**EXCLUSIVE EVENT UNITES TOP ENTERTAINMENT LAWYERS TO CELEBRATE EXCELLENCE AND AWARD $15K in SCHOLARSHIPs**

**SANTA MONICA, CALIF. (DEC. 5, 2024)** — On **Fri, Jan. 31, 2025**, the [Recording Academy® Entertainment Law Initiative® (ELI)](https://www.recordingacademy.com/entertainment-law-initiative?utm_source=comms&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=) will host its annual GRAMMY® Week luncheon at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, bringing together the nation's leading entertainment lawyers and honoring **Paul Robinson**, Warner Music Group's Executive Vice President & General Counsel. He will be recognized with the **2025 Entertainment Law Initiative Service Award**, presented each year to an attorney who demonstrates dedication to supporting and advancing the music community through their service.

"As a part of its mission, the Recording Academy works to advocate for creators, and the Entertainment Law Initiative advances this through legal representation, celebrating the achievements of entertainment law practitioners, and providing year-round educational opportunities to cultivate future leaders in the field," said [Harvey Mason jr.](https://www.grammy.com/artists/harvey-mason-jr/4668?utm_source=comms&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=), CEO of the Recording Academy. "Paul exemplifies these values, and we are proud to honor him with the ELI Service Award at the 2025 ELI GRAMMY Week Luncheon for his three decades at Warner Music Group, where he has championed fair practices and guided the industry through transformative changes."

The Entertainment Law Initiative was established by the Recording Academy to foster discussion and debate on legal issues shaping the ever-evolving music industry and their effects on creators and the broader music community. Each year, the recipient of the Service Award is selected by the ELI's Executive Committee, which supports the program by recognizing deserving leaders within the entertainment law community and mentoring aspiring professionals in the field.

The ELI GRAMMY Week Luncheon also recognizes the winner and runners-up of the Entertainment Law Initiative Writing Competition, celebrating their performance in the challenge. The competition, a flagship initiative within the ELI's year-round efforts to support the emerging entertainment law community, invites Juris Doctor and Master of Laws students from U.S. law schools to tackle a pressing legal issue in the music industry. Participants are challenged to craft a 3,000-word essay that presents a thoroughly researched analysis and a proposed solution. The following awards are then presented:

* A $10,000 scholarship for the author of the winning paper

* A $2,500 scholarship for each of the two runners-up

* Publication of the winning paper in the American Bar Association's journal, *Entertainment and Sports Lawyer*

* Travel and tickets to Los Angeles for the winner to attend the [67th Annual GRAMMY Awards®](https://www.grammy.com/news/2025-grammys-nominations-full-winners-nominees-list?utm_source=comms&utm_medium=referral), [MusiCares® Person of the Year event](https://www.musicares.org/news/person-of-the-year-2025-honoree-the-grateful-dead-gala-grammys?utm_source=comms&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=) and the ELI GRAMMY Week Event

Individual tickets, along with a limited number of discounted student tickets, will be available for purchase on **Wednesday, Dec. 11**, for the ELI GRAMMY Week Event. For more information, please visit: [https://www.recordingacademy.com/entertainment-law-initiative](https://www.recordingacademy.com/entertainment-law-initiative?utm_source=comms&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=).

Media RSVP for the ELI GRAMMY Week Event is mandatory, and space is limited. Please email [communications@grammy.com](mailto:communications@grammy.com) to RSVP.

GRAMMY Week culminates with the [67th Annual GRAMMY Awards](https://www.grammy.com/news/2025-grammys-nominations-full-winners-nominees-list?utm_source=comms&utm_medium=referral) at Los Angeles' Crypto.com Arena on Sunday, Feb. 2, 2025, broadcasting live on the CBS Television Network and streaming live and on-demand on Paramount+ at 8-11:30 p.m. ET/5-8:30 p.m. PT. Prior to the telecast, the GRAMMY Awards Premiere Ceremony® will be held at the Peacock Theater at 12:30 p.m. PT/3:30 p.m. ET and will be streamed live on [live.GRAMMY.com](https://live.grammy.com/?utm_source=comms&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=) and the Recording Academy's [YouTube channel](https://www.youtube.com/grammy). GRAMMY season media assets are available [here](https://dam.gettyimages.com/invitations/4d214324-3078-4a13-a057-60d92ba30434). Follow "Recording Academy/GRAMMYs" on [X](https://twitter.com/recordingacad?lang=en), [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/recordingacademy/), [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/RecordingAcademy/), [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@grammys), and [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/recordingacademy/), and use #GRAMMYs to join the conversation.

