2017 Saturday champs & Judges' Choice Award winners!
With legal talent from Allen Matkins and Buchalter
Rocking for Los Angeles Center for Law and Justice

Attractive Nuisance roared onto the Whisky stage in 2014 for its inaugural Law Rocks! set. The Nuisance won the Judges' Choice Award in 2016 and won both the Saturday night concert and the Judges' Choice Award in 2017. Since last year’s event, the Nuisance has played gigs all over Southern California, from Agoura Hills to Hermosa Beach.  Law Rocks is thrilled that the Nuisance is bringing back its mosh-inspiring sound for 2018 in support of the Los Angeles Center for Law and Justice (LACLJ). The LACLJ is a free legal clinic in East LA providing services primarily to domestic violence survivors. The Nuisance could not be more proud to represent these brave individuals.

With legal talent from Doll Amir & Eley
Rocking Saturday for Redondo Beach Police Foundation

2015 champs and 2016 Judges' Choice Award winners, BIG DICTA, are back and ready to rock! Doll Amir & Eley lawyers, Sunset Strip veterans -- the danger of rocking too hard is indeed present. This year, all amps will be set at 11.5 and more cowbell is guaranteed.

Featuring legal talent from Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman
Rocking for ALS Association - Golden West Chapter

Don’t let the name fool you. The Doughboys rock it hard. Mixing original lyrics to familiar beats and riffs, they are as deft with a mic as they are with a memo. The quintet from Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman will rock for the ALS Association’s Golden West Chapter, and they’re ready to prove that it’s all about that bassoon, ‘bout that bassoon, no treble.

With talent from Spertus, Landes & Umhofer
Rocking for Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles

Law Rocks is a bit like life—you get to pretend you’re a rock star when in fact you’re middle management.  Matthew Umhofer embodies this, returning to the stage steeped in both pretense and mediocrity.  Just ask his partners at the internationally unrenowned law firm of Spertus, Landes & Umhofer, who successfully convinced him that everybody always remembers the guy after the ampersand—we all forget that Skadden dude, but everybody knows Flom’s the bomb, amirite?  

Matthew is a Grammy award-viewing artist best known for last year’s stomach-churning rendition of Danger Zone, which offended Kenny Loggins, Maverick, and the Iceman for very different reasons.  This year, Matthew will be performing again on behalf of the Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles, an esteemed and venerable organization that appreciates his enthusiasm but respectfully requests that he not do the part where he sings this year. 

To prepare for this year’s epic rock sesh, he’ll be taking time off from his full time jobs: (i) getting his colleagues to do as much of his work as possible while claiming credit for the wins; (ii) convincing his young daughters that Patrick Swayze’s performance in Roadhouse was Oscar-worthy; and (iii) tending his office shrine to Robert Mueller while repeatedly whispering, “Please hurry.”

2017 Friday night champs!
Starring legal professionals from Perkins Coie
Rocking for City of Hope

Privileged Communications formed in early 2013 to represent Perkins Coie in the Law Rocks! competition in Hollywood, California against other firms such as Latham & Watkins and DLA Piper. Privileged Communications comprises partner Michael Wise on lead vocals, partner Joe Hamilton on guitar, counsel Lara Dueppen and associate Oliver Gold on keyboards and drums, respectively, and non-Perkins attorney Niall Fordyce on bass. While Privileged Communications does not have any available recordings currently, the group is in contract discussions with several large record labels and expects to perform at the Super Bowl Halftime Show within the next few years.

Counsel for Justice brings together law firms, foundations, corporations, donors and volunteers in support of a more just Los Angeles. Together, we stand at the forefront of providing equal access to legal services in our community by raising funds and directly contributing at the frontlines of justice in five key areas: domestic violence, support of our veterans, immigration assistance, AIDS legal services and civic mediation.

Mental Health Advocacy Services, Inc. (MHAS) is a private, non-profit organization established in 1977 to provide free legal services to people with mental disabilities. MHAS assists both children and adults, with an emphasis on obtaining government benefits and services, protecting rights, and fighting discrimination.

The Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles ("WLALA") is dedicated to promoting the full participation of women lawyers and judges in the legal profession, maintaining the integrity of our legal system by advocating principles of fairness and equality, improving the status of women in our society including their exercise of equal rights and reproductive choice, and actively working towards the furtherance of these goals through WLALA's committees, sections and activities.

Starring legal talent from Hanson Bridgett; Kessenick, Gamma and Free; Peter Logan Law Offices
Rocking for St. Anthony's San Francisco and Blue Bear School of Music

Back for its 6th appearance at Law Rocks, 12th Root of Two plays tunes from the Rolling Stones, the Who and other classic rock bands.  Band members give back to the community, through Bar service, community volunteer activities, and playing for numerous charitable events in Northern California.

Featuring legal talent from Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP
Rocking for Child Advocates

The Combinations is a large band from the SF office of Morgan Lewis. They combine a wicked horn section, great guitars and bass, amazing vocalists and phenomenal keyboard player. Along with our talented drummer, The Combinations hope that you enjoy their hybrid 70's R&B/Motown,funk vibe. We love playing together and believe that music makes the world a better place!  Happy to lend our time and talent to fundraise!

Featuring legal talent from Farella, Braun + Martel/Winston & Strawn
Rocking for Rocket Dog Rescue

JIMMY'S BROTHER is an LA-based rock n’ roll band. No gimmicks, no nonsense. Just vocals, guitars, and attitude. Formed in 2009 after a chance meeting around an old hotel piano in downtown LA, the band is known for its high energy mix of originals and cover songs, late night impromptu concerts at the Omni, and their legendary one night only show at Casey's. Some boldly claim that Jimmy's Brother is one of the best acts to emerge from Winston & Strawn's Los Angeles office in recent years.

