MUSIC'S HOTTEST LAW FIRMS: MYMAN GREENSPAN FOX ROSENBERG MOBASSER YOUNGER & LIGHT
Eric Greenspan founded the music department of what was originally a film-and-TV firm in 1987. His first artists were reggae groups Toots and the Maytals, Steel Pulse and Burning Spear. He was subsequently engaged by Red Hot Chili Peppers, who’ve been with him since the dawn of their career. The music department’s first hire was Jeff Light—whom Greenspan hails as “a game-changing lawyer.”
In the early 2000s, Greenspan grew tired of spending endless nights at the Whisky and decided he needed some younger attorneys to go to the clubs and check out bands. At a pivotal moment, he started hearing about a sharp, ambitious 27-year-old named Aaron Rosenberg. While at Harvard Law School, Rosenberg had interned at Arista Records, and soon after becoming a practicing attorney, he’d met John Legend, who would become his first client. “I realized he wasn’t going into the Whisky to see a rock band,” Eric acknowledges, “but we figured out how to fit a round peg into a square hole by merging pop and hip-hop into the firm’s rock-heavy roster.”
Oren Agman
Following 12 years of experience in the biz, including positions as a business & legal affairs executive at UMPG and Interscope, Agman joined the firm with an invaluable insider’s perspective encompassing music publishing and recorded music. He not only runs point on some of the firm’s biggest clients but is also becoming a go-to lawyer for emerging artists including Suriel Hess, Calabasas, Playyard, Jeffrey Eli, Ava Maybee, BRIDGE and Bebe Stockwell; producers such as Elijah Fox (Drake) and Carrie K (Noah Kahan); popular TikTok music curator Ari Elkins; and the music and management division of L.A.-based media and entertainment company h.wood Media.
Steven Arnst
Since joining the firm in 2020, Arnst has negotiated and papered major-label recording and publishing agreements, album clearances and endorsement deals. He’s also played a key role in several complex catalog sales, including Justin Bieber’s recent pact with Hipgnosis. Arnst handles day-to-day matters for A-level firm clients including John Legend, FLETCHER, Big Sean, Amelia Moore and indie-electronic duo Forester, but he most enjoys helping developing clients turn their passion for creating meaningful art into sustainable careers.
Andranise Baxter
Baxter spent five years at Paradigm and Disney Music Group before arriving at the firm. She’s enjoying the journey while blazing a trail for herself and others.
Audrey Benoualid
In December 2020, Benoualid became the firm’s youngest partner. Her diverse clientele includes Charlotte Sands, Peach Tree Rascals and songwriter Tia Scola, who co-wrote Justin Bieber’s “Off My Face.” Benoualid has closed multiple seven-figure publishing deals for her producer and writer clients. She also helped close multiple nine-figure catalog acquisitions by Hipgnosis for Bieber and RHCP. Additionally, she has secured touring agreements and album clearances for such artists as Jennifer Lopez, RHCP, Ariana Grande, Erykah Badu and more.
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Eric Greenspan
Greenspan has spent a lot of time over the last year working on the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ massive worldwide stadium tour and the return of Coachella, as well as Goldenvoice’s first hard-rock desert fest, Power Trip, the final tour for Dead & Company and the E Street Band’s latest trek with Bruce Springsteen. He’s also been working on the expansion of the Giada De Laurentiis empire with catering, Giadzy.com, new restaurants and a new deal with Amazon. Greenspan’s longtime clients RHCP and Ice-T were both recently honored with stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Haley Golding
Golding joined the firm as an associate in 2018 after working as an attorney in business & legal affairs at Concord Music. She handles a variety of transactional matters for clients including Erykah Badu, Big Wild, Meghan Trainor, Jason Derulo, Joyner Lucas and Common, among others.
Josh Karp
A partner at the firm, Karp is seeking a purchaser of his complete collection of HITS magazines and any other assets of his that can fetch a 15x or higher multiple. This summer he’ll be teaching Legal and Practical Aspects of the Music Business at UCLA Extension.
