Diane Davison

Current

Board Member and Attorney at Vocal Group Hall of Fame Foundation Inc
Consultant at Baltimore Jewish Film Festival
Owner at Entertainment & IP Law - The Law Office of Diane Leigh Davison

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Past

Arts & Entertainment Reviewer at The Maryland Daily Record
Adjunct Professor at University of Baltimore School of Law
Primary & General Election Day Coordinator at Martin O'Malley for Mayor

Campaign Finance Chair at J. Joseph "Max" Curran III for Delegate
Executive Director & Board Member at Maryland Lawyers for the Arts, Inc.
Fall Associate at Phillips, Nizer, Benjamin Krim & Ballon
Computer Programmer/Analyst at Abell Communications

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4 more...

Education

University of Maryland School of Law
New York Law School
Haverford College

Goucher College
Milford Mill High School

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2 more...

Recommended

3 people have recommended Diane

Connections

203 connections

Industry

Law Practice

Websites

Diane Davison’s Summary

Attorney with concentration in Entertainment Law (music, film, publishing, arts); Intellectual Property (copyrights & trademarks); and Corporate Law (formation & transactional business). Strong emphasis on involvement with community and nonprofit organizations in a leadership capacity.

Lecturer on entertainment and intellectual property issues and former adjunct law school professor.

Personally worked in various aspects of the entertainment and media industries, including more recently as concert reviewer, graphic designer, film producer, and artist management.

Bilingual in French and English with ties to the legal and entertainment communities in Belgium.

Diane Davison’s Specialties:

Transactional: Contract drafting, review and negotiation; purchase and sale of businesses; trouble-shooting & mediation in business settings. Trademark filing, infringement & opposition; Copyright filing & infringement.

Experienced at troubleshooting and brainstorming in any business setting with strong organizational skills.

Experienced computer programmer and web designer.Proficient in multiple platforms and most popular software in media and business.

Diane Davison’s Experience

Board Member and Attorney

Vocal Group Hall of Fame Foundation Inc

(Non-Profit Organization Management industry)

February 2009 — Present (10 months)

The VGHF honors vocal artists, displays culturally significant artist memorabilia in its museums, educates the public, and leads the nationwide effort in passing legislation in all 50 states on the Truth In Music:

The Truth in Music Law is designed to stop unscrupulous concert promoters from deceiving the public with“impostor groups” which have no connection, legal or otherwise, to the authentic groups. The VGHF also is a watchdog for imposter performances, and in aiding artist regain control of their rightful trademarks.

The Vocal Group Hall of Fame is a 501(c)(3) non-profit Foundation. It was founded in January 1997 to honor the greatest vocal groups in every genre of music. The basic concept is to induct vocal groups into the Vocal Group Hall of Fame, to preserve their music, perpetuate their memories, display their memorabilia in a world class Museum and to promote their musical legacy while paying tribute to them as international music treasures.
Consultant

Baltimore Jewish Film Festival

(Law Practice industry)

1995 — Present (14 years )

Consultant for both the Baltimore Jewish Film Festival & CineFest providing legal, business, and website design services.
Owner

Entertainment & IP Law - The Law Office of Diane Leigh Davison

(Law Practice industry)

November 1993 — Present (16 years 1 month)

International & National practice of Entertainment Law & Intellectual Property; media and internet; also general transactional practice comprising corporate law and business law. Specialize in brainstorming & troubleshooting for all types of business enterprises.

Past and present clients include The Angels ("My Boyfriend's Back"); Karen McmIllen (John Water's "Demented Forever"); movies including "Freedom Dance"; "Franky's Heaven"; "Maxim Xul"; "In The Living Years"; and comic book artists Jim Balent and Holly G! (Tarot: Witch of the Black Rose, Vampfire, School Bites)
Arts & Entertainment Reviewer

The Maryland Daily Record

(Newspapers industry)

August 2005 — May 2006 (10 months)

Freelance journalist. Reviews of concerts from classical to rock. Including interviews of the Bacon Brothers and Barenaked Ladies; and photojournalistic coverage of the likes of the Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, and George Clinton.
Adjunct Professor

University of Baltimore School of Law

(Educational Institution; 51-200 employees; Higher Education industry)

September 1995 — 2001 (6 years )

Entertainment Law. Originated first-ever Entertainment Law course in a Maryland-based law school. Coursework based entirely on practical application and practice of law in fields of music, film, publishing and the arts; including corporate practice, intellectual property (trademark and copyright), and related legal areas.
Primary & General Election Day Coordinator

Martin O'Malley for Mayor

(Privately Held; 11-50 employees; Political Organization industry)

August 1999 — November 1999 (4 months)
Campaign Finance Chair

J. Joseph "Max" Curran III for Delegate

(Privately Held; 1-10 employees; Political Organization industry)

January 1998 — November 1998 (11 months)
Executive Director & Board Member

Maryland Lawyers for the Arts, Inc.

