Dina LaPolt never intended to be a lawyer. She majored in music in college
with the goal of becoming a rock star.
Instead, the founder of
LaPolt Law PC is an attorney for rock stars and rock star wannabes.
Shortly after graduating from State University of New York, New Paltz, LaPolt
moved to the San Francisco area. There she made a living as a musician, concert
promoter and booking agent. But life took a new turn after her band was invited to play at a music business conference, and the group got a free pass to one of the day's workshops. Eager for tips on achieving stardom, LaPolt attended a panel discussing how to negotiate a record deal. As she listened to a trio of
lawyers expound on the topic--lawyers who sported earrings, long hair and
tattoos--she decided, "That's what I want to do."
Today, LaPolt's boutique law firm represents clients in the music, film, TV
and book publishing industries. She represents the Tupac Shakur estate, Motley
Crue, Latin rapper Baby Bash, the Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes estate and
Pop/R&B singer Paula DeAnda.
In addition to superstars, LaPolt's clients include producers, writers, music
executives and actors. She also takes on clients with the potential to be stars
and helps them through some of the obstacles on the path to success.
LaPolt Law handles recording and publishing agreements and other
entertainment industry contracts. It also assists with copyright, licensing and
fee negotiations. The firm handles the contractual aspects of concert tours and
has negotiated production deals for feature films and made-for-TV movies.
LaPolt's previous experience inside the music industry has fueled her success
as an attorney. "I've done all the things [my clients are doing] and can talk
about it articulately," she says. She knows what it takes to fill a room with
3,000 people, and she brings that experience to the table.
Small-Town Girl
LaPolt admits to being a little starstruck by her own clients. "I'm that
small-town girl from upstate New York," she says, reminiscing about the thrill
of working with Motley Crue. "I had their posters on my wall in high school."
The road to success was hardly smooth for LaPolt, who's overcome dyslexia and
an addiction to alcohol. In college, she advocated for a degree in arts
administration long before such degrees were generally available. When the
professor running the music department discouraged her, she convinced another
faculty member to help her design her own minor.
Reality hit hard when she moved to Los Angeles with her law degree and
couldn't find a job. Other than a brief stint as an intern, she says, "I had no
experience drafting, reviewing or negotiating agreements."
However, networking led her to attorney Samuel Fox, where she accepted an
unpaid position organizing his files. "I would read all these agreements and
take notes, and follow him around the office and ask questions. Finally I
started doing it on my own and bringing him things." At the same time, she was
working as a waitress to make ends meet.
Her Own Firm
LaPolt worked with Fox for three years before leaving to set up her own
firm in 2001. Two clients insisted on leaving with her: Afeni Shakur, Tupac's
mother, and the girl group Wild Orchid.
Today, LaPolt has nine employees and more than 200 clients. She's given up
her band, Trophy Girl, in favor of speaking at music industry events and
conferences nationwide, and teaching the legal side of the industry at UCLA
Extension. She credits the UCLA class for helping her stay on top of industry
developments. "The music industry changes so drastically," she says. "The class
forces me to be up-to-date. That's why I say I get more out of the class than my
students."
Given her overcrowded schedule, LaPolt incorporates networking activities
into her everyday pursuits. But she doesn't do deals at the golf course--she
does them at the yoga studio. She and about 10 music industry representatives
gather at the studio each week for yoga, typically followed by a meeting at a
Starbucks across the road. "We get so much done," she says.
La Polt's advice to others is, quite naturally, "Never give up. If you want
it, don't get discouraged. Stick to your dream [and] hone your skills."
Insisting that her own legal experience isn't unusual, she tells her
students, "If you want to be an entertainment lawyer, it's a hard road in the
beginning." Her classes often include attorneys who want to change professions.
"I tell them, 'You're making six figures now. Save up your money and then quit
your job, because you're going to be working for free.' She advises law students
to get as much experience as they can before graduating.
LaPolt doesn't regret never making it to rock star status. "You really have
to sacrifice a lot to stay competitive: being on the road nine months touring,
playing the same songs night after night. It's great at age 25. I can't imagine
doing that at 40."
She has a new dream now: "I want to produce a movie and win an Academy Award
before I retire," she says.