Overview
Kurt’s primary specialty is entertainment law and intellectual property. Kurt has advocated on behalf of high profile entertainment professionals, film production companies, filmmakers, influencers, recording artists, songwriters, music producers, record labels, managers, publishing companies and other stakeholders in the music, film and gaming industries.
Kurt is an expert in the areas of copyright, trademark, and intellectual property, and is recognized nationally as a thought leader in the area of entertainment law. Having worked as a guest lecturer, keynote speaker, songwriter, manager, talent buyer and chart-topping musician, Kurt offers his clients a rare combination of recognized intellectual property expertise and first-hand experience in the business of entertainment.
Kurt spent the last ten years of his career at a boutique entertainment/startup firm in Vancouver. Kurt received his J.D. from the University of Saskatchewan, Faculty of Law in 2005 and his Master of Laws (LL.M.) from the University of Saskatchewan, Faculty of Law in 2009, and was called to the Saskatchewan and British Columbia Bar in 2010.
Kurt is one of the preeminent entertainment lawyers in Canada and has been actively involved in the entertainment industry for the past twenty years, advocating for clients at the cutting edge of entertainment law.
Kurt provides pragmatic advice and counsel in a number of areas, including:
Entertainment Law: Kurt advises some of the most successful and recognized musicians, authors, actors, influencers, celebrities, radio talent, managers, record labels and publishing companies in Canada on their contracts, media, endorsements, sponsorships, branding, merchandise, and social media presence.
Intellectual Property: Kurt is an expert on copyright, trademarks and intellectual property, and assists clients with identifying their intellectual property assets and then ensuring they are properly owned, registered, licensed, and commercialized. Kurt wrote his Master of Laws thesis on the future of intellectual property in the digital age, and continuously has his finger on the pulse of emerging trends in intellectual property and how they impact his clients.
Startups: As an entrepreneur himself, Kurt is uniquely positioned to offer his business clients exceptional advice pertaining to their startups. Kurt assists his clients in properly structuring corporate articles and founder shares in order to develop the best possible term sheet and pitch deck to close financing and build their companies from the ground up.
Kurt frequently speaks at all the major music and film festivals and events from coast to coast on all things entertainment law, and has been featured in Canadian Musician, Canadian Lawyer, SOCAN Magazine, and is a regular on the most recognized entertainment industry podcasts around the world. Kurt is passionate about sharing his entertainment law knowledge, and has guest lectured at several universities across the country.
Notable matters
- Represented Skip the Dishes in their engagement of actor Jon Hamm for three year campaign
- Lead lawyer for Colter Wall's major label signing to RCA
- Co-counsel for Tones and I's major US label bidding war negotiations
- Represented video game giant Capcom in drafting their standard music licenses
Thought leadership
- Regular guest speaker at Breakout West, the Canadian Country Music Awards, Canadian Music Week, Indie Week, the Junos, and more
- Regular guest lecturer at universities across Canada
Community involvement
- President, SaskMusic, 2016 - 2022
- Board Member (currently the Board Chair), BreakoutWest and the Western Canadian Music Awards, 2016 - Present
- Board Member, Sasktel Saskatchewan Jazz Festival, 2020
Bar admissions & education
- Saskatchewan, 2010
- Master of Laws, University of Saskatchewan, 2009
- Juris Doctor (JD), University of Saskatchewan, 2005
- Bachelor of Commerce (B.Comm), University of Saskatchewan, 2004
