Cheryl L. Slay is an Intellectual Property and Entertainment Law attorney with a particular focus on developing creative business and legal solutions for arts and entertainment professionals, and for small businesses. Her professional credits also include extensive experience in managing and advising public sector programs on matters ranging from consumer protection and privacy, to equal employment and administrative law.
Ms. Slay is also an Assistant Professor of Music Business at Belmont University in the Mike Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business in Nashville, Tennessee. She simultaneously continues her law practice through offices located in both Maryland and Tennessee.
Education
University of Maryland School of Law
Baltimore, Maryland
Juris Doctor (1994)Harvard Law School
Program of Continuing Education for Lawyers
Cambridge, Massachusetts
International & Comparative Intellectual Property (non-degree program) (2004)Atlanta University
Atlanta, Georgia
Master of Public Administration (1987)University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Bachelor of Arts: Communication (1982)
Honors
Leadership Music, Class of 2010. Leadership Music is a non-profit organization committed to nurturing a knowlegeable, issue-oriented community of music industry professionals through a selection-based program designed to further communication among facets of the entertainment business, and to assist established leaders in their roles as industry decision makers. Selection is extended to candidates who are chosen to participate in the Leadership Music Program because they are thought of as established leaders in their given profession, and as the top candidate(s) from their sector of the music industry. (May 2009)
Maryland Bar Foundation Fellow. Ms. Slay is a Fellow of the Maryland Bar Foundation. Selection as a Fellow is an honor limited to 2.5 percent of the Maryland State Bar Association membership. Selection is extended only after nomination by a current fellow and endorsement by the Board of Directors of the Foundation. Ms. Slay received the honor in June 2005 for her outstanding dedication and contribution to maintaining the honor and integrity of the legal profession.
Bar Admissions
Court of Appeals of Maryland
Supreme Court of Tennessee
U.S. District Court of Maryland
Publications
Book Chapters
General Principles of Trademark Law, Trademark Infringement Remedies (BNA Books), February 2006
Articles
The Battle for Intellectual Property Rights in Games and Toys: It's Not Kids' Play! Entertainment & Sports Law Section News, Tennessee Bar Association, Vol. 1, No. 4, September 2009.
Performance Rights Act of 2007, Annual Meeting Report, Intellectual Property Committee, Maryland State Bar Association, June 2008.
MySpace or Whose Space? Web Site Operation Under the Digital Millenium Copyright Act, Maryland Bar Journal, January 2008.
To Niche or Not to Niche? Insights on Building a Focused Practice, Maryland Bar Journal, July/August 2007.
Trademark Lessons from Reality TV: Real Issues, Real Solutions, Maryland Bar Journal, March 2007.
Internet TV Offers Fresh Opportunities, Maryland Bar Bulletin, October 2006
Maryland Legislature in Step with Film Incentive Trends, Maryland Bar Bulletin, September 2005
Embracing Change: New Business Models in Entertainment Media, Maryland Bar Bulletin, November 2004
Entertainment Law: Realm of the Dealmaking Practitioner, Maryland Bar Journal, May/June 2004
Papers
Slay, C. L. and Slay, H.S. The Impact of Work for Hire Doctrine and Confidentiality Agreements on Creativity in the Workplace: Barbie v. Bratz. American Society of Behavioral Business Science, Las Vegas, NV (2009).
Television Appearances
"Copyrights: An Interview with Host Jesse Goldberg," Mind Your Own Music Business, CATV, Nashville, TN, May 28, 2008.
"New Strategies for Success in the Music Industry," Interview with Host Jesse Goldberg, Mind Your Own Music Business, CATV, Nashville, TN, August 20, 2008.