(Non-Profit; 1-10 employees; Legal Services industry)

September 1989 — May 1992 (2 years 9 months)

(MLA) Volunteer lawyer for the arts organization, which I re-founded after it had become essentially defunct. The organization provides legal services to income eligible artists and arts organizations, as well as legal and business education in the area of entertainment and the arts.

I greatly expanded the roster of referral attorneys, board members and key officers in the MLA. I obtained donated office space and equipment, restructured the organization, applied for and was awarded numerous grants, developed the first Maryland-based entertainment law library. Networked with other national VLAs, attending the first-ever national VLA conference in San Francisco. Created and organized annual full day seminars in Film and Music, and associated other arts related seminars. Developed ties to the entertainment law groups at both University of Maryland (which I founded while there) and University of Baltimore Law Schools.
Fall Associate

Phillips, Nizer, Benjamin Krim & Ballon

(Privately Held; 51-200 employees; Law Practice industry)

August 1991 — December 1991 (5 months)

Fall Associate in the Entertainment Division, working on entertainment matters with Robert Gaulin, George Fearon, Gerald Meyer, Mike Saland, Paul Sawyer, and Peter Rieneker.

Worked on varied legal matters including Robert Plant World Tour, book publishing deals, Blue Sky filings, and created entertainment contracts library for the entertainment division.
Computer Programmer/Analyst

Abell Communications

(Privately Held; 201-500 employees; Broadcast Media industry)

April 1985 — August 1985 (5 months)

Analyzed and wrote code in several computer languages relating to the operations of WMAR-TV, WMAR-FM, and the various other East Coast TV and Radio stations held by Abell Communications. Drafted all technical content for the new programming. Interacted with the stations' personnel and observed the stations' operations to brainstorm and innovate the software development.

Diane Davison’s Education

University of Maryland School of Law

JD , Law , 1988 — 1992

Activities and Societies:

The Raven newspaper;
EASL Assoc (Entertainment Arts & Sports Law) Founder;
ABA/LSD Law School Rep;
ABA/LSD 3rd Circuit Governor;
Student Bar Assoc Managing Director
New York Law School

Entertainment Law & IP 1991 — 1991

Activities and Societies:

Student Government, ABA/Law School Division Circuit Governor
Haverford College

BS , Math & Comp Sci , 1982 — 1988

Activities and Societies:

WHRC Radio GM & Pres Haverford-Bryn Mawr Broadcasting Inc, Program Director, and DJ;
Field Hockey;
Spring Fair Chair;
Goucher College

Mathematics & Computer Science 1983 — 1985
Milford Mill High School

Honors 1978 — 1982

Activities and Societies:

Student Government President, VP, Historian;
Class Treasurer;
Hugh O'Brien Youth Foundation Ambassador (HOBY) '80
Governor's Youth Advisory Council (GYAC) Gubernatorial Appointee '79-'82
French Club President,
Ski Club President;
It's Academic Team Alternate;
Spring Fair Chair;

Additional Information

Diane Davison’s Websites:

Diane Davison’s Interests:

Technology & computers; gardening; antiques & collecting; music & film

Diane Davison’s Groups:

Maryland State Bar Association, Entertainment & Sports Law Section - Founder & Past Chair; Maryland Lawyers For the Arts - Founder, Past Exec Dir, Past Chair & Past President; Women in Film and Video of Maryland - Past VP & Past Secty; Maryland Producers Club; Baltimore City Bar Association/YLD - Member-at-Large, Committee Chairs.

LinkEds & writers
Haverford College Worldwide Alumni
ThoseInFilm (Motion Pictures & Film Industry)
Friends of the Ravens
Animation, Media & Entertainment
LinkedIn Groups Product Forum
The New York Law School Network
Filmmakers
Univ. of Maryland School of Law - Networking Group
Music and Entertainment Professionals
Entertainment Lawyers
Goucher College Alumni
Haverford College Alumni Group
Entertainment Law
Entertainment Lawyer Network
TENOR - MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT JOBS
International club of boutique law firms
Art By Hollis Int'L (R) - Art, Law, Entertainment, Fashion, Sports, Film, TV, Photography & Biz
American Bar Association Law Practice Management Section | ABA LPM
American Bar Association TECHSHOW (ABA TECHSHOW)
Cosmopeeps Entertainment & Fashion Professionals
Lawyers & Legal Professionals using JD Supra
Fireball Run: Executive Network
Entertainment Transactionalists