Featuring legal talent from Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger
Rocking for Bay Area Youth EMT Program

From one of the premier personal injury firms in the Bay Area comes a four-piece rock ensemble that will compel you to move. San Francisco’s own Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger has been delivering 7 and 8 figure results for their clients for over 6 decades. The firm’s first-ever band, Magnum PI, has been melting faces with 7- to 8-minute renditions of classic rock songs for just over 6 months. If the Battle of the Bands doesn’t settle out of court, this outfit is ready to go to verdict.

Featuring legal talent from Latham & Watkins
Rocking for All Stars Project of the San Francisco Bay Area

Covering a wide variety of rock and roll classics, Montgomery Station is thrilled to again be a part of this year’s “Law Rocks” Charity Concert!  Led by the powerful lead vocals of Peter Wald from Latham & Watkins, Montgomery Station’s roster of talent includes several Latham & Watkins attorneys along with some of their industry friends from Altschuler Berzon, Cornerstone Consulting, and TM Financial Forensics.   Originally known as Willful Misconduct, Montgomery Station has been playing together since 2013.  The band performs hits by the greats like The Rolling Stones, The Eagles, CCR, and Tom Petty, and regularly performs throughout the Bay Area.  Montgomery Station is proud to support and play on behalf of “The All Stars Project of the SF Bay Area” and hopes you enjoy rocking out with the band!

Joe Trofino is the Associate General Counsel and a senior executive in the Legal Affairs Department at ICM Partners, one of the world’s largest talent and literary agencies with offices in New York, Los Angeles, Washington D.C. and London, where he focuses on general corporate legal matters including litigation, corporate contracts, regulatory compliance, insurance matters, real estate, employment, business development and legal policy matters.  The agency represents creative and technical talent in the fields of motion picture, television, books, music, live performance, branded entertainment, and new media. Mr. Trofino joined ICM Partners in 2008.  Mr. Trofino currently lives in Culver City with his wife, Melissa, and 4 year old son/2032 NHL first round draft prospect, Crosby.

Dan Flores is a Senior Vice President and the head of litigation at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.  Prior to joining MGM in 2013, he practiced in the Los Angeles office of Gibson Dunn in the areas of entertainment, intellectual property, and antitrust law.  Dan received his J.D. degree from Columbia Law School in 2002 and graduated summa cum laude with a B.A. in Music from the University of Nevada Las Vegas in 1999.  He serves on the board of the Jazz Education Network, the leading organization supporting college and high school jazz educators and students, and he has previously served on the President’s Council at the Colburn School.  Dan currently plays tenor saxophone with Gary Greene and His Big Band of Barristers, an institution in the Los Angeles legal community that has allegedly been declared as America’s #1 Legal Band by the American Bar Association.  Once upon a time he could also play clarinet, guitar, bass, and piano reasonably well but now he is admittedly kind of a hack.  Dan’s favorite non-lawyer band is Fishbone.

Brian McDonald founded Thump Radio, Inc., in 1999 while in his 2nd year of law school.  He served as President of Thump Radio until 2006 - overseeing Thump Radio's growth into the first nationally syndicated radio show specializing in the global underground sound of psytrance, guitar trance, techno, drum'n'bass, and house.  In the early 2000s Thump Radio was the first to broadcast weekly 2 hour extended sets by the likes of future superstars such as Infected Mushroom, Bassnectar, Shpongle, S.U.N. Project, and Kaskade on FM stations and continent-wide on XM Satellite Radio.  Brian also produced over 150 live events in the Bay Area and LA.

Since leaving Thump Radio, Brian became a new media product specialist working for Fox Interactive Media, Demand Media, and Live Nation. He now works as a consultant to a variety of technology, media and film production companies in the LA area.  He recently launched a beta version of his new radio endeavor, Psybiza Radio, exclusively on www.psybiza.com.

"In-house lawyer by day, Rock-star by night.  Hilary Gevondyan currently serves as Vice President, Associate General Counsel at First Republic Bank, where she provides strategic and day-to-day advice to executives, bankers, board members, and other key bank personnel regarding consumer and commercial lending transactions, facilities issues, deposit and fraud matters, special assets, and secondary market considerations.  Previously, Hilary was in private practice with two large, international law firms where she had a particular niche with regard to hospitality assets and tax credit transactions and led the acquisition, disposition, and/or financing of over 50 hotels and 20 affordable housing projects.

Hilary is passionate about her family, community and civic engagement (including immigration and domestic violence related pro-bono work), singing (founding member and lead singer of 3-time Law Rocks champion band!), and she is currently re-learning how to play the piano.  She has been an adjunct professor at University of California’s Berkeley School of Law and Hastings College of the Law.  She is a graduate of Leadership San Francisco (sponsored by the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce) and was awarded Silicon Valley Business Journal’s 40 under 40.  Hilary received her JD from Harvard Law School (where she was the Editor in Chief of the Harvard Negotiation Law Review) and a BS from Boston University (summa cum laude).

Don Hardy is an award-winning documentary filmmaker, journalist, and storyteller. Don’s new film, Pick of the Litter, premiered at the Slamdance Film Festival in January 2018 and was purchased by IFC Films/Sundance Selects for theatrical distribution.

Currently, Don is in production on two new feature documentaries: A Band Called Failure about the influential 90’s rock band, Failure and Camp Penn which tells the story of the birth and growth of Sean Penn’s aid organization J/P HRO after a catastrophic earthquake shook Haiti in 2010.

