When a Business Uses Music: When are Music Licenses Needed and What Legal Issues Should be Considered?

Mr. Bienstock, attorney, and musician, joined the firm after running his successful boutique entertainment and intellectual property law firm, Bienstock & Michael, LLC, for 30 years. A corporate, entertainment, and intellectual property practitioner, he represents various businesses as well as music instrument manufacturers and songwriters, producers, recording artists, and musicians. Mr. Bienstock is an adjunct professor at NYU has been a guest lecturer for music business programs at Ithaca College, the Alaska Bar Association, USC Thornton School of Music, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Seton Hall Law School, William Paterson University, Rutgers Law School, Berklee College of Music, Chicago Kent College of Law, Sabian / Sen, NAMM and many other schools and organizations.

Mr. Greenstein’s practice focuses on intellectual property, licensing, and commercial transactions, with specialized expertise in the digital exploitation of IP. He regularly represents companies in transactions with record labels, music publishers, and program suppliers. Mr. Greenstein advises companies on complex IP matters, IPOs, M&A transactions, audits, litigation, arbitration, legislative matters, and before federal agencies. He also frequently assists companies in the development of new business models and disruptive technologies and services. In addition, Mr. Greenstein advises investors on due diligence in the digital media area and companies in all stages of their development cycle. Prior to joining the firm, he served as the first general counsel at SoundExchange, Inc., the sole entity designated by the Copyright Royalty Board to collect and distribute statutory performance royalties for sound recordings. Mr. Greenstein previously was the vice president of business and legal affairs at the Recording Industry Association of America. In this role, he negotiated and drafted licensing agreements for webcasters and satellite radio services, managed complex arbitrations before Copyright Arbitration Royalty Panels, and prepared proposed legislation, regulations, and congressional testimony.