Jeffrey Light
Coming out of the pandemic, Light has been busy with tours from Disturbed, Deftones, Queens of the Stone Age, Rob Zombie, Godsmack, and many others, while remaining active in the catalog-sales arena. Clients Pulse Music Group and Grateful Dead Productions both inked major new deals in the last year.
Jennifer Marr
Marr began her career in advocacy at Harvard’s Recording Artists Project and hasn’t stopped fighting the good fight since. She handles matters for A-list talent from Ciara to Godsmack, along with cutting-edge creators like CHIKA, Yeti Beats, Tobe Nwigwe and Big Wild. She’s also worked on pioneering ventures like the Limited Edition Music Publishing and Warner Chappell Music and visual artist Sarah Bahbah. Marr began her career in advocacy at Harvard’s Recording Artists Project and maintained a solo practice prior to joining the firm.
Craig Marshall
Marshall, who became an equity partner in 2019, got his start at Priority Records, where he developed his hip-hop chops working on projects for Snoop Dogg, Ice Cube and Master P/No Limit. He became VP of business affairs at Capitol before moving to Interscope. His clients include Joyner Lucas, CHIKA, Yeti Beats and the members of rap collective BROCKHAMPTON. He also oversaw the sale of Lecrae’s Reach Records catalog to Courage and works with various songwriters, executives, and artists including rocker Elle King and up-and-comers Amelia Moore, MaryJo Young and Isabel LaRosa. Marshall’s label background provides him with a unique skill set for his practice.
Tamara Milagros-Butler
Milagros-Butler was the first female to become partner in Myman Greenspan’s music practice. Her passion for indie artists is reflected in her involvement with clients like Dropkick Murphys, Silversun Pickups and Khruangbin. Highly experienced in navigating complex catalog sales, including the sale of a majority interest in Pulse Music Publishing to Concord, she also works with clients including Erykah Badu, Disturbed, Jack Johnson and Ciara.
Robert Minzner
Minzner is a highly regarded partner dedicated to nurturing up-and-coming artists, songwriters and producers like Role Model, Alx, Rollo, Emmy-nominee Mako and Coleton Rubin. He recently closed multiple six and seven-figure publishing deals for his clients. Minzner’s work with RuPaul, which has included negotiating deals with Cheez-Its and Build-a-Bear, reflects his knack for finding innovative ways to help his clients build their careers. When he’s not in the office, Minzner can be found on a SoulCycle bike or out drinking natural wine anywhere and everywhere.
Francois Mobasser
When Mobasser is not out blowing his money on vinyl, tube amps and effects pedals, he’s doing weed deals for Erykah Badu, Broadway deals for Common, reusable-water-bottle deals for Jack Johnson, fashion deals for Tobe Nwigwe, limited-edition guitar deals for Social Distortion and VR deals for Big Wild. Also, he hates sunsets, walks on the beach and most people.
Andrew Paster
A senior associate in the firm, Andrew began his career with roles at BMG and Interscope. He credits his in-house experience in providing the firm’s artist and songwriter clients with a unique perspective and practical advice in navigating their careers. Paster has negotiated major transactions for rockers like BABYMETAL and Deftones as well as pop stars Ariana Grande and Jennifer Lopez.
Aaron Rosenberg
The L.A.-based Harvard alumnus joined the firm in 2006 before becoming the youngest named partner at the firm. His robust clientele features high-profile recording artists, songwriters, producers, labels, publishing companies, managers, executives and other entities, including stars Justin Bieber, Jennifer Lopez, Ariana Grande, John Legend, Meghan Trainor, Jason Derulo, Ciara, Big Sean and Troye Sivan. Rosenberg is also active in serving on the boards of several national organizations devoted to fighting hate and preserving equal rights, including the Anti-Defamation League and the Human Rights Campaign.
