Sponsor Profiles

Sukin Colton Law Association is an entertainment and intellectual property law firm representing various parties – buyers, sellers, banks, funds, investor groups – in catalog acquisitions, company sales, and financing. We have closed many transactions involving the world’s most popular music, including ones conducted in Spanish and French languages. Additionally, our firm has done groundbreaking work in statutory and contractual copyright terminations and rights reversions, on a worldwide basis. The firm has long been known for its innovative thinking in developing the now-famous Bowie Bond in asset securitization using music catalogs.

Founded by its two principals Michael Sukin and Doug Colton, the firm has a global practice based in New York, Nashville, and London and has represented top level artists, songwriters, publishers, record companies, estates, trusts, and managers, domestically and internationally.

Sukin Colton led the initiation, promotion, and enhancement of global, music-related copyright legislation in the European Union, the United States, and Japan. As such, our company has met with music publishers and collecting societies in Eastern and Western Europe, the United States and the Far East, having represented many of these societies: ASCAP (representation), BMI (representation), SESAC (representation), Global Music Rights, the Performing Rights Society (UK), PPL-UK, British Music Rights, SACEM (France-representation), GEMA (Germany), SGAE (Spain-representation), STIM (Sweden), National Music Publishers Associations (Japan, UK, Germany), GESAC (Brussels), The International Confederation of Music Publishers (ICMP, Brussels), IFPI (London-Brussels), JASRAC (Japan), SAMRO (South Africa), ZAIKS (Poland), and SAZAS (Slovenia).

Chambers U.S.A. (the leading rating reference for attorneys) refers to Michael Sukin as a “gifted lawyer of rare experience in music issues.” Chambers ranks Mr. Sukin amongst the top attorneys in media entertainment in New York and Billboard considers him among the top music attorneys.

Mr. Sukin was raised in a music publishing family and has devoted his career to music publishing, the record industry (for the legendary Clive Davis), and musical theater. Prior to attending law school, Colton was a touring artist and songwriter.

Mr. Sukin is a graduate of Cornell University with high honors in economics and the Stanford University Law School, where he has also served on the Board of Visitors. He is fluent in French and holds a Certificate from the prestigious Parisian Insitut d’Etudes Politiques (Sciences Po).

Mr. Sukin was awarded the President’s Medal from the Country Music Association and is a founding Director of the International Association of Entertainment Lawyers. Sukin and Colton have written and lectured on issues within their expertise domestically and internationally. They have been cited and quoted as experts in the media including BBC World, Billboard, The Financial Times, The Wall Street Journal, Variety, Music Week and The New York Times.