Don’s previous film, Theory of Obscurity, about the legendary music and art collective known as The Residents, premiered at SXSW in 2015 and was released theatrically by Film Movement in April of 2016.

Over the years, Don has won numerous awards for his films, photography, and editing including 6 regional Emmys, 3 Edward R. Murrow Awards, 7 Associated Press Awards, the prestigious San Francisco Bay Area Photographer of the Year Award and more than 15 National Press Photographer Association Awards.

Don’s film The Human Experiment was released in theaters by Area 23a and on VOD by FilmBuff in the spring of 2015. Narrated and executive produced by Oscar® winner Sean Penn, the film lifts the veil on the shocking reality that thousands of untested chemicals are in our everyday products, our homes and inside of us.

Don also served as Director of Photography on Batkid Begins, which premiered at Slamdance in early 2015. Batkid Begins was released by Warner Brothers/New Line Cinema in June 2015.

In 2011, Don’s film, Love Hate Love, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. The film won several film festival awards and had its US broadcast premiere on the Oprah Winfrey Network in 2012.

His first film, Witch Hunt, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2008 and was broadcast on MSNBC.

Tony Berman (tony@beat-law.com): Tony Berman is the founder of Berman Entertainment and Technology Law, a law firm focusing on issues implicated by the convergence of technology and the entertainment industry. His primary practice areas involve negotiation of entertainment contracts and advising clients on legal issues involved in the formation of entertainment-related organizations and protection of copyrights and trademarks. His clients include record companies, multimedia companies, app developers, game companies, online content distribution companies, professional sport organizations, management companies, film and television production companies, presenters of live entertainment, music venues, publishers, producers, technologists and industry executives as well as writers, performers and artists. 

Tony is the editor-in-chief of Multimedia & Entertainment Law Online News (MELON) and a contributing editor to Entertainment Industry Contracts, published by Matthew Bender. He is also an adjunct professor at Golden Gate University School of Law where he teaches Negotiating and Drafting Contracts in the Entertainment Business. 

Tony has served on the board of governors of The Recording Academy San Francisco Chapter and the AFTRA Advisory Board of Managers and Attorneys. He was the chair of the Sports and Entertainment Law Section of the Bar Association of San Francisco from 1998 through 1999. 

He frequently speaks at entertainment industry conferences including the South By Southwest Music & Media Conference, the SF MusicTech Summit, the NAB Conference, the Summer Music Conference, the Bandwidth Conference, the Global Entertainment and Media Summit, the Music Law Summit West, the Future of Music Policy Summit, California Lawyers for the Arts Music Business Seminar and the Streaming Media Conference. Tony has been interviewed by media including CNN, CNET, NBC, KGO Radio, Tech TV, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Business Week, Wired, The Chicago Tribune, The Los Angeles Times and The San Francisco Chronicle. 

Prior to practicing law, Tony was involved in the entertainment industry as a manager, producer, performer and concert presenter. 

Featuring legal professionals from Shulman Rogers
Rocking for Martha's Table.

Law Professionals by day, song slingers by night. The Fine Print features attorneys and staff from Shulman Rogers and members of local bar band Film at Eleven, creating a powerhouse band for charity. The lawyers at Shulman Rogers have performed with a diverse roster of Grammy award-winning and nominated musicians, including Ambrosia, Marty Balin (Jefferson Airplane), Orleans, Jeff Peterson (Slack Key Guitarist) and others.

Featuring legal professionals from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and Bloomberg BNA.

Rocking for the Federal Employee Education and Assistance Fund (FEEA), a charitable organization created by federal employees, for federal employees. FEEA provides emergency and educational assistance to feds in need, so they can continue to do what they are committed to doing every day: serving the interests of the American people.

Black’s Law Dictionary defines G.O.A.T. Rodeo as “a goat-tastic extravaganza of rock and roll soundsations!”

But don’t take their word for it. Here’s what real life people who actually exist are saying about G.O.A.T. Rodeo:

• “Upon certification that G.O.A.T. Rodeo has successfully completed all court-ordered community service, the charges are hereby dismissed.” - The Honorable Judge Reinhold, District of Columbia Superior Court

• “G.O.A.T. Rodeo, when applied daily, relieves the symptoms of hoof and mouth disease. I recommend it to all my patients. That is factual. Please quote me on that in any promotional materials.” - Dr. William E. Cabra, D.D.S., L.L.M.

Are you a fed? Do you know a fed? Have you ever driven on an interstate highway or mailed a letter? Come to the show. Donate to FEEA. Help G.O.A.T. Rodeo protect the integrity of the federal workforce!!

VOTE FOR THE G.O.A.T.!!!

Featuring in-house counsel from General Dynamics Mission Systems; ASRC Federal; Fannie Mae; Merchant Link; Amazon Web Services
Rocking for Sentinels of Freedom

IC/DC was formed specifically to perform at Law Rocks DC and aims to accomplish two things: (1) poking some good natured fun at our law firm friends – both through a couple parody songs and by displaying our time management superiority by pulling this show off with just 2 practices as a band; and (2) raising a bunch of money for Sentinels of Freedom – an awesome organization that assists severely wounded and injured post-9/11 Veterans successfully complete higher education, find career-focused employment, and gain financial independence. Look for local Sentinels at the show and thank them for their service and sacrifice!

IC/DC are: Elizabeth Pierce (vocals); Katie John (vocals); Cliff Greenblatt (guitar); Devon Engel (bass); Michael Tow (keyboards); Marc Zoellner (drums), Nick Stevens (guitar and vocals); and Jonas Goldstein (guitar and vocals).

