Peter Paterno to Be Honored By the GRAMMYs

On Fri, Feb. 3, 2023, the Recording Academy® Entertainment Law Initiative® will return to Los Angeles to celebrate the 25th anniversary of its annual GRAMMY® Week Event at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel.

The event will honor Peter T. Paterno, Partner at King, Holmes, Paterno & Soriano, LLP, with the 2023 Entertainment Law Initiative Service Award, presented each year to an attorney who has demonstrated a commitment to advancing and supporting the music community through service.

"We're thrilled to return to the Beverly Wilshire Hotel for the 25th anniversary ELI GRAMMY Week Event to salute the impact of entertainment law on the music industry," said Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy. "The creative community is grateful for Peter's advocacy on behalf of music makers, and I look forward to celebrating ELI's mission to inspire dialogue between industry professionals and to cultivate an inclusive future generation of entertainment law practitioners."

"Peter's longtime commitment to the music business and his ability to confidently navigate the intricacies of our industry make him an outstanding recipient of the ELI Service Award for this year's 25th anniversary event," said Neil Crilly, Managing Director of Industry Leader Engagement & Chapter Operations at the Recording Academy. "I applaud ELI's Executive Committee for recognizing a leader whose expertise has helped countless artists succeed in their careers and who has supported the music industry through eras of change."

The Service Award winner is determined by ELI's Executive Committee, which works to uplift ELI by recognizing leaders in the entertainment law community and mentoring young professionals in the industry.

The 2022-23 Executive Committee represents a diverse group of industry powerhouses working across the breadth of the entertainment law landscape. It is chaired by Laurie Soriano, and its members include Kris Ahrend, Sandy Crawshaw-Sparks, Susan Genco, Renee Karalian, Michael Kushner, Dina LaPolt, Wade Leak, Angie Martinez, Tanya Perara, Julian Petty, Leron Rogers, Henry Root, Bobby Rosenbloum, Julie Swidler, Jeff Walker, Robert Windom, and Stephanie Yu.

The ELI GRAMMY Week Event will also celebrate the winner and two runners-up of the Entertainment Law Initiative Writing Contest, co-sponsored by the American Bar Association, which challenges students in Juris Doctorate and Master of Laws programs at U.S. law schools to research a pressing legal issue facing the modern music industry and outline a proposed solution in a 3,000-word essay.

A $10,000 scholarship is awarded to the author of the winning paper, and a $2,500 scholarship is awarded to two runners-up, and the winning paper will be published in the ABA's journal Entertainment & Sports Lawyer.

The winner will also receive travel and tickets to Los Angeles to attend the 65th GRAMMY Awards®, MusiCares®Person of the Year, and the ELI GRAMMY Week Event. The contest is open to JD and LLM candidates at U.S. law schools and students have until Jan. 3 to enter the contest. See official rules, detailed prize packages and deadlines here.

Individual tickets and a limited number of discounted student tickets to the ELI GRAMMY Week Event are on sale now.

GRAMMY Week culminates with the 65th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Los Angeles' Crypto.com Arena on Sun, Feb. 5, 2023, broadcasting live on the CBS Television Network and streaming live and on-demand on Paramount+ at 8-11:30 p.m. ET/5-8:30 p.m. PT. Media assets for GRAMMY season and events can be found here.

ABOUT PETER PATERNO

Over the course of his career, Peter Paterno has nurtured the careers of dozens of multiplatinum recording artists, structuring, negotiating and documenting the myriad of agreements required by successful artists.

He is also intimately involved in the formation, purchase and sale of numerous entertainment companies ranging from production, publishing, recording, and film companies to merchandise and consumer electronic enterprises (including a well-known company engaged in the distribution of headphones, along with a streaming music business).

Paterno also has extensive experience in all aspects of copyright and trademark law, tax planning relating to the entertainment industry, litigation management, and live theater production. In 1990, Paterno started and became the first president of Hollywood Records, the Walt Disney Company's popular music record label, reporting directly to Chief Executive Officer, Michael Eisner.

He now serves as a partner at King, Holmes, Paterno & Soriano, LLP, in Los Angeles. He has been honored on Billboard's Top Music Lawyers List, and as a Super Lawyer for Super Lawyers Magazine.

Paterno's clients include, among others: Dr. Dre, the Tupac Shakur estate, Metallica, Van Morrison, Blink-182, Twenty One Pilots, Skrillex, Tyler the Creator, Q Tip, Goo Goo Dolls, Rage Against the Machine, Rancid, Alice In Chains, Offspring, Linda Ronstadt, Jared Leto/Thirty Seconds to Mars, Roddy Ricch, Richard Sherman, Sia, Henry Mancini Estate, Shirley Manson, Alanis Morissette, and Tori Amos.

Paterno graduated from Harvey Mudd College (B.S. in mathematics, with distinction 1972); University of Hawaii (M.A. in mathematics 1973), and University of California at Los Angeles (J.D. 1976).

ABOUT THE RECORDING ACADEMY

The Recording Academy represents the voices of performers, songwriters, producers, engineers, and all music professionals. Dedicated to ensuring the recording arts remain a thriving part of our shared cultural heritage, the Academy honors music's history while investing in its future through the GRAMMY Museum®, advocates on behalf of music creators, supports music people in times of need through MusiCares®, and celebrates artistic excellence through the GRAMMY Awards - music's only peer-recognized accolade and highest achievement.

As the world's leading society of music professionals, we work year-round to foster a more inspiring world for creators.

Photo Credit by Ron Lyon

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