**ABOUT PAUL ROBINSON**

Paul Robinson joined Warner Music Group's legal department in January 1995 as Associate General Counsel and, after a series of more senior roles at WMG, was appointed Executive Vice President & General Counsel in December 2006. He is responsible for WMG's worldwide legal, business affairs, public policy, compliance, and corporate governance functions. Before joining WMG, Mr. Robinson was first an associate and later a partner at the New York City law firm of Mayer, Katz, Baker, Leibowitz & Roberts where he represented corporate clients, artists, songwriters, and executives. He is a member of the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee of the Recording Industry Association of America and is a member of the Board of Directors of the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Mr. Robinson has a bachelor's degree in English from Williams College and a juris doctor degree from Fordham University School of Law.

Photo file and credit available [here](https://grammy4-my.sharepoint.com/:i:/g/personal/shakearah_winston_grammy_com/Ea7etDdDtqpCuk7YABsX6SMBR7uRlwWauXw0Ndqtv9xjUg?e=aGIJYn).

**ABOUT THE RECORDING ACADEMY**

[The Recording Academy](https://www.recordingacademy.com/?utm_source=comms&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=) represents the voices of performers, songwriters, producers, engineers, and all music professionals. Dedicated to ensuring the recording arts remain a thriving part of our shared cultural heritage, the Academy honors music's history while investing in its future through the [GRAMMY Museum®](https://grammymuseum.org/?utm_source=comms&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=), advocates on behalf of music creators, supports music people in times of need through [MusiCares](https://www.musicares.org/?utm_source=comms&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=), and celebrates artistic excellence through the [GRAMMY Awards](https://www.grammy.com/awards?utm_source=comms&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=) — music's only peer-recognized accolade and highest achievement. As the world's leading society of music professionals, we work year-round to foster a more inspiring world for creators.

For more information about the GRAMMY Awards and the Recording Academy, please visit [GRAMMY.com](https://www.grammy.com/?utm_source=comms&utm_medium=referral) and [RecordingAcademy.com](https://www.recordingacademy.com/?utm_source=comms&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=). For breaking news and exclusive content, [follow @RecordingAcad on X](https://twitter.com/recordingacad), ["like" Recording Academy on Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/RecordingAcademy/), and join the Recording Academy's social communities on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/recordingacademy/), [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/grammy), [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@grammys), and [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/recordingacademy/). For media assets, please visit the [Recording Academy's Press Room](https://www.recordingacademy.com/press-room?utm_source=comms&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=).

*The [2025 GRAMMYs](https://www.grammy.com/news/2025-grammys-nominations-full-winners-nominees-list), officially known as the [67th GRAMMY Awards](https://www.grammy.com/awards/67th-annual-grammy-awards-2024), will air live on CBS and Paramount+ on **Sunday, Feb. 2**. Watch highlights from the 2025 GRAMMYs on [live.GRAMMY.com](https://live.grammy.com/).*

*The 2025 GRAMMYs telecast will be reimagined to raise funds to support wildfire relief efforts and aid music professionals impacted by the [wildfires in Los Angeles](https://www.recordingacademy.com/news/la-fire-relief-musicares-recording-academy). Donate to the Recording Academy's and MusiCares' [Los Angeles Fire Relief Effort To Support Music Professionals](https://donor.musicares.org/page/lafirerelief).*

*In light of the [wildfires impacting Los Angeles](https://www.recordingacademy.com/news/la-fire-relief-musicares-recording-academy), the 2025 GRAMMY Week event schedule [has been repurposed](https://www.recordingacademy.com/press-releases/recording-academy-condenses-grammy-week-activities) to focus on raising funds to support wildfire relief efforts and aid music professionals. Donate to the [Recording Academy's and MusiCares' Los Angeles Fire Relief Effort To Support Music Professionals](https://donor.musicares.org/page/lafirerelief).*

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**CONTACTS**

**Shakearah Winston**\
Recording Academy\
[shakearah.winston@grammy.com](mailto:shakearah.winston@grammy.com)