At her core, Valerie Ojeda is a storyteller with a Chicago soul. Known for her boundless energy and a voice that can command any room, Valerie has built a career around the magic of human connection. During the week, she is the professional face of Fortune 500 leaders like Dell, 3M, and Microsoft, traveling the country as a corporate presenter and event emcee. But when the weekend arrives, Valerie finds her true home on stage.

As the lead singer and manager of "Anthem Road," she has shared the spotlight with icons like Berlin and Warrant, but her most cherished memories are the moments that move the spirit. From singing the National Anthem for a stadium of fans to her life-changing experience performing for U.S. Troops in Kuwait this past summer, Valerie’s heart is always with her audience. For her, being on stage is more than just entertainment; it is an act of service. Joining Law Rocks is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream: the opportunity to turn her "highest form of consciousness" into a tangible way to give back to the communities she loves.

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Stuart Brawley is a JUNO nominated music producer, songwriter, composer, and pianist. His work includes Michael Jackson, Don Henley, Barbra Streisand, Celine Dion, NSYNC, Lenka, Foo Fighters, and many more. With over 1.3 Billion streams, Stuart’s music is truly worldwide. Stuart runs the fundraising at the non profit Pasadena Waldorf School and teaches music production at the high school.

He is honored and thrilled to be a judge for this fundraising event.

Raised in South Central, Los Angeles, Calmatic is a self-taught filmmaker who discovered his passion for telling stories at a young age. As a director, he seeks to stretch the limits of viewers’ reality while highlighting the beauty in the mundane. His creative curiosity has allowed him to solidify a place for himself in a constantly evolving industry.

Calmatic’s video collaborations span some of music’s most influential artists. Perhaps his most well-known project is Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” ft. Billy Ray Cyrus, which won the Grand Prix Entertainment Lions for Music at the 2020/2021 Cannes Lions as well as a VMA for Best Director. The video currently has over 1.3 Billion views. He has also collaborated with Donald Glover, Kendrick Lamar, The Rolling Stones, Tyler, The Creator, Zayn Malik, Lizzo, Anderson .Paak, and more.

In 2020, Ad Age named Calmatic “Director of the Year.” The year prior, he was recognized in a national ad for AT&T’s “Codes of The Culture” campaign as one of the leading filmmakers in the new Black Hollywood.

He has successfully transitioned into directing commercials for global brands including Apple, Target, NBA, Sprite, Chase, Geico, Ad Council, Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, McDonald’s, and TurboTax. Throughout his career, he has directed five Super Bowl spots: Turbo Tax in 2020, Michelob Ultra in 2021, Crypto in 2022, and both Popeyes and Silk in 2024.

Calmatic made his feature directorial debut in January 2023 with the remake of the 90s cult classic House Party. His sophomore film, the remake of White Men Can’t Jump, was released in Spring 2023.

Rita George is Chief Program Officer for the GRAMMY Museum®. In her role, George provides leadership, strategy and managerial oversight to the curatorial, community engagement, education, production, digital media and operations teams, connecting internal and external partners to scale the Museum’s diverse programming to reach a broader audience both locally and nationwide. George continues to lead new business development efforts, expand DEIA initiatives, and help oversee the Museum’s offsite locations. As part of the leadership team, George provides support to the Museum's President and Board of Directors, policy development and HR initiatives.

Previously as Chief Operating Officer, George oversaw day-to-day business and operations for the Museum, led new business development efforts and museum renovations, and managed the strategic planning and curatorial content development for more than 100 exhibits, as well as the Museum’s traveling exhibits and curatorial services business. George also managed the development of numerous national museums and galleries, including the Woody Guthrie Center in Tulsa, Okla.; the Ray Charles Memorial Library in Los Angeles; and several GRAMMY Museum licensees in the eastern United States.  

Prior to joining the GRAMMY Museum, George served as director of visitor services, security and operations for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland.

George graduated from Ohio State University with a bachelor's degree in journalism.