Featuring legal professionals from Walsh, Colucci, Lubeley, & Walsh, PC
Rocking for HomeAid Northern Virginia

Walsh, Colucci, Lubeley & Walsh has a little known secret weapon at its disposal: the powerful sound of Larry and the Land Lawyers, a rollicking band led by three attorneys at the firm: the esteemed Mark Goetzman on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, the amazing Mike Kieffer on lead guitar, the super-cool John Rinaldi on the Bass Guitar. They are joined by the Larry Clark (of Donatelli Development, Inc.) on Drums. Once again, Larry and the Land Lawyers will perform at the fourth annual Law Rocks DC concert to raise funds for HomeAid Northern Virginia, a charitable organization that is dedicated to building new lives for the homeless through housing and community outreach.

Featuring legal professionals from Humanity United, the Rader Group, Concept Law, the National Music Publisher's Association (NMPA), Norton Rose Fulbright, and Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney
Rocking for Martha's Table

Running With The Land proudly joins Law Rocks DC for the first time in 2018 to support and raise funds for Martha's Table in DC, an organization dedicated to serving the homeless. The band promises a fun mix of tunes from its talented performers. Come out on September 13 to the legendary 9:30 Club, a venue that Rolling Stone Magazine ranked as the best music club in the country. Donate, buy tickets, and join us to rock.

Running With The Land features Evan Sheres (guitar/vocals), Ben Christoff (guitar/vocals), Corban Teague (bass), Erich Carey (guitar/vocals), Vijay Rao (drums), and David Leibovitch (keys).

Featuring legal professionals from Perkins Coie LLP; AFL-CIO; Alliance for Green Heat
Rocking for Cheyenne River Youth Project (CRYP)

Terminal Disclaimer is the house band of Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox, a Washington, D.C.-based IP specialty firm (that’s why we have the patent-geeky band name). The band, established in 2014, includes SKGF Directors Don Banowit (guitar) and Rob Esmond (guitar); Of Counsel Kristina Caggiano Kelly (vocals); Associates Ryan Richardson (vocals), Josh Miller (guitar) and Lauren Schleh (drums); Student Associate Steve Pappas (bass); and SKGF Marketing & Communications Director, Kathryn Holmes Johnson (vocals & tambourine). Donations on behalf of Terminal Disclaimer will go to the Legal Aid Justice Center (LAJC), a Virginia nonprofit organization whose mission is to strengthen the voices of low-income communities and root out the inequities that keep people in poverty. LAJC uses impact litigation, community organizing, and policy advocacy to solve urgent problems in areas such as housing, education, civil rights, immigration, healthcare and consumer finance. Thank you for your support of Terminal Disclaimer and this important local cause. Rock on! 

Doorways for Women and Families an organization that creates pathways out of homelessness, domestic violence and sexual assault leading to safe, stable and empowered lives.

HomeAid Northern Virginia builds and renovates homeless shelters and other facilities that help those struggling with homelessness gain safe, stable housing where they can improve their circumstances and get back on their feet. HomeAid leverages the resources of the homebuilding industry to undertake the projects at a fraction of the cost so that shelter organizations can redirect those dollars back into programs and services for the homeless and not in construction costs.
 

Loo Katz is the owner, CEO & DJ for HOUND RADIO, a new internet-only radio station that plays “MUSIC, CHAT, THIS & THAT”.

Born in Alexandria, Virginia Loo is a life-long resident of the metro Washington area. Married to Wendy in 1991 and has two, grown children – Max & Bonnie.

Loo started one of the first high school radio stations in the D.C. metro area. He has worked in various areas of the broadcasting business: On air (His first love), Programming & Operations, Engineering, and Promotions & Marketing.

Loo has been a fixture in the DC radio scene for over four decades. A timeline:

1971 WGTS-FM (On-air volunteer)
1971 WHFS-FM Host, “High School Happenings”
1972 WMUC-AM (On-air at the University of Maryland – College Park)
1973 WEAM-AM, WEEL-AM, WEZR-FM (On-air)
1974 WOHN-AM (Program Director & on-air)
NBC Washington (Radio Studio Engineer WRC-AM & WKYS-FM)
1976 WWDC-AM (Production/Programming & on-air)
1980 WAVA-FM (Production)
1982 WPGC (Promotions/On-air)
1984 WAVA-FM (On-air)
1989 WMZQ-FM (On-air)
1989 WRQX-FM (Production & On-air)
2000 WASH-FM (On-air)
2018 HOUND RADIO

Loo is also involved in the community, serving as host for events such as Leukemia Ball & Light-The-Night fund raisers, National Cherry Blossom Festival Parade, American Heart Association’s Greater Washington Heart Walk, Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure and many others.

Shawn Dailey has been a professional touring and recording musician since the age of 17. Most recently he played bass for Courtney Love / Hole. He has also toured and recorded with several other critically acclaimed rock bands. He currently serves as Executive Director for the Take Me to The River Music Education Initiative, a charity that seeks to inspire a deeper understanding of civil rights, music history, and cross-generational collaboration.

