Lawyer First: Why Your Legal Team Should Be the First Call You Make

If I had a dollar for every time a creative told me, “I’m building my team—starting with a manager, maybe an agent, then I’ll find a lawyer later,” I’d probably be charging in euros by now.

Here’s the problem:
By the time you hire a lawyer, it may already be too late.

The Backward Team-Building Myth

Too many creatives—whether musicians, influencers, authors, or filmmakers—fall into the same trap: they get excited about building their brand or launching their career, and in that excitement, they put legal on the back burner. They start signing contracts, engaging collaborators, or hiring representation without having any legal review in place.

But here’s the truth most creatives learn the hard way:

👉 Your lawyer isn’t just another member of your team. Your lawyer is the foundation of your team.

Lawyers Do What Others Don’t

While managers and agents focus on getting you opportunities, your lawyer protects what you’re building.

Here’s what a good entertainment or business lawyer does:

• Reviews and negotiates contracts with your manager, agent, publicist, or distributor
  
• Ensures fair terms so you don’t give away your rights or lock yourself into a career-killing deal
  
• Protects your intellectual property from the start
  
• Advises you on ownership, royalties, licensing, and publishing—before you lose control of your creations
  
• Acts as the watchdog over everyone else on your team
  
  

Without a lawyer from day one, you could be:

• Locked into an exploitative management contract
  
• Giving away revenue streams you didn’t even know you had
  
• Unable to fire someone because you didn’t negotiate termination clauses
  
• Losing control of your brand and your work
  
  

Managers and Agents Are Important—But They Aren’t Your Legal Shield

Managers manage. Agents find gigs. Publicists promote.
Only a lawyer protects.

In fact, the smart managers and agents out there want you to have legal counsel. It keeps everything clean, professional, and above board.

Let’s Flip the Script: Lawyer Up First

Before you hire anyone...
Before you sign anything...
Before you go viral or get discovered...

Lawyer up.

Your lawyer should be the first person on your team, not the last. They’ll help you build your team the right way—with contracts that protect your interests, and a strategy that future-proofs your career.

Final Word

Your talent is your business. Your art is your asset.
Treat it like it matters.
Start with the person whose only job is to protect you.

Start with a lawyer.

🔐 Ready to Build Your Dream—Protected?

Let’s talk. Book an Entertainment Business Strategy Session [Book Here] with us today and make sure your team-building journey starts the right way—with legal power behind you.