertainment & Sports Lawyer,” Editor-in-Chief, 2000 - 2002

University of Minnesota, College of Liberal Arts, Distinguished Alumni Award for achievement in law, education and community service, 2005

Southwestern University School of Law, Los Angeles, California, Donald E. Biederman Entertainment and Media Law Institute International Advisory Board, Board Member, 2000 - Present

T.J. Martell Foundation for Cancer and Leukemia Research, Midwest Committee, 1999 - 2001

Minnesota Film Board, Board Member, 1999 - 2001

Cricket Theatre, Minneapolis, Board Chair, 1994 - 1996, Board Member, 1990 - 1996

Concerts for the Environment (producer of the official 25th Anniversary Earth Day concert, Washington, D.C., Board Member, 1992 - 1996

Hennepin County, Minnesota State and American Bar Associations
Office Location Minneapolis
Areas of Practice Business Law
Intellectual Property
Media Employment