Billboard Names Six Pryor Cashman Attorneys to 2025 Top Music Lawyers List
Pryor Cashman Partners Ilene Farkas, Brad D. Rose, James Sammataro, Frank Scibilia, Benjamin Semel, and Donald Zakarin were all recognized in Billboard's 2025 list of “Top Music Lawyers.”
The list, which “comprises the attorneys guiding superstars and industry-driving companies” whose “legal savvy drives the music business,” was selected by Billboard editors based on firm and peer nominations, client stature, career momentum, and performance metrics.
Billboard said of Pryor Cashman’s elite music lawyers:
Pryor Cashman lawyers know about protecting copyrights. Not only do they work for the National Music Publishers’ Association, Mechanical Licensing Collective, RIAA and Nashville Songwriters’ Association International defending the value of music, they also count stars like Justin Bieber, Ed Sheeran and Daddy Yankee, as well as the top four music publishers, among their clients. The firm is representing over 100 defendants in the pending dembow litigation, a sprawling action initiated by reggae duo Steely & Clevie that claims that more than 1,800 songs and recordings, including the hits “Despacito,” “Bailando” and “Dame tu Cosita,” infringe a drum pattern they say they exclusively own. “The lawsuit threatens not only the fundamental principles of copyright law,” Sammataro says, “but the process of creating music.”
Pryor Cashman’s additional clients include Megan Thee Stallion, Bruno Mars, Chris Brown, Feid, Karol G, Anitta and Tiësto, Sony Music Entertainment and Sony Music Publishing, Warner Music Group, UMG Recordings, Epidemic Sound, and The Mechanical Licensing Collective (MLC).
The full list of winners and the Billboard feature can be found below (subscription required).