Elliot S. Berke serves as Managing Partner of Berke Farah LLP. Prior to founding Berke Farah LLP, Elliot served as a partner and as practice group co-chair at McGuireWoods LLP. He has been named by Chambers USA as a "Nationwide Best Lawyer" and by Washingtonian as one of "Washington's Best Lawyers." His diverse client base consists of federal and state elected and appointed officials, campaign committees, political parties, PACs, corporations, small businesses, trade associations, lobbying firms, public relations firms, nonprofits and individuals. He represents clients before congressional ethics and oversight committees, the FEC, the DOJ, and other and federal and state departments and agencies. He has represented presidential appointees on their confirmation over three Administrations. He has represented the top four leadership positions in the U.S. House of Representatives – Speaker, Majority Leader, Majority Whip, and Conference Chair – as either in-house or outside counsel, and currently serves as outside counsel for Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Conference Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers. In August 2017, Elliot was appointed by Speaker Paul Ryan to the Board of Advisors of the Election Assistance Commission. He has run election day war rooms for presidential and gubernatorial candidates. He is a frequent speaker on political law, and regularly conducts the ethics training for the Congressional Institute's Members of Congress and Chief of Staff retreats. His commentary has appeared in media outlets including Fox's Special Report w/Bret Baier and Tucker Carlson Tonight, NBC Nightly News, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, USAToday, Politico and the Washington Post. Learn more here.

Beverly Davis is the managing member of Davis Law, PLLC, an entertainment law firm that helps television, film, new media, theater, and live event clients think creatively and act strategically. Ms. Davis assists clients with all aspects of the production process including obtaining IP rights, script development, negotiating production services, co-production, development, shopping, talent, packaging and related agreements, clearing music and content rights, and pre-broadcast legal review. She also helps clients manage their intellectual property, litigation, and address labor and employment issues. You may contact Ms. Davis through her website or by calling (202) 441-8278.

Zeke Roeser is 5'8" and 160lbs of diamond-hard rock 'n' roll.  He is a trial lawyer and the principal of Roeser Law Firm, a personal injury practice in Washington, DC.  He litigates primarily in DC and Maryland, and has successfully represented thousands of DC-area residents.

Mr. Roeser's interest in music and entertainment is hard-wired.  He was born to an acting teacher and the founder and lead guitarist of a venerable, white-shoe classic rock band from New York City.  He will not say which, but he will advise that he has attended 100+ Blue Öyster Cult concerts from the age of fetus through his present 40th year.  He believes that life begins at rock 'n' roll.

Mr. Roeser is a member of the Trial Lawyers Association of Washington DC, the Maryland Association for Justice, and the secretive Federalist Society.

Prior to joining Keating Chambers in 1981, Sir Vivian Ramsey had previously enjoyed a notable earlier career in civil engineering. Gaining a degree in Engineering Science from Oriel College, Oxford, he went on to work with Ove Arup in both London and Libya. Following his move to the Bar, Sir Vivian Ramsey quickly established his expertise in construction and engineering disputes. Showing a particular affinity for international cases, he was soon practising in many parts of the world, including appearances before courts in the Far East and West Indies and arbitrations in four continents

Appointed to the High Court Bench in 2005, Sir Vivian Ramsey was voted Construction Silk of the Year by Chambers Directory. He served as Head of Chambers from 2002 until his appointment to the Bench in 2005. He was appointed the Judge in charge of the Technology and Construction Court in 2007. In 2011, he was appointed the Judge in charge of the Estates and Chairman of the Judicial Advisory Group on IT. In 2012, he was appointed the Judge in charge of the implementation of the reforms arising from Sir Rupert Jackson’s Review of Civil Litigation Costs: Final Report. Sir Vivian Ramsey retired from the UK bench in late 2014 and appointed to the new Singapore International Commercial Court (SICC) in early 2015.

He continues as joint editor, with Stephen Furst QC, of the latest edition of Keating on Construction Contracts. Most importantly perhaps, Sir Vivian is a Trustee of The Law Rocks Foundation and has supported our initiatives since the concept became a reality back in 2009.

Rick Vittenson is half of the Chicagoland duo Athanor. The band was founded in 1973, releasing three singles, and was rediscovered in 2010, resulting in their being signed by Guerssen Records, which released two albums,Flashback and Inside Out. Their third album, Hills of the Universe, will be released by Kool Kat Records this fall. They’ve recorded with the help of members of numerous Chicago area bands, including The Del-Vetts, The Mauds, Graced Lightning and Shoes. Formerly the Director of Copyrights and Contracts and the Director of the Center for Continuing Legal Education for the American Bar Association, where he was a member of the ABA’s house band, Malpractice, Rick is presently the Contract Administrator for Rotary International.

David Silbaugh is best known as a Talent Buyer for Summerfest, "The World's Largest Music Festival", in Milwaukee, WI. The 11 day festival books over 800 artists in nearly all genres, featuring international headlining artists as well as emerging artists. He also produces the noted Emerging Artists Series for the festival. Silbaugh has served as an A&R Consultant for GMR Marketing aswell, having previously spent 4 years in that role for Banshee Music under the GMR Marketing umbrella. Banshee Music was a “sonic branding” agency, creating custom music for sports teams, sporting events, and brands. With a diverse background in music and the music business, David is also a voting member of The Recording Academy (GRAMMYs) and currently serves on The Recording Academy Advocacy Committee (Chicago/Midwest), the Board of Directors for Sing Me A Story, and the Advisory Board for FestForums.

Along the Drive is a Chicago based indie/alternative rock band with legal talent from McDermott Will & Emery LLP.

Facebook | Spotify | YouTube | Record Label

Featuring legal talent from Greenberg Traurig LLP; Loeb & Loeb LLP
Rocking for LAF Chicago

Guy Incognito has been playing the Chicago music scene intermittently since 2007, after having finally outgrown their mothers' basements. The band's tight harmonies and foundational piano are grounded by the enveloping guitar of award-winning songwriter Barry Horwitz. Guy Incognito began as the reunion of front man Horwitz—now a shareholder at Greenberg Traurig—with his longtime collaborator and keyboard player Rob Newman—now a partner at Loeb & Loeb—and drummer Scott Hinden, a trio that released their first album in 1998 as Recollection. Early on, the band found its rocking sound through the addition of the legendary Alex Howe on lead guitar, and its creative endeavors culminated in the band’s first EP The Great Unknown, released in 2016. For Law Rocks Chicago, the band is proud to be joined by the ever-talented Loeb & Loeb associate Ryan Martin on bass and Greenberg Traurig associate Kyle Flynn on guitar, and to raise money for LAF—the largest provider of free civil legal aid services in Chicagoland.