Jayne Trimble is the CEO and Founder of World Peach Records which is a boutique record label and publishing company for women out of Los Angeles.  Artists have appeared at SXSW, Folk Alliance International, Canadian Music Week, NXNE, Tallinn Music Week, and many more. Artists have had songs placed in NBC, MTV, Oxygen and The CW Network TV shows and achieved top ten charting on international college campus radio charts across the US & Canada, iHeart radio and CTV News. Songwriters have been crowned winners of Best in Rock, as well as finalists in the USA, International Songwriting, SongUniverse and Intercontinental Music Awards Competitions, as well as finalists in the California Music Video and Film Awards. Notable performance collabs include American Cancer Society, The Lost Church (San Francisco). World Peach Records is proud to be a voting member of The Recording Academy, as well as the Association of Independent Music Publishers, Guild Of Music Supervisors and Women In Music. After securing a distribution deal with Downtown/XLP in 2023, the label has supported the release of 20 singles and 12 albums within the last 2 years, cumulating in over 1M streams on Spotify and a staggering 500K+ reach on socials. We established key partnerships with fellow Indie Labels Spirit House, Tiny Kingdom, and Neon Moon, as well as Planetary Group (Lou Reed, Brian Eno) and Nice Marmot (PJ Harvey, Alabama Shakes). World Peach Records co-founded a showcase for women called VENUS, which had its inaugural performance at The Lost Church in San Francisco featuring GRAMMY and EMMY nominated musicians on 2024’s International Women’s Day. The World Peach Records studio has produced work for many artists including the platinum selling indie artist Amy Kirkpatrick and many more.

Phil Danyew is an American singer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer based in Los Angeles, California, best known for his tenure as a touring member of the indie pop band Foster the People and for leading the retro-inspired indie rock project Elephant Castle. He’s also recently contributed to Paramore’s This is Why album. Beyond music, Danyew has appeared in films such as The Planters (2019), contributing to soundtracks and acting roles.

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Professional Drummer, AI Evangelist, & eDiscovery Thought Leader 

Brian Meegan has 25 years of executive management experience in the legal services industry and is recognized as a thought leader in the field of eDiscovery. Recently retired, Brian was well known for designing cutting edge technology enabled solutions for law firms and corporations seeking innovative cost modeling and excellence in evidentiary service delivery.  

Like many from his generation, seeing The Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show was life changing. By the age of 15, Brian was playing drums professionally in rock bands, show bands, pit orchestras, and teaching. Brian has worked with countless songwriters, bands and solo artists including famed producer Bob Margouleff (Stevie Wonder, Devo), Jack Lee (Hanging on the Telephone, Blondie, Come Back and Stay, Paul Young) and many others. Brian joined the LA band Felony (The Fanatic) recording a single that went to #1 on KROQ with an EP Dance Remix also in heavy rotation remixed by famed producer Arthur Baker (Sun City, Bruce Springsteen, New Order).  

Today Brian freelances playing in clubs, festivals, and private events. Among other musical endeavors, Brian is the drummer for Psychedelic Summer, a Woodstock era tribute band, and a Beatles Tribute Band called The Night Before. Brian lives in Los Angeles.  

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Cynthia “Cindy” Pease has spent a lifetime building things that most people never see. While performers take the stage and artists sign their names to finished works, Pease has quietly helped build the financial and organizational foundations that make those projects possible. For more than forty years she has worked behind the scenes as a producer, strategist, grant writer, and arts advocate in Burbank.

Born Cynthia Murtaugh on Staten Island, she grew up surrounded by performance and visual art. She sang in choirs, studied dance at Julie Brandy’s School of Dance, and participated in theater productions throughout her school years. Her uncle worked as a stage manager at the Village Gate, and her childhood included regular exposure to Lincoln Center, the opera, and Off‑Broadway theater.

Laura Ferreiro is a seasoned writer, journalist and communications strategist whose work has appeared in the Los Angeles Times, Rolling Stone, Variety, Yahoo, Nylon, The Press-Enterprise and LA Weekly. She previously served as West Coast Editor for the iconic British music magazine NME, where she reported on the cultural forces shaping music, media and entertainment.

Laura is also the founder of M4G Media, a marketing communications agency that works with mission-driven brands, nonprofits and creative artists to amplify their voice and expand their reach. Known for her ability to translate big ideas into compelling narratives, she develops strategic storytelling and media campaigns that increase visibility, mobilize audiences and drive meaningful growth. She also enjoys hiking the hills near her home on the east side of Los Angeles, attending concerts, gardening, making ceramics and creating plant-based recipes. 