Classes & Seminars Taught
- "Maintaining the Musician: Protecting Music, Image and Technology Today," Spring Symposium, Vanderbilt University Law School, Nashville, TN (2009)
- The Impact of Work for Hire Doctrine and Confidentiality Agreements on Creativity in the Workplace: Barbie v. Bratz. American Society of Behavioral Business Science, Las Vegas, NV (2009)
- Protecting Copyrights Online: Website Terms of Use Agreements, Maryland State Bar Association Annual Meeting, Ocean City, MD (2008)
- MySpace or Whose Space is it? Balancing Competing Rights Online, Copyright Office Comes to Music City, Nashville, TN (2008)
- Public Performance Rights for Sound Recordings: An Evolving Legal Environment, Copyright Office Comes to Music City, Nashville, TN (2008)
- Christian Writers, Musicians, and Artists, Church of God Ministries, Baltimore, MD (2007)
- "Understanding Music Business & Legal Issues," Community College of Baltimore County(2007)
- "Entertainment Law," Community College of Baltimore County (2007)
- "Nuts & Bolts of Entertainment Law," Baltimore City Bar Association (2007)
- "Internet Marketing for Music Professionals," Making the Right Moves Conference, (2007)
- "Managers, Agents, & Lawyers: Getting the Right Representation," Making the Right Moves Conference (2007)
- Faculty Chair and Faculty, Entertainment & Sports Law, Maryland Institute for the Continuing Professional Education of Lawyers (2007)
- Legal Tips for Independent Filmmakers, Baltimore Videographers Association (2006)
- The Business of Music, University of Maryland School of Law, Entertainment Law Conference (2006)
- Introduction to Entertainment Law & Business, Community College of Baltimore County (2006)
- Program Chair, The Impact of New Technologies on the Entertainment Industries, Maryland State Bar Association Annual Meeting (2005)
- What Every Consumer Should Know About Downloading Music, Maryland State Bar Association/University of Maryland School of Law (2005)
- Faculty Chair, Entertainment & Sports Law, Maryland Institute for the Continuing Professional Education of Lawyers (2005)
- Adjunct Professor, Clinical Law Program, Univ. of Maryland School of Law (2002-2004)
- Managing Your Assets: A Look at Intellectual Property, Maryland Assoc. of Non-Profit Organizations (2004)
- Anatomy of a Publishing Contract, Univ. of Maryland School of Law, Entertainment Law Conference (2004)
- Intellectual Property Business Impact, Univ. of Maryland School of Law, Entertainment Law Conference (2004)
- Marketing Your Law Practice, Maryland State Bar Association (2002)
- Planning Your Estate, Maryland State Bar Association Speakers Bureau (2002)
- The Business of Law, University of Baltimore School of Law (2002)
- Napster and Copyright Issues, Christian Music Connection (2000)
Professional Affiliations
- Executive Council, Entertainment & Sports Law Section, Tennessee Bar Association (2008-present)
- Section Council, Intellectual Property Section, Maryland State Bar Association (2007-2008)
- Chair, Entertainment & Sports Law Section, Maryland State Bar Association (2005-2008)
- Nashville Chamber of Commerce
- Board of Directors, Maryland Lawyers for the Arts (1989-91; 2007-2008)
- Board of Directors, Civil Justice Network
- Dean's Advisory Council, College of Fine Arts & Communication, Towson State University (2006)
- Intellectual Property Committee, Nashville Bar Association
- Entertainment & Sports Law Forum, American Bar Association
- Intellectual Property Section, American Bar Association
- Gospel Music Association
- National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences
- Anne Arundel Technology Council (2006-2007)
Clients Represented
Some of the clients Ms. Slay has represented:
- Tony Pann (Television Meterologist)
- In the Midst, Inc. (Indie record label)
- Nancy Amis (Author, Simon & Schuster)
- Balance Professor, LLC (Literary Publishing)
- TNT-Studio, LLC (Animation and video production)
- Black Ice Records, LLC
- Nu-Life Entertainment, LLC
- Elsys, Inc. (Software development)
- Fusion Research (Software development)
- The Poisoned Pawn Café, LLC
- New Duffy’s Restaurant, Inc.
- Two Weather Guys, LLC (Television production)
- JetMax, LLC
- CDW Health & Wellness Lifestyles, LLC
- Stadium Zone, LLC (Sports memorabilia)
- VITAL Self-Defense, LLC
- Heart of Africa, Inc.
- City Prep Mentoring Program, Inc.
- Meadowgate Realty Group, LLC
- Joseph Ganem (Physicist and author of Making Personal Financial Decisions:Deceptive Math That Costs You Money)
- Elan-Dee Publishing, LLC (Recording & music publishing)
- His Way Electric, LLC
- Priority II Janitorial Services, LLC
- SonRise Productions L.L.C. & "Legion of Grooves" Music Group (Music Production, Recording, Mixing, and Writing)
