Mondo.NYC 2025 CLE Music & Tech Law Symposium

Friday, October 17, 2025, 8am-5pm

Overview & Agenda

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Mondo’s 9th annual CLE program hosts top music lawyers and thought leaders for an all-day entertainment law seminar addressing some of the biggest legal and regulatory developments affecting the music industry, including recent court decisions and key policy matters focusing on AI, IP valuations and acquisitions, streaming, reputational risk & defamation, streaming, public performance, terminations, ethics and more.

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All Mondo attendees are invited to attend CLE panels on Friday, October 17. For CLE credit, a Continuing Legal Education single-day or Mondo combo registration is required.​​​​​

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8:00 AM Breakfast

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8:50 AM Welcome Remarks

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9:00-9:55 AM Going Direct? Pros, Cons and Pitfalls

With the bundling of music and non-musical content, new subscription tiers, audio rich bells, synchronized video whistles and enhanced experiences, the DSPs are changing the economic realities of the current licensing system and lowering payouts to publishers and writers.  Instead of fighting for higher mechanical rates, rights holders are trying to win back the rates they once thought were too low. Warner, Kobalt, Universal, AMRA, and Sony have recently announced direct deals with Spotify and additional announcements are imminent. Direct deals promise greater control, clearer visibility, and faster royalty payments but how will they benefit songwriters? What will the roles of the MLC and the PROs be and how can creators and rightsholders hold the DSPs accountable? This panel will explore how these direct deals will work in the long and short run, what the bottom-line result will be for songwriters, what the role of trade organizations and industry advocates will play in the wake of these deals, and how complex and divergent licensing frameworks might turn the tide. Will the effect of these deals rise the tide and lift all boats or sink the ship ahead of Phonograph V negotiations?

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Moderator: Monika A. Tashman, Partner, Loeb & Loeb LLP

Panelists: 

Clara Kim, Executive Vice President, Chief Legal & Business Affairs Officer, ASCAP

Kat MacLean-Daley, A&R, AYO Music Group

Natalie Madaj, EVP, Global Digital, Warner Chappell Music

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​​​10:05-11:00 AM Beyond Catalogs: Navigating the Broader World of Music Acquisitions

The music acquisitions landscape has changed as increasing numbers of investors look beyond traditional “core” catalog assets and focus on areas where there is less competition, a wealth of untapped opportunities, and more advantageous pricing.  The include targets such as management companies, YouTube income streams, film/TV/video game music, sub-$10 million transactions, and more.  This panel will discuss the challenges and opportunities in these deals.​

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Moderator: Cynthia Katz, Partner, Fox Rothschild LLP

Panelists:

Elon Altman, Director, Music & Entertainment Valuation Services, Citrin Cooperman

Anika Amin, Vice President, M&A Legal Affairs, Create Music Group

Dan Hoffman, Executive Vice President Business & Legal Affairs, Concord

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11:10 AM-12:05 PM Software, Streaming, and Socials: A Year of Tech-Focused Legal Battles in the Music Industry

The litigation landscape in the music industry has taken a tech-heavy turn. We’ve seen legal battles erupt over generative AI platforms’ use of musical compositions, song lyrics, and sound recordings in their models; we’ve seen fights break out between streaming giant Spotify and both the MLC and NMPA over “bundling” and music in podcasts, respectively; and we’ve seen rapper Quavo get hit with a lawsuit for using a sculpture as a backdrop in social media teaser posts. These topics and more will populate an informative and entertaining hour of discussion among an esteemed panel to help you understand what’s happening inside courtrooms around the country and how to keep yourself and your clients outside the judge’s chambers.

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Moderator: Scott Sholder, Partner, Cowan, DeBaets, Abrahams & Sheppard LLP

Panelists: 

• Brian Caplan, Partner, Reitler Kailas & Rosenblatt LLP

• Christine Lepera, Partner, Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP

• Carla Miller, Senior Vice President, Business & Legal Affairs, Universal Music Group

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12:05-12:25 PM Lunch

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12:25-1:15 ASCAP CEO Elizabeth Matthews Keynote Conversation

We're proud to welcome Elizabeth Matthews, Chief Executive Officer of ASCAP in a keynote conversation with Variety's Executive Music Editor Jem Aswad. Join us for a wide-ranging discussion on how the music business landscape is evolving and impacting composers, songwriters, lyricists and music publishers from every music genre. The conversation will zero in on the value of collective licensing and ASCAP's work to innovate for the benefit of songwriters, composers, music publishers and licensees across all media platforms.