Liza Kushnir is an entertainment specialist with a diverse background in photography, videography, events, PR, marketing, and management. She has held roles at Paramount, Focus Features, WME, and 88.5FM, gaining extensive experience across creative and strategic areas of the entertainment industry. Today, Liza focuses primarily on the music field, supporting artists with content creation, management, and development to help them grow their presence.

Los Angeles-born songwriter Janet Valerie has spent over 15 years collaborating with independent and major-label artists, shaping songs that capture the rawness, beauty, and complexity of human connection. With a deep love for storytelling through music, she thrives on crafting lyrics that feel both deeply personal and universally relatable.

Outside of the studio, Janet brings that same passion for impact to her work as a physician in clinical research, advocating for health equity and literacy in underserved communities.

 Www.glittermindmusic.com 
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Walter is an nonprofit organizational leader and arts entrepreneur with over 25 years of experience in program development, strategic planning, and implementing organizational change.  Soon after he joined YMF, Walter drove a significant refocusing of the organization’s mission and structure, the goal ofwhich was to bring music and media arts education and workforce training to underrepresented communities in SOuth, East, and downtown Los Angeles. 

Prior to YMF, Walter founded the South Pasadena Music Center and Conservatory, a community-based music school that taught over 10,000 students and employed over 100 teachers in its 14 year existence. As director ofcommunications at the California Institute of the Arts he oversaw the branding and development communications program for both the Institute and the Roy and Edna Disney CalArts Theater (REDCAT) in the Walt Disney Concert Hall. He held a similar position with USC’s Thornton School of Music, where he was part of the development team that helped secure Flora L. Thornton’s $25 million naming gift to the school.

Walter is a board member of Street Symphony, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit that utilizes music to create opportunities for human connection to homeless residents of the Skid Row community.

Featuring talent from Cox Castle; Mitchell Silberberg and Knupp
Rocking for United Friends of the Children

A Los Angeles Law Rocks institution since 2013, Castle of Disco returns to the Whiskey a Go Go with a talented and groovy group, including: Adriana Vesci, Kenny Kupers, Rob Shaia, Amber Wyman from Cox Castle, Andrew Spitser and Chris Elliott from MSK, and friends Lindsay Forbes and Chris Gonyaw.

Castle of Disco is getting boogie in 2026 in support of Los Angeles’s United Friends of the Children, which provides housing and education to current and former foster youth in LA County.  Support United Friends of the Children in its efforts to help LA County’s foster kids by buying a ticket or making a donation in the name of Castle of Disco.  We can’t wait to play some music for you!          

Featuring legal talent from Foley & Lardner
Rocking for Los Angeles Boys & Girls Club

Based primarily in Chicago, but with roots across the nation, Fauxly is a no-compromise rock band, ready to bring the party to you. As repeat Hustle and Heart Award winners, Fauxly are hitting the road to bring Los Angeles a set of modern classics from the 1990’s and 2000’s that will get everyone off their feet and on the floor. 

Fauxly features:
• Chris Ward – Vocals and Guitar
• Zack Sikora – Guitar
• Mike Noonan – Bass
• Chris Rasmussen – Drums

We’re ready to let what’s left of our hair down and rock out for a great cause. The money we’re raising goes to the Boys and Girls Club, but the spirits we’re raising will be yours!

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Featuring legal talent from Grindr; Domb & Rauchwerger; Given Law Offices
Rocking for Bet Tzedek

The Grind is committed to the full expression of our most authentic selves, including all sexual orientations, gender identities, and genres of music. The Grind (ver. 3.0) is Bill Shafton (VP, Business & Legal Affairs, Grindr), Zack Domb (Partner, Domb & Rauchwerger Employment Law Group), John Given (environmental law solo practitioner), Nancy Cotton (Vocals), and Till Richter (Drums).

Featuring legal talent from AGS Law; Buchalter; Foley & Lardner
Rocking for Los Angeles Food Bank

Coming straight outta Salt Lake City, Rust is a group of veteran rockers who are saving the world, one song at a time. Featuring Marcus Hernandez (vocals), Blake Cooper (guitar/vocals), Jared Braithwaite (drums), Garret Anderson (guitar) and Scott Flockhart (Bass), Rust covers the hits that electrify you the way only live music can! Rust is rocking for the Los Angeles Food Bank.