Ready once again to delight audiences with its self-aware swagger and bring its awkward jubilee to the drunken masses, Guy Incognito -- who's that?

With legal talent from The John Marshall Law School; U.S. Government
Rocking for Community Legal Clinics at The John Marshall Law School

Man Fighting Bear is a rock band based in Chicago, IL where two of the three members live. The other one lives in Hampton, VA.

Bill Beach plays piano, organ, synth, and sings backup.

Chris Beach plays drums, percussion, sequencers, and sings backup.

Erik Fagrelius plays bass and sings lead vocal.

Chris is Bill's son. Erik is Bill's best friend. Bill is a former Dean of The John Marshall Law School where Erik and Chris currently work.

Featuring legal talent from Axiom Law; Baker McKenzie; McDermott Will & Emery LLP
Rocking for Chicago Scholars

Zane the Gr8 is one-half of the duo known as Santiago x The Natural (see wiki below). After years of collaborating and touring together, each of Santiago X and The Natural (Zane the Gr8) have decided to take a brief hiatus from Santiago x The Natural to work on solo projects. During his tenure as a member of Santiago x The Natural, Zane the Gr8 opened for Akon, SuperDuperKyle, The Clipse, Mya, Talib Kweli, Curren$y and others, and also had songs featured on ESPN. Additionally, Zane the Gr8 performed at the North by Northeast Music Festival in Toronto, Canada.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santiago_x_The_Natural

Rocking for United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey

Featuring legal talent from Blank Rome LLP; Radian; Dechert LLP; First American Title Insurance Company, Alternative Dispute Revolution features Sir Ernest “Emerald Ernie” Atella on vocals, Matt “Insert Nickname Here” Rubba on guitar, Lev “Killer” Kalman on guitar, Kevin “K-Rok” Rakowski on bass, and Rich “I’d Rather Be Playing Bass” Ratner on the drums.

2017 Champions of Law Rocks Philadelphia, ADR returns to defend its title and its honor. Prepare to get rocked.

Special guest performance!  Blue Waters is a blues rock band primarily comprised of current or former Assistant United States Attorneys from the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

Featuring legal talent from Hangley Aronchick Segal Pudlin & Schiller
Rocking for The Philadelphia Bar Foundation

All systems are go as the Lift Offs return for a second year to rock into orbit with Law Rocks. Thrilled to raise money for the Philadelphia Bar Foundation -- Philadelphia’s philanthropic hub for legal aid -- the band members agree that nothing is better than combining access to justice with access to rock. Playing everything from lost rock classics to eccentric originals, Steve Perlsweig (guitar, vocals), Alan Promer (bass, vocals), and Sam Zolten (drums, vocals) will deliver the sonic equivalent of a court order compelling you to groove the night away.

Featuring legal talent from Walkers Global
Rocking for Community Food Bank of New Jersey Kids Café and New York Food Bank Campus Pantry

Fresh from an acclaimed tour of Caribbean beach bars and rusty car parks, 1981 are bringing their off-beat rhythms and rich, dark tones back to the Gramercy. Guitars are tuned. Amps are humming. And Nat is just getting warmed up on vocals. Strap in Gotham: it’s gonna be epic.

Featuring legal talent from Winston & Strawn; Farella, Braun + Martell
Rocking for Charity: Water

JIMMY'S BROTHER is an LA-based rock n’ roll band with a significant following in the New York area as well. No gimmicks, no nonsense. Just vocals, guitars, and attitude. Formed in 2009 after a chance meeting around an old hotel piano in downtown LA, the band is known for its high energy mix of originals and cover songs. No stranger to the Law Rocks stage, the band has won multiple “Judges’ Choice Awards” in Los Angeles and San Francisco and two overall championships.

Featuring legal talent from Greenberg Traurig
Rocking for Child Center of NY

The Meltones, named for Greenberg Traurig founder, Mel Greenberg, have rocked for decades, playing shows across the US from New York to Miami to Vegas. Returning from their fourth straight Law Rocks victory, this year The Meltones are jamming for The Child Center of NY. The Meltones draw homegrown talent from across GT’s worldwide network, including GT NY’s very own Stephen Rabinowitz (guitar), Tracy Newirth and Ashley LeBlanc (vocals), and Jim Mussen (drums); Original Meltone, Burt Bruton from Miami (bass), joins Chris Cernik from Albany (keys), Tony Hatchett from Atlanta (vocals), Thédoor Melchers from Amsterdam (trombone), MO Lovett from Houston (vocals), Mark Mattioli from Philadelphia (guitar), and guest band member Rick Rourke on the sax. The Meltones are thrilled to rock the Gramercy in support of The Child Center of NY.

Featuring legal talent from White & Case; Chiesa, Shahinian & Giantomasi; Atlassian; and Palantir
Rocking for Harlem Grown

Mistrial was originally formed in 2014 by five lawyers in White & Case’s NYC office. Known to rock at events large and small, Mistrial features the vocal stylings of Brian Kim, the riffs of Charles May (guitar), the rhythms of Daniel Cohen (vocals/guitar), the grooves of Raj Gandesha (bass), the beats of Joshua Weedman (drums), and the talents of Kate Swisher (keys). Mistrial is excited to bring its spin on modern, new wave and classical rock to Law Rocks, and raise some money for Harlem Grown!

