In the Counsel's Chair: Yakub Hazzard on what it takes to represent top talent

When Yakub Hazzard's team discovered that opposing counsel had improperly kept a privileged memo in a high-stakes Motown royalties case, it became a turning point. "That was like the game changing moment in the litigation where it went from the plaintiff seeming to have a lot of momentum to them being completely on their heels."

It wasn't the first, and certainly wouldn't be the last, time the veteran litigator would be forced to pivot under pressure.

Now Chair of Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp, Yakub shares three cases from a long career that taught him essential lessons about entertainment litigation. From representing Berry Gordy and Motown in a dispute with legendary songwriting trio Holland-Dozier-Holland, to achieving one of the few published 9th Circuit decisions on copyright termination in a case involving the Ray Charles Foundation, these cases reveal what it takes to navigate high-stakes entertainment disputes.

Yakub also explains his early career moves, what it takes to represent elite clients effectively, and his concerns about the future of the entertainment industry and attorneys given the rise of artificial intelligence.

About Yakub: Yakub Hazzard is the Chair of Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp and former Co-Chair of the Litigation Practice Group. Mr. Hazzard specializes in litigating high-profile matters involving intellectual property, right of publicity, privacy, breach of contract, profit participation, commercial disputes, and other media & entertainment-related conflicts across a wide range of industries. He has also handled employment litigation matters for clients.