Ryan Keller is an entertainment lawyer Stohn Hay Cafazzo Dembroski Richmond LLP, one of Canada’s leading entertainment law firms.
How did you get into the entertainment law industry?
Prior to law school I worked in the film and television industry. So throughout school and onward I focused on finding ways to combine my existing industry knowledge with my expanding legal skill set – I did a practicum with a broadcaster, joined the OBA Entertainment Law Executive, and continued to be active in the film community. A lot of positions are not advertised, so being in contact with people in the industry was essential to landing my first entertainment legal job.
What do you enjoy the most about your job?
The variety. There is an enormous amount of work that falls under the banner of entertainment law. So it’s always different.
What are the most crucial skills needed to succeed as an entertainment lawyer?
First and foremost, clients expect you to be a good lawyer. Beyond that, I think it’s essential to understand that people in this area often have different working styles than other business clients. So I think it’s important to be flexible in how you approach providing legal services.
What advice would you give to students interested in entering this field?
Find ways to get experience in areas of the industry that interest you: sit on a board, volunteer, go to CPD events, help plan this conference, meet potential clients. It’s a very competitive area to get into and the more experience you have, the better positioned you will be in terms of finding a position.
Hear more from Ryan at our 20th Annual Conference on March 1, 2018! See our Events page for details.