Featuring legal talent from Davis Polk & Wardwell
Rocking for Advocates for Children of New York

“A band whose appeal can never be denied”

Featuring legal talent from WilmerHale
Rocking for The Scarlett Fund

Willy C. Picker cut his teeth playing country and blues in small clubs along the banks of the Potomac. He had a loyal following, but was never able to break into the big time until he joined up with a brash band of Boston rockers—the Hale Stormers.  Together, Willy and the Hale Stormers deliver an energetic blend of 1990s and 2000s rock and R&B.  They are excited to grace the Law Rocks stage for the first time in 2018, and equally excited to raise money for the Scarlett Fund, which helps fund groundbreaking pediatric cancer research.

Rob Swift is a Philadelphia based singer-songwriter, and educator best known for his work on YouTube providing guitar lessons and original music to over 300,000 subscribers. He has performed throughout the greater Philadelphia area and beyond with his band The Rivals for over a decade, and has worked as a studio engineer and film-maker for some of city's most notable artists. In the coming months, Rob looks forward to continuing his work as one of the internet's most trusted guitar instructors, as he prepares to release his first solo album. 

Michael Silver has been in the entertainment industry for over 25 years. First as a signed musician, releasing three albums and touring internationally, and subsequently as co-owner of Bingo Records and co-founder and partner in the law firm of Cohen & Silver, LLC.

Cohen & Silver clients have been involved in all facets of the entertainment industry. Music industry clients include members of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Songwriter’s Hall of Fame, and Grammy Award winners. Other clients include legacy publishing catalogs, record labels, producers, recording studios, songwriters, studio musicians, touring agencies, and some of the hottest young and upcoming artists making music today.

More recently, Cohen & Silver has represented some of the most famous social media stars in the world, including internationally known figures from YouTube and Instagram. Current clients have a combined YouTube subscriber base of over 45 million and combined video views of almost 10 billion. Many of these stars have branched out into more traditional media and several clients have recently launched TV shows based on their social media stardom.

Other clients include successful and award winning authors, production companies, screenwriters, graphic artists, actors, models, managers and management companies, as well as more traditional business clients, running the gamut from start-ups to public companies.

Contact at: michael@cohenandsilver.com

Wendy is an Associate at Cohen, Weiss and Simon LLP, one of the nation's leading firms devoted exclusively to representing the interests of labor and working people.  With over twenty years of musical experience, Wendy has found ways to integrate her love of music and performing into her personal and professional life, staying active in the music scene while representing major entertainment unions (and other terrific clients, too) in NYC and across the country.

In her spare time, Wendy is both an advisor to - and frequent performer with - The "Leave a Lasting Mark" Concert Series, a monthly event based at the world famous Bitter End, which brings local independent musicians (including Wendy on both vocals and flute) together to raise money for charities such as Oxfam, Foundation Fighting Blindness, Covenant House and others. The themes of the shows range from eras and events like Motown, Woodstock and 80's music, to artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Prince, Tom Petty, Madonna and more. Over the past 7 years, the series has worked with over 30 charities, and has raised over $70,000 for a variety of worthy causes and organizations.

During her 7 years living in Brooklyn, Wendy has also talked her way into performing on stage with such illustrious acts as Cousin Earth (formerly Ukulelien), BELT, Primate Fiasco, Uncle Ebenezer, the WarrenScott Band, the Whistles, and the New York City Bar Association Chorus.  When not at work, Wendy can most likely be found on the road with the electric ukulele jam/folk/fusion phenomenon Cousin Earth (featuring her husband, Terrence Brennan on vocals, keys and lead kazoo) at venues and festivals throughout the northeast.

Anthony Bozza still has the first record he ever bought, Billy Joel’s Glass Houses. He also has the first record he ever “got,” which is a 45 of Blondie’s “Heart of Glass” that he stole. Both records came from the same store, Record Town in Manhasset, Long Island. He was 9 years old, and has been obsessed with music ever since. Around the same time, he also figured out that he loved to read and began consuming long, detailed books, mostly from the UK, by Charles Dickens, J.R.R. Tolkein, and C.S. Lewis as well as Americans like Mark Twain and Walter Farley. Anthony went through school loving history and English while suffering through math and science and in college chose to study the only thing they didn’t teach him about in high school: the history of Africa and the Middle East. Simultaneously, he developed a passion for investigating the details he found in the fine print at the bottom of album liner notes and curated a library of bootleg studio and live recordings of The Grateful Dead, The Rolling Stones, The Cure and The Smashing Pumpkins, who became his favorite local band during the four years he spent living in Chicago attending Northwestern University.

He graduated, spent a year ski bumming in Boulder, Colorado, intending to return to school with the goal of becoming a professor, but that didn’t happen. Instead, both of his passions came together when he got an internship at two very different culturally significant magazines in the same day: Paper and Rolling Stone. Though he preferred the downtown cool of Paper, it was obvious (as spelled out to him by a staffer at Paper) that the latter position held greater promise of a paying job, one which would allow him to quit bar tending at that horror-movie themed pub in the West Village.

