PETTY MEANS BUSINESS AT WARNER BROS. RECORDS

Julian Petty, Partner and Head of the Entertainment Practice Group at Nixon Peabody, has joined Warner Bros. Records as Executive Vice President and Head of Business & Legal Affairs.

Based in Los Angeles, the former Def Jam intern will report to Warner Bros. Records Co-Chairman & CEO Aaron Bay-Schuck and Co-Chairman & COO Tom Corson.

In noting that Petty will play “a vital leadership role,” Corson and Bay-Schuck said, “He’ll help us cultivate and execute innovative deals and strategies that attract and keep extraordinary talent, while staying on the leading edge of the music business where the opportunities are endless. Julian brings extensive experience with groundbreaking artists to his new position, combined with a sharp legal and business sense.”

At Nixon Peabody, his clients included Childish Gambino, Earl Sweatshirt, the estate of Notorious B.I.G. and producers Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis. Previously, he helped establish their media and entertainment practice group at Fox Rothschild.

“If you know me, you know that the only way I would have given up private practice is to be part of a company that encourages artists to go after their dreams, and under Aaron’s and Tom’s leadership, Warner Bros. Records is undoubtedly that place,” Petty said. “For me, this is a unique opportunity to continue helping artists just from a different seat. At the end of the day, we’re all working together to help them succeed.”