Featuring legal talent from Doll Amir Eley; Russell Law; Latham & Watkins
Rocking for Sarcoma Foundation of America

Side Hustle brings high energy covers to venues throughout Southern California, across a variety of genres — rock, pop, country, disco, 80’s, and more. You name it - we play it!

We cover everything from the Rolling Stones to Lizzo; Chris Stapleton to Dua Lipa; Donna Summer to Blondie. Songs that you love. Songs that will get everyone up and moving on the dance floor. 

Come check us out at our upcoming shows and follow us on Instagram at @SIDEHUSTLEBANDSOCAL.

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Featuring legal talent from BD&J; McCune & Harber
Rocking for Ronald McDonald House

During the Covid shutdown, four mountain biking friends decided to put together a cover band. They added a talented keyboard/harmonica player and guitarist, then practiced every week to get better. One night, while practicing, a neighbor named Larry stopped by and said while the band was awesome his baby was trying to sleep. So we ended that practice because we were....Too Loud for Larry. And the rest is history.....

Featuring legal talent from Pillsbury; TikTok; Atoms; LA Olympic Organizing Committee; In-N-Out
Rocking for Slave 2 Nothing Foundation

Don’t let the name fool you. The Doughboys rock it hard. Mashing millennial pop and spitting OG lyrics, they are as deft with a mic as they are with a memo. The Doughboys are nine strong, and ready to rock with quality you can taste for In-N-Out Burger’s Slave 2 Nothing Foundation.

Featuring legal talent from Pope & Gentile; Bradley + Wellerstein; X1 Discovery
Rocking for Home Again Los Angeles

Returning to defend our Judge’s Choice Award, 5 Feet Under Band from Glendale, CA, brings electrifying energy to timeless classic rock hits. Our high-octane performances revive legendary tracks, combining unique skills and captivating stage presence to create unforgettable shows.  

Meet the Band:
Randy O’Malley – Lead Vocals, Guitar
Chas Meier – Lead Guitar, Vocals
Dan Gentile – Bass
Steve Millington – Drums
Barry “Oso” Bradley – Keys, Vocals

5 Feet Under Band: not six feet under yet, and we play every gig like it's our last. Let's rock the night away for a great cause and leave it all on the stage! 

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Featuring legal talent from Greenberg Glusker
Rocking for TreePeople Wildfire Resilience Fund

Made up of Greenberg Glusker lawyers, the Gee Gees (get it?), are excited to return to the legendary Whisky to defend their Judge’s Choice Award! Their repertoire spans the decades, with a sound featuring vocal harmonies, shredding guitar solos, and a dynamic on-stage chemistry. The players are: Graham Fenton (vocals/drums); Ryan Webb (drums/vocals); Ricardo Cestero (guitar/vocals); Ira Steinberg (bass); Noah Perch-Ahern (guitar/vocals); Pete Nyquist (drums) and James Hill (keyboard), with special appearances by Linda Debella and Doug Webb.

Featuring legal talent from Greenberg Traurig
Rocking for The Headstrong Project

Look no further – global law firm Greenberg Traurig is excited to have its house band, The Meltones, return to the legendary Whisky a Go Go for a second time after their 2024 victory. The Meltones, named after a firm founder Mel Greenberg, have been rocking in various incarnations since the mid-1980s, and are proud to be multi-time Law Rocks NYC Champions. The Meltones have raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for local non-profits and couldn’t be more thrilled to play for The Headstrong Project, a mental health nonprofit providing confidential, barrier‑free, and stigma‑free PTSD treatment to veterans, service members, and their families.

Featuring legal talent from Raines Feldman Littrell
Rocking for Communities in Schools of Los Angeles

 Ocean Park Sound System creates analog, organic groove music.  Think retro-funk, reggae and dance rock for your head and your body. A decade ago, OPSS came together out the surf lineup at Ocean Park to create a true community vibe.  With members from Raines Feldman Littrelll LLP, OPSS plays out all year at events, dive bars, festivals, and parties. OPSS loves supporting Law Rocks.

www.oceanparksoundsystem.com

Featuring legal talent from Perkins Coie
Rocking for The Access Project

Privileged Communications is comprised of partner, Michael Wise leading vocals, partner, Joe Hamilton on guitar, partner, Lara Dueppen playing the keyboard, partner, Oliver Gold banging the drums, with firm friend Niall Fordyce playing bass guitar and Amanda Campos on the saxophone.  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 opening ceremony of the 2028 Summer Olympics within the next few years.