And so it went. Anthony Bozza worked as an intern for the now defunct Rolling Stone Press division, becoming an adept researcher, tracking down the likes of Giorgio Moroder and Kim Fowley for the update to Rolling Stone’s Rock & Roll Encyclopedia (1995), which led to his salaried gig as an assistant to the magazine’s Librarian. From there it was a game of checkers: he moved over to the Music Department and was an assistant to several Music Editors (two of whom were fired – the 90’s were a tumultuous time). Through diligent perseverance, he began to land the odd piece in the magazine, usually by volunteering for whatever assignment the staff writers didn’t want to do. He moved up to a a featured columnist, helmed the Raves column, Random Notes, and did stories on all kinds of things, like the greatest Summer Songs ever written and whatever happened to Sly Stone (he learned, at the time, that Sly was living in LA with two nubile 19 year old twin sisters). Along the way Anthony ate pastrami with Bo Diddley and had Ozzy Osbourne tell him the now legendary story of how he snorted a line of live ants in order to show his upstart opening band, Mötley Crüe, who was boss. Anthony also hung out and profiled a bunch of actors and was the only staffer excited to go to Staten Island to interview Wu Tang Clan. In 1997 or so, he became obsessed with an unsigned white rapper from Detroit named Eminem and told his music editor all about him. His boss entertained Anthony’s enthusiasm, and two years later, when said rapper was signed to Interscope, did the right thing and dispatched him to do a short story about the making of the video for a song called “My Name Is.” What was assigned to be a 250 word piece ballooned into a 6000 word cover story, the first national coverage of Eminem anywhere. It was quite the story too, it made Anthony’s career, and Eminem’s too, in a way.

In the next few years, Anthony Bozza wrote six more cover stories, before leaving Rolling Stone to write what would become his first New York TimesBestseller, Whatever You Say I Am: The Life and Times of Eminem. The book was an international hit as well, lingering atop bestseller lists in England, Germany, France and South America. More than a biography, the book contextualizes Eminem as a signpost of the race, class and cultural temperature of America at the turn of the millennium.

He then turned to co-writing, jumping the fence with Tommyland, the NYTBestselling autobiography of Tommy Lee. Tommy moved Anthony into his house and into his world, and all of it is in the pages. The two of them remain the best of friends to this day.

Afterwards, Anthony relocated to Australia for three months, to research INXS Story to Story: The Official Autobiography. He met with just about everyone who ever worked for the beloved Australian band still living on the Sydney side of the continent. A detailed retelling of the band’s history, it is the definitive document of the Michael Hutchence era, including interviews with some of the deceased singer’s nearest and dearest, several of whom hadn’t spoken about him publicly since his death.

He then returned to LA to co-write another NYT Bestseller, Slash: It Seems Excessive But That Doesn’t Mean It Didn’t Happen, with the famously private, taciturn Guns n’ Roses guitarist. The result was dubbed one of the top five rock autobiographies of all time by Rolling Stone and it should be: equal parts debauchery and musicology, it’s as honest and timeless as Slash’s guitar tone.

Returning home to New York City, Anthony changed gears, signing on to write with veteran comedian, Howard Stern co-host, and fellow East Coast Italian-American Artie Lange. The resulting book, Too Fat to Fish, changed his idea of co-writing forever, and debuted at #1 on the New York Times Bestseller list, where it remained in the top 20 for twenty-two weeks. Both touching and hilarious, it transcended the comedian memoir as genre, making fans of readers who had never before heard of Artie Lange.

Next came a return to music analysis, with Why AC/DC Matters, a thesis arguing the merits of one of rock and roll’s most critically shunned yet essential institutions. Why AC/DC Matters set the record straight and inspired a series of similarly formatted Why (blank) Matters books in AC/DC’s native Australia with Anthony’s book being Volume 1.

I Am the New Black, co-written with SNL and 30 Rock star Tracy Morgan came next and was yet another challenge. Though Tracy’s off-the-wall perspective came through stylistically, the struggle and heartbreak he’s survived in life was what emerged most powerfully – and surprisingly –  on the page.

Anthony’s next book, Purpose: An Immigrant’s Story, co-written with Wyclef Jean, detailed the Haitian musician’s impoverished childhood in his homeland and rise to hip-hop superstardom in America. It answered a question that had been lingering for nearly ten years – why exactly did the Fugees break up? The writing of the book was interrupted by two seismic events: the tragic earthquake in Haiti and Wyclef’s decision to run for President of his homeland. He came back from those experiences a changed man, and fittingly the book changed with him.

While working with Wyclef, Artie Lange reached out to Anthony to begin the process of writing their follow up to Too Fat to Fish. He had spent two inert years recovering from depression, drug addiction and a suicide attempt and had barely survived his darkest depths. They slowly began to piece together what became Crash and Burn, their second New York TimesBestseller and one of the hardest pieces of writing Anthony has ever undertaken.

In 2012, an assignment for Playboy magazine brought Anthony to Hawaii to interview legendary drummer Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac. The two formed a bond and embarked on two years of work and intense soul searching on Mick’s part, resulting in Play On: Now, Then & Fleetwood Mac. The memoir captures a life unlike any other, spanning forty years of rock and roll from the perspective of one of the most gifted, thoughtful and humble characters in the history of classic rock.

Throughout the spring and summer of 2014, Anthony tailed Derek Jeter, the greatest baseball player he’s ever seen play the game, as he prepared to take his final bow. The resulting interviews became the narrative text of Jeter Unfiltered, a collection of intimate photos commemorating his last season as well as his twenty year career. As a lifelong Yankee fan, Anthony was on cloud nine. As a sports fan, he had been eager to work with an athlete, and couldn’t have dreamed of a better place to start.

Featuring legal talent from the Office of the Salt Lake County District Attorney

Featuring legal talent from Adams Davis

Featuring legal talent from Salt Lake Legal Defenders and Law Offices of Andrew Fackrell

With legal talent from Breglio Law Office.