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Keynote: Elizabeth Matthews, Chief Executive Officer, ASCAP

Interviewer: Jem Aswad, Executive Music Editor, Variety

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​​​1:20-2:15 PM Where are we now? Generative AI, Music and an Emerging Deal Ecosystem

The generative AI boom continues, and its use in the music industry has only gotten more pervasive and sophisticated since ChatGPT first came on the scene to signal the advent of this new technology. AI music generation companies are starting up and evolving; music rights owners are exploring new ways to monetize their content in this environment, including licensing music for AI training; music distributors are leveraging GenAI tools and models to enhance their services; investors are grappling with how generative AI is impacting catalog acquisition and valuation; and artists are seeking to leverage their brands and unique styles to create custom AI products for fans and downstream creators alike. This panel will explore the current commercial landscape of generative AI and the music industry, what deals are being made, what are the pain points, what practices and technologies are emerging to aid in monitoring and maintaining the current deals, and what are the legal hurdles and policies impacting the deal market.

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Moderator: Adrian Perry, Partner, Co-Chair of Music Industry Practice, Covington & Burling LLP

Panelists:

• David H. Johnson, Consultant/Independent Director

• Stacey Lager, General Counsel, Splice

• Christine Pepe, Senior Legal Counsel, Peloton Interactive

• Benji Rogers, Partner, Lark42 & Co-President, Sureel AI

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2:25-3:20 PM Reclaiming Rights: Today’s Terminations Landscape

In this panel, we will discuss the current landscape surrounding music copyright terminations originating in the US.

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Moderator: Lynn Gonzalez, Partner, Granderson Des Rochers

Panelists:

Guy Blake, Founding Member & Managing Partner, Granderson Des Rochers, LLP

Kevin Casini, Attorney, Lecturer, Quinnipiac University School of Law

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3:30-4:25 PM Cancel-Proof Catalogs? Managing Reputation Risk in a Hyper-Aware Market​

Reputation risk is one of the most difficult areas to manage in music investments, but the effects can be devastating. Unlike other risks (like chain-of-title), there are often limited ways to conduct due diligence around a seller’s reputation, which leaves investors with difficult choices about managing this risk while maintaining a positive relationship with the seller. This panel will discuss how reputation risk can be investigated, and recourse can be managed through contract language, insurance, and other means of damage control.

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Moderator: Michael Poster, Chair of Music Acquisitions & Financing and Partner, Michelman Robinson

Panelists:

Duff Berschback, EVP, Publishing Business and Legal Affairs, Concord Music Publishing

Palisa Kelley, Managing Director, Business & Legal Affairs, HarbourView Equity Partners

Benjamin Massarsky, Partner, Miller Friel, PLLC

Adam Ritholz, Managing Partner, Ritholz Levy Fields LLP

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4:35-5:30 PM Mic Drops & Lawsuits: Defamation in the Music Industry

This panel examines defamation in the music industry.  Topics include savage diss tracks, artists clapping back at influencers, the negative portrayal of artists in film and television, as well as accusations of sexual misconduct — and what music lawyers need to know when their client's reputation is on the line.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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Moderator: Nicole Haff, Senior Counsel, Lewis & Lin, LLC

Panelists: 

• Gary Adelman, Founding Partner, Adelman Matz P.C.

• ​Daniel Watkins, Founding Partner, Meier Watkins Phillips Pusch LLP

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Important Information:

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• Registration fees:​

  • $549.00 Continuing Legal Education Pre-registration rate (Day of Event Fee: $599.00)

  • $899.00 Continuing Legal Education & Mondo Four Day All Access Combo

  • $449.00 Single Day Registration Rate -- Friday ONLY (conference program admission only, NO CLE CREDIT)

• Fee includes:

  • Admission to the Music & Tech Law Symposium on Friday, October 17, 2025 + admission to Mondo.NYC conference events October 17 

  • NY, CA or PA MCLE credits pending (other than for single day badges)

  • Written course materials

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​CLE 2025 credentials and course materials shall be emailed to all CLE registrants just prior to the seminar.​

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CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION CREDITS:

• New York: Total possible credits: 7.0 NY CLE credits (Areas of Professional Practice credit)

• California: Total possible credits: 7.0 CA MCLE credits (General credit)

• Pennsylvania: Total possible credits: 7.0 PA CLE credits (Substantive Law/General credit)

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​​​​​​​​​​​New York, California and Pennsylvania certificates of attendance will be provided.  A Uniform Certificate of Attendance will be provided for all other jurisdictions, which attendees may submit to their respective state bar associations for CLE review.

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DISCOUNTS AND SCHOLARSHIPS:

Financial assistance to attend this program may be available. Attorneys who require financial assistance may apply in writing, no later than September 20, 2025, explaining the basis of need, and, if approved, may be offered a discount or scholarship, depending on the circumstances. For more details, please contact joanne@mondo.nyc.

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