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Featuring legal talent from Baker McKenzie; Lynberg & Watkins
Rocking for Violence Intervention Program

Baker & The McKenzies are prior Law Rocks winners and are back to bring the house down. With absolutely zero musical boundaries, they’ve returned to defend their title the only way they know how: loud, energetic, and relentlessly fun.

Inspired by rock anthems, 90s alternative, dance‑floor grooves, and the kind of songs that make it impossible to stand still, their sound pulls from across decades and genres with one unifying goal — getting the crowd moving. They’re rebellious, high‑energy, and fully committed to turning this charity concert into a proper rock‑and‑roll party.

They are proud to play in support of the Violence Intervention Program, helping raise funds for an organization doing vital work in the community. This is rock & roll for a cause — and they fully intend to leave it all on the stage.

Featuring legal talent from Winston & Strawn; The Trade Desk; A&O Shearman; San Diego D.A.'s Office
Rocking for Special Olympics Southern California

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 2019 show at the Viper Room on Sunset Strip. 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.

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Featuring legal talent from Wolf Greenfield & Sacks
Rocking for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Get ready for some seriously fun, high-energy tunes with The Injunctions! Coming in hot from NYC and Texas, the band is bringing big hooks, great vibes, and energy cranked up to eleven to the 15th Annual Law Rocks Los Angeles. We’re beyond excited to light up the stage for a night that’s all about having a blast while giving back. Best of all, the show helps raise critical funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, supporting its cutting-edge research to find cures for pediatric life-threatening disease and its mission to ensure families never receive a bill for lifesaving treatment for their children. Come for the music, stay for the cause, and help us make this milestone Law Rocks celebration truly unforgettable.

Featuring legal talent from Allen Matkins; Buchalter; Doll Amir & Eley
Rocking for Ketchum-Downtown YMCA

The Nuisance has participated in Law Rocks since 2014 and this year takes the stage with numerous Law Rocks veterans and long-time supporters of the Law Rocks mission. The Nuisance puts a new gritty spin on rock classics, from Neil Diamond to U2.

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Featuring legal talent from Reed Smith; Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete; Feig Finkel; Glaser Weil; Seals Phillips
Rocking for Counsel for Justice

Back in the day, the members of Shadow Docket (f/k/a Down by Law) used to play fast and live hard, but with age comes wisdom, and now they play hard and live fast, delivering eclectic song sets from the 1960s through the 2000s that create a sense of palace intrigue.  To quote one critic:  “Owing to their unpredictable timing, lack of transparency, and usual inscrutability, this band plays both literally and figuratively in the shadows.”  Though band member firm affiliations have changed, the players remain the same to protect the innocent.  No longer obsessed with convincing their kids that they really are cool—their kids are now adults and know better—Shadow Docket remains committed to answering the age-old question, “What’s so Funny ‘bout Peace, Love and Understanding?”  Shadow Docket rocks to benefit Counsel for Justice (www.counselforjustice.org).

Featuring legal talent from McNicholas & McNicholas; Judicate West; Mandell Trial Lawyers
Rocking for Inner City Law Center

Sustained! is a mix of both young and seasoned legal professionals with a prowess and passion for music. They are so excited to be returning to the Whisky stage to rock in support of Inner City Law Center, a nonprofit poverty-law firm serving the poorest and most vulnerable residents of Los Angeles. 

Featuring talent from McNicholas & McNicholas, Judicate West, and Mandell Trial Lawyers, this band rocks in the legal world and beyond. Sustained! is proud to have the talent of: Alan Bruni (Drums), Bill Caras (Guitar), Alec Mandell (Keys/Vocals), Rob Mandell (Harmonica/Vocals), Patrick McNicholas (Guitar), Kaya Ramos (Guitar), Kela Sachs (Vocals/Keys), and Bob Tessier (Bass).

Objections to "all work and no playing rock n roll" are hereby SUSTAINED!

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