Barry Heyman has been practicing entertainment, intellectual property (copyrights and trademarks), and new media law for over fifteen years. In 2004, Barry founded Heyman Law where he is the principal attorney. In his law practice, Barry advises individuals and business on a wide variety of legal matters including drafting and negotiating contracts, forming corporate entities, and handling copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property matters. In addition, he provides strategic and commercial advice on various aspects of the music and media industries, including current technological changes and alternative copyright distribution and exploitation models.
Trained as a classical pianist (by renowned educator, author, and musicologist Dr. Lawrence Ferrara) and performing as a global music DJ has resulted in Barry’s deep understanding of the creative talent he represents adding to the knowledge and expertise he brings as an established entertainment industry professional and attorney. Barry’s clients include creative talent ranging from songwriters, recording and performing artists, to musicians, DJs, and designers. Other clients include entrepreneurs, startups, talent management companies, record and publishing companies, entertainment and media companies, events companies, marketing and public relations firms.
Barry began his career in 1992 within the Copyright/Business Affairs department of PolyGram and Universal Records. He later became in-house counsel for Eagle Rock Entertainment (producer and distributor of music programming for television and DVD, comprising live concerts and documentaries; and two subsidiary record companies, Spitfire Records and Eagle Records), and has consulted clients such as MTV Networks, Razorfish, and TouchTunes. In addition, Barry has worked with the law firms of Proskauer Rose, LLP and Debevoise & Plimpton. At Debevoise & Plimpton, Barry co-produced the television program The Digital Age with pre-eminent media and First Amendment attorney, James Goodale, Esq.
Barry is widely regarded as a knowledge leader and regularly speak on panels at music industry conferences. In addition to his law practice, Barry has held several teaching positions at academic institutions, including serving as the inaugural chairperson of the Music and Entertainment Business Program at the Institute of Audio Research (IAR), the world’s oldest audio engineering school. In his role at IAR, he launched the music business program and also taught a variety of music industry courses. Over the course of his career, he has served as an adjunct professor also teaching at New York University, The Hartt School of the University of Hartford, and presently at Five Towns College.