Exclusively serving clients in arts and entertainment for over 40 years.

Music Business

Paul has been practicing law for 40+ years and has counseled clients including major music publishers, large independent record companies and gold and platinum recording artists in all aspects of the music business. He has worked on domestic and international licensing and distribution contracts in such countries as the United States, Japan, Germany, South East Asia, Australia, New Zealand, Scandinavia, United Kingdom and Taiwan.

Visual Arts

He has advised visual artists, art galleries and arts associations on contract and copyright matters, including large public commission contracts for venues such as the Rogers Centre and the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Paul has also assisted in the establishment of and provided ongoing legal advice for copyright collectives in the visual art field.

Corporate

His extensive corporate law expertise includes drafting and advising clients with respect to partnership agreements, incorporation and shareholder agreements.

Legal Writing

Paul has two ground breaking legal texts to his credit: "Musicians and the Law in Canada", 4th edition, (Carswell Legal Publications) and "Artists’ Contracts: Agreements for Visual and Media Artists", (CARFAC Ontario).

The first edition of "Musicians and The Law in Canada" was cited in the Michael Bishop case by the Supreme Court of Canada (1990) 31 C.P.P. 3(d) 394 S.C.C..

Paul also has numerous legal journal and periodical articles to his credit, including articles in the International Journal of Media Law and Practice, the Performing Arts Review, Queen’s Law Journal and the International Association of Entertainment Lawyers Journal.

See I Wrote the Book for more info.

Trade Mark

Paul has been practicing in the area of trade-mark law and has been a registered trade-mark agent since 1986. He actively assists the search, registration and protection of the firm’s clients’ trade-marks primarily in Canada, but also in the United States, the EEC, Japan, Hong Kong, Mexico and in the UK, for example. He administers the firm’s substantial international trade-mark portfolio and directs, oversees and co-ordinates our network of international trade-mark agents.

Lectures / Guest Speaking

Paul has given the keynote address at:

  • Queen’s University, Business

  • Hamilton Music Scene

  • MIANS, Halifax

Paul has frequently been a guest speaker on legal aspects of the music industry for organizations and at the events listed below:

  • Recording Arts Canada

  • International Academy of Design and Technology (IADT)

  • Metalworks Institute of Sound and Music Production (Current Instructor)

  • Long & McQuade University

  • Mohawk College

  • Enterprise Toronto – City of Toronto, Economic Development

  • The International Association of Entertainment Lawyers, Midem, Cannes France

  • Phem Phat, Toronto

  • Songposium, Halifax, Nova Scotia and St. John’s, Newfoundland

  • Osgoode Hall Law School Entertainment and Sports Law

  • South by Southwest (SXSW) (Entertainment and Media)

  • Insight Information Conference, Toronto

  • SING! The Toronto Vocal Arts Festival, Toronto

  • Centennial College

  • Western Law School

  • Canadian Independent Music Association (CIMA)

  • Queen’s University Commerce Moot Court Judge

  • 100 Mile Arts Network Professional Development Workshop

  • Toronto Metropolitan University Students’ Law Network Entertainment Law Panel

  • Artists’ Legal Advice Services seminars and duty counsel lawyer

  • Artists’ Legal Advice Services (ALAS)

  • The Commons Institute, Entertainment Law

  • Federated Press, Mastering Entertainment Law

  • Queen’s Law School

  • University of Toronto Law School

  • Ontario College of Art and Design (OCAD)

  • Sheridan College

  • Georgian College

  • Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE)

  • The Arts & Letters Club

  • Scarborough Arts Council

  • Visual Arts Ontario

  • Canadian Artists Representation Ontario (CARO)

  • CARFAC Ontario

  • Trebas Institute (Past Instructor)

  • Harris Institute

  • Independent Artist Network

  • Soundcheck

  • Lincoln Alexander School of Law Sports & Entertainment Law Society (LASELS) Speed Networking event

He has participated in the following:

  • ASCAP Pop Music Awards, Hollywood, California

  • North by Northeast (NXNE), Toronto

  • Canadian Music Week, Toronto

  • The Juno Awards

  • New Music West, Vancouver

  • New Music Seminar, New York City

  • Kids Music Seminar, New York City

  • MIDEM, Cannes, France

  • SXSW,  Austin Texas


Memberships

He is currently a member of:

  • The Law Society of Ontario

  • The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences

  • Society of Composers, Authors and Music Publishers

  • The Scarborough Arts Council

  • The Rails End Gallery in Halliburton

  • The League of Canadian Poets

  • The Toronto Blues Society

  • Connect Music Licensing

  • Past Member and Co-Chair for Canada of the International Association of Entertainment Lawyers (IAEL) Canadian Executive Committee

  • Community Center 55 Board Member


Volunteer Work

Paul is committed to the practice of law as a profession, not just as a business. He is co-founder of ALAS (Artists’ Legal Advice Services), Canada’s first summary advice legal service which offers free legal advice for artists of all disciplines and is a director of ALAC (Artists and Lawyers for the Advancement of Creativity) which oversees the operation of ALAS.

He served on the board of the Toronto Blues Society and has served as an advisory board member for the Music Gallery and the Humber College Music Program. Paul served on the board of directors for the Scarborough Arts Council when it was known as Arts Scarborough.

He was a member of the Canadian executive committee of the International Association of Entertainment Lawyers and has been a member of and acted as co-ordinator of the legal executive committee for Canadian Music Week.

He has appeared before the House of Commons Standing Committee on Taxation of Artists, made submissions to the Macauley Commission concerning arts and public education and prepared a major legal opinion for the Ontario Arts Council on film and video censorship.

He served as a volunteer adjudicator for the Scarborough Arts Council songwriting competition in its inaugural year, the Japanese Dream Audition and for the TTC Subway Musicians Auditions.


Personal

Paul is also a skilled musician (www.blueroommusic.com), award winning photographer, and a published poet (Seraphim Editions) (leagueofcanadianpoets). His personal portfolio can be viewed at www.paulsanderson.ca.