Today we’d like to introduce you to Gwendolyn Seale.
Hi Gwendolyn, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
During my second year of law school, I made it a point to take courses that encapsulated my passions, like entertainment and social media law. Those classes and my professors (particularly my social media law professor, John Browning), helped to instill confidence that I could pave my own path in the legal profession. I also recognized that there was only so much that could be learned from case books and I needed to gain practical entertainment industry skills to set myself apart from other young lawyers who wished to practice in this niche area.
As fate would have it, as I was scrolling around on Facebook one night, I noticed there was an internship opportunity at Trees, a well-known concert venue in Dallas’ Deep Ellum district — and despite showing up to the internship interview wearing a full business suit and carrying a briefcase, while the interviewer, Gavin Mulloy, was dressed in a tee-shirt and shorts, I was hired. Within the first months of working at Trees, the owners also opened another venue in Deep Ellum, called the Bomb Factory. I started by doing some of the social media marketing for shows and selling merch for bands that played the venues. One of the owners, Clint Barlow, also taught me how to mark-up and negotiate talent performance contracts after I told him that I would really like to gain some legal skills during the internship. By my third year of law school, I was introduced to an Austin band, The Mammoths, who were looking for a manager. We instantly clicked. So, I spent my days in class (and cold-emailing venues around Texas to get the Mammoths booked) and my nights either selling merch at or at Mammoths shows (while trying to study for exams simultaneously). That was essentially the year of no sleep.
After graduating and passing the Bar Exam, my parents told me that it was time to find a job at a law firm. As a result, I “Googled” entertainment lawyers in Texas and Mike Tolleson’s name was the first result. When I looked him up, I realized that we had a lot in common — attended the same law school, had worked with bands and in the live music business, so I sent him an email and asked if he was hiring. Mike replied that he was not hiring and that as a newly-licensed attorney, I needed to have some practical entertainment industry experience to be able to find a job. I replied that I did have such experience and simultaneously he received an email blast from the State Bar about a Continuing Legal Education Course I was co-presenting on the evidentiary significance of emojis. He then asked if I was the same person slated to present this course, to which I replied yes, and I also told him that I planned to be in Austin the next day and wanted to have lunch. I actually did not plan to be in Austin that next day, but when he agreed, I drove to Austin, and what was supposed to be an hour-long lunch meeting turned into an over six-hour meeting — with me finishing the conversation by saying that I was going to pack up all my stuff, move to Austin and work with him. He went along with it and I’ve been at Mike Tolleson and Associates for nearly five years now.
I am truly fortunate to be following my passion in entertainment law and working alongside such an intelligent and inspirational attorney, who also lets me spend time writing about music tech issues and advocating for creatives’ rights. I am also blessed with incredibly talented musician, professional wrestler and filmmaker clients. Finally, I would not be here without the constant love and support from my mother, father and brother.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has never been a smooth road — and to date, the road still has its bumps. Having to juggle law school, interning at venues and managing a band was not easy. Law school also does not really teach a person the ins and outs of practicing law, so the first year of work was quite a learning experience. As the entertainment realm is constantly-evolving, so is the law, so to be effective counsel, you have to keep educating yourself in order to be effective counsel for your clients. There is also a significant amount of misogyny in the legal profession, which can be downright demoralizing — but I know how hard I have worked to be in this position and that those tactics come from people who lack self-confidence.
All of that said, I always tell people to follow their passions, find mentors, be a sponge and never stop educating themselves. There will always be naysayers and challenges to overcome — but by forging relationships with people who are experts at their crafts and being open to learning constantly, it will be easier to adjust to the various bumps you will encounter on the road that is your career.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am an entertainment lawyer at Mike Tolleson and Associates and do legal work in connection with music, film and sports entertainment (professional wrestling). My practice consists of drafting, reviewing and negotiating contracts for clients and assisting clients with copyright and trademark matters.
In addition, I have authored articles and lectured on subjects such as demystifying YouTube’s monetization policies, legal issues and monetization strategies pertaining to livestreaming music, rate-setting proceedings at the Copyright Royalty Board, and the evidentiary significance of emojis. I also teach classes to aspiring professional wrestlers at Rhodes Wrestling Academy, where I walk students through copyright and trademark basics in the lens of the wrestling industry and how to begin building their own brands. The wrestlers are generally surprised that this is a component of the school, but Dustin Rhodes and his wife, Ta-rel, recognize the importance of empowering these students to not only be forces in the ring but also how to be effective businesspeople.
I am also a board member of Texas Accountants and Lawyers for the Arts (TALA) and spend time advocating for creatives’ rights.
How do you define success?
I believe success is working in the area(s) where you find passion.
Contact Info:
- Email: gwen@miketolleson.com
- Website: http://www.